198 



PANAMA. 



is no news of the man-of-war. The rainy sea- 

 son is commencing, but this town still continues 

 healthy. I have seen only one instance of 

 fever and ague. This was the case of a poor 

 French sailor who was put ashore from a 

 merchantman some months ago ; I was struck 

 with his emaciated appearance, lyii^g on a mi- 

 serable mat in a house in which a charitable 

 native afforded him a refuge. I gave him some 

 clothes and quinine. For the former he was 

 particularly grateful, for though the glass was at 

 90 degrees, he complained bitterly of the cold, 

 and suffered from the usual symptoms of this 

 complaint. 



20th. — I have been frequently out riding 

 with the consul at an early hour, before the sun 

 has much power. After passing the gardens 

 near the city, we enter thick woods by narro^ 

 wet paths. The underwood is quite impene- 

 trable even to the air, and the want of circula- 



