and burned old Panamd, and it was then determined
to choose a healthier site before rebuilding the city.
The old city boasted its palatial houses of cedar, adorned with paintings and rich hangings, its cathe- dral and other fine churches ; its eight convents, with their costly altar-pieces and gold and silver orna- ments; its 2000 dwellings tenanted by wealthy mer- chants, and 5000 by lesser tradesmen; its royal stables, and beautiful gardens, and fertile fields; and the new city was built upon a scale of yet grander magnificence. But with the decline of Spanish power in the new world, Panama fell. The vast trade upon the Pacific, extending from Chili to California, and across to the Philippine islands, which brought to anchor in her harbor galleys laden with the gold and silver of America, and the rich stuffs and spices of India, and filled her store-houses, and made her mer- chants princes, became scattered. The city sank into a lethargy from which it was partially awakened by the shouts and pistol-shots of a new race of gold-seek- ers. But Ichabod was too deeply graven on her door- posts. The glory of despotism and fanaticism had departed ; and even in the momentary awakening in- cident to the Californian emigration the principal traffic was in the hands of Anglo-Americans.
As compared with its ancient grandeur Panamd, until the construction of the ship canal was fairly under way, presented a melancholy appearance. The city is built on a rocky peninsula which juts out some quarter of a mile from the base of the Ancon hill into a broad, peaceful, isle-dotted bay. Across this peninsula from beach to beach, extend streets, inter- sected at right angles by other and broader streets, which invite currents of air, and most of which are well paved. On approaching the city from any direc- tion, the dilapidated fortifications, and cathedral tow- ers, and high, tiled roofs attract the first attention. The houses are built of stone, wood, and adobe; most of them are two stories in height, some three, with
