From the circumstances in the text Lavelia seems to be
the town now named San Francisco, near the head of the river Salado,
which runs into the gulf Parita, on the west side of the bay of
Panama.
- E.]
Having well careened our ships by the 14th February, and provided a
stock of wood and water, we sailed on the 18th, and came to anchor in
the great channel between the isles and the continent, in fifteen
fathoms, on soft ooze, and cruised next day towards Panama, about which
the shore seemed very beautiful, interspersed with a variety of hills
and many small thickets. About a league from the continent there are
several small isles, partly ornamented with scattered trees, and the
King's Isles on the opposite side of the channel give a delightful
prospect, from their various shapes and situations. The 18th we went
towards Panama, and anchored directly opposite Old Panama, once a place
of note, but mostly laid in ashes by Sir Henry Morgan, and not since
rebuilt. New Panama is about four leagues from the old town, near the
side of a river, being a very handsome city, on a spacious bay of the
same name, into which many long navigable rivers discharge their waters,
some of which have gold in their sands. The country about Panama affords
a delightful prospect from the sea, having a great diversity of hills,
vallies, groves, and plains. The houses are mostly of brick, and pretty
lofty, some being handsomely built, especially that inhabited by the
president; the churches, monasteries, and other public edifices, making
the finest appearance of any place I have seen in the Spanish West
Indies.
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