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CALIFORNIA ILLUSTRATED. 
own thoughts. I soon felt as happy as a man could well feel 
under the influence of the same quantity of wine. I kept my 
eye on the table, dinner was in an advanced state of preparation; 
and, dear reader, you will form some idea of the voracity of my 
appetite when you reflect that I have not dined in fifty-one days. 
I must claim your indulgence here, for I must confess I am in 
doubt whether I am competent to write intelligibly; just on 
shore, you know; and then, you know, the best of wine will some¬ 
times lead one astray; but dinner is ready, and who cares for 
public opinion when he has enough to eat and drink. I sat at 
table as long as there was anything visible, when I, very pru¬ 
dently, got up, lighted a cigar and went out for a promenade. 
•The wine was flowing briskly through my veins, and I felt a 
healthful glow throughout my system. I felt that politeness 
was the main ingredient in my composition, and was disposed to 
raise my hat to every individual I met. I, however, restrained 
myself, and bestowed my bows only upon the half-clad Senoritas, 
Panama had become completely Americanized. There was 
the American Hotel, the New York, the Philadelphia, the 
United States, the St. Charles, Washington, &c., &c., and half 
the business in town was done by Americans. After supper, 
we strolled to the “ Battery,” seated ourselves on a brass fifty-six, 
and viewed one of the most magnificent moon-light scenes I ever 
beheld. The bay was as placid as a mirror; the ships lying 
quietly at anchor, loomed up like phantoms; the islands being 
just visible in the distance. Behind us was a ruined monastery, the 
moon looking in at the roof and windows, disclosing the innum¬ 
erable bats that nightly congregate to gambol through these 
halls of desolation. After spending an hour here, we passed 
through one of the dilapidated gateways and took a surf bath ; 
we reentered through the gateway, and passed along the wall to 
the convent of San Francisco, an immense structure covering an 
area of 800 feet square: it is now untenanted, and in ruins. 
Near one corner of this, standing in the street, is a stone pedes¬ 
tal surmounted by a cross, where the devout are wont to kneel 
and kiss the image of “Nuestro Senora.” Passing up the main 
street, u Calle de Merced ,” we found the citizens all out enjoying 
the evening; and as we passed we could hear them modestly 
whisper, “ Los Americanos tiene mucho oro during the night 
