Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-01-29
p A N A M 4 .

Panama is principally built Of stone, stnc-
coed. The houses are spacious and substan-
tial. and generally three stories III height, as
the Mace IS not subject to violent earthquakes.
The citv bears a look of departed grandeur.
The churches are spacious, aud arc built IN
the fantastic style OF architecture introduced
into Spain, by the Moors. There are num-
Der of extensive converts, mostly ruinous
and untenanted. In one Of them that over
looks the walls of the city and the bay, u lew
sallow, wthered and melancholy looking
nuns were occasionally to be seen at the WIN
dows. The government house Is u hne stone
building; but tank of hcwn stone IN when
a fountain now dry) formerly played, the bro
ken marble pavement Of the grand haii, the
defaced balustrades Of richly carved stone,
and the once painted ceiling, now mou!dy,
dscolored and crunbling, only showing III
spots traces Of the original designs, all tell
OF decay and poverty.
! The general aspect of the city comPorts
with the dcsoute appearance OF the puolic
edlices. Every thing has the same look OF
decay. Grass springs up between the stones
Of the pavement the stucco has fallen IN
patches from the walls of the houses, troops
of the black carrion vulture sit ranged III hles
along the roofs, or hop unconcernedly ABOUT
the streets, as they are never molested, peihS
the only scavengers the inhabitants, sailo"
and miserable from the effects of the noxlous
climate, stroll listlessly along the streets, or
sit in the door ways and balconies, dozihS d.
way life The city is said to contain seven
i thousand inhabitants, of which about seven
eights are black and brown. NO such thing
as hotel or tavern is known III the second
floor of house large enough to have quar-
| tered regiment.
II Panama is d walled town; and that part OF
the wall which borders on the pay, Is very
| fine masonry, thirty feet broad at The Top
! forming beautiful promenade, commanding
| a view of the lovely bay, and much frequent
! cd during the fine season. very lew can
| mons are remaining Oh the walls, which are
| undermined in two or three places, oy TIE
| tide. On the left of the town stretches a
| long beautiful beach of fine white SAND, and
| bordered by dense thicket Of luxuriant TO
! liage, as if vegetation grudged space ior .ne
| flow of the tide. At intervals the thicket is
| interrupted by the plain thatched cottages OF
! the natives, overshadowed by lofty cocoanut
trees in front and on the right, as for as the
! eve can reach, the bay is dotted with small
| green, fairy looking Islands, all together
! forming picture whose beauty have rare
Ily seen equalled.
The pearl fishery is still pursued in these
| Islands, and large quantities Of beautiful
pearls are annually procured. Foreign YES,
I sells are forbidden to touch at these Islands
without special permission from government
| under pain of forfeiture. Green turtles are
| abundant abou; these Islands, but the Islam
deis will not suffer them to be caught, as
they assert that the sharks feed on them, ant
: that, by lessening the supply, these vora
cous fish will be rendered ravenous, ant
more likely to attack the divers. As it is
accidents happen often. The bay Is the re
sort of immense ilocks Of pelicans and othe
water fowl, which find in the abundance o
fish an easy subsistence and which at sun
set, wing their way in long drawn lines, iron
the shore to their roosts in the Islands, ant
by their noisclcss and even flight 10 thei
places Of rest, add to the idea Of rcpose whicl
the whole scene at this hour so strongly sus
gests.- Tsr,y's Travels IN South .4mer'ed.