220 



THE ISTHMUS. 



hastened their death by visiting that place at 

 the dreaded season. 



The unhealthy state of the atmosphere, when 

 the rains set in, is ascribed to the impenetrable 

 masses of wood and jungle, which cover the 

 whole isthmus from one ocean to the other. 

 No doubt, colonization and clearing would, at 

 length, afford a remedy as in other parts of 

 America, where similar causes have produced 

 the best effects. The greater salubrity of 

 Panama, about which partial clearings have 

 taken place, justifies this opinion ; for formerly 

 it is said to have been, like Portobello and 

 Chagres, the grave of Europeans. 



Kingston, Jamaica, June 9th. — Now that 

 I have been safely landed in a British colony, I 

 can turn my reflections with more satisfaction 

 on the country I have just quitted, than when 

 they were mingled with an apprehension of 

 danger from prolonging my residence there. 

 I shall, therefore, wing an imaginary flight to 



