Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-08-28
From Black,oood for Judy.l
PAN A NJ A.-BY Tom CRINGLE.

As you approach the town, the open spaces be.
fore mentioned become more frequent, until at
length you gain rising ground, about three
miles from Panama, where, as the sun again
shone out, the view became truly enchanting.
There lay the town Of Panama. built on
small tongue Of land, jutting into the Pacific,
surrounded by walls, which might have been
formidable defence once, but wish nv promo,
ton depended ON my rafting the old bricks and
stones about their ears, with one single irIsate.
it could only get near enough: but IN the
impossbty Of this lies the strength Of the place,
as the water shoals so gradually, that the tide re-
tires nearly a mile aud half from the walls,
rising, | consider, near eighteen feet at the
springs, while on the opposite side OF the 18TH.
mus, at Chasrcs for instance, there 10 scarcely
any at all, the gulf stream neut'alzng 1t al.
most entirely.
On the ris ht hand hill overhangs- the town.
rising preripitcusly to The height OF a thousand
feet or whereabouts, on the extreme pinnacle u
which is erected signal station, called the ptsad,
which. at the instant saw 1t, was telesraphlus
TO some craft out at sea. As for the city, to as
sumo our friend Mr. Bangs mode OF description,
1t was shaped like tadpule. the body represent
inu the city, and the suburb the tail; or stew
nan the city and its Notifications being the PAM
while the handle tending obhque'y towards u.s.
was the Raral or long street, extending saNan'
nahward, without the walls. AT the distance
from which we viewed 1t. the red.tlleu houses'
r'.ss> 49, i..,ih its towers, and the numerous mo-
white riband, while series Of black spots here
aud there denoted the cannon on the batteries.
To the left of The town, there was whole flo.
,la Of small craft, briss. schooners, and vegeta-
Bile boats; while further out at sea- beyond the Tor.
ti6catlons, three large ships rode at anchor; and
beyoud them again. the beautiful group OF islands
lying about five miles of the town, appeared to
float on, and were reflected in the calm, ASS
like expanse of the Pacific, like emeralds chased
in silver; while the ocean ITSELF toward the hori-
ION, seemed to rise up like scene in a theatre,
or FURNISHED bright silver wall, growing more
and blue, hazy, aud indis,inct, az it assembled,
until il melted into the cloudless heaven, SO that
no one could tell where water and sky met.
"Thou glorious mirror,
| in all tine,
Calm convulsed-in bree Re, or gale, or storm,
Icing the pole, in the torrid CLINE
Dark heavng -boundless. en- Hess, and sublime,
The image of eternity -the throne
OF the Invisible. -
While sperm whale every now and then rose
between us and the Islands, and spoued up high
double let into the air, and then, with a heavy
founder Of his broad tail, slowly sank again; and
a boat here and there glided athwart the scene,
and sleepy sail rose with SOW motion and a
fitful rattle. and greasy cheep, on the mast Of
some vessel, getting all ready to weigh. while small
floating trails of blue smoke were streaming away
astern from the tiuv cabooses Of the craft at an
Choir, and mcurnfnl distant IS go heave OBJ came
bonmlns past on the light air, and the everlast
ing tinkle Of the convent bells sounded cheerilv,
and the loving of the kline around US called up
old associations in my bosom, as looked forth on
the glorious spectacle, from beneath magnificent
bower of orange trees and shaddocks, while all
manner Of wild flowers blossolned and bloomed
around US.