Of the city of Panama, and of its founding, and why it is treated of
first, before other matters.
Before I begin to treat of the affairs of the kingdom of Peru, I desire
to give some account of what is known of the origin of these races of
the Indies or New World, especially of the natives of Peru, according to
what they say that they heard from their old men, although this is a
secret which God alone can certainly know. But as my principal intention
is, in this first part, to describe the land of Peru, and to relate the
events connected with the foundation of its cities, I will leave the
account of the origin of the people (that is, what they themselves say
respecting their origin, and what we may conjecture) until I come to the
second part, where this portion of the subject will be fully treated of.
In the present part, as I have said, I shall treat of the foundation of
many cities; and I consider that if, in times past, Dido, in founding
Carthage, perpetuated her name, and Romulus gave his name to Rome, and
Alexander to Alexandria, with how much more reason should the fame and
glory of his Majesty be perpetuated in future ages; for in this great
kingdom of Peru many great and rich cities have been founded in his
royal name, to which his Majesty has given laws, and he has enabled the
people to live quietly and peacefully. But, without counting these
cities in Peru, the city of Panama was founded in the province of Tierra
Firme, called Castilla del Oro, and I shall commence with it, although
there are others in this kingdom of more importance. My reason for
beginning with Panama is, that the captains who set forth to discover
Peru started from that city. Thence I shall go to the port of Uraba,
which is in the province of Carthagena, not very far from the great
river of Darien; and I shall then give an account of the Indian
villages, and of the Spanish settlements from this place to the town of
Plata, and establishment of Potosi on the southern boundary of Peru, a
distance of, I should say, more than twelve hundred leagues of road,
which I travelled over by land, and saw, examined, and knew the things
which I describe in this history. And I noted everything with much care
and diligence, in order that I might be able to write with that truth
which is due from me, and without any mixture of inaccuracies.
I say, then, that the city of Panama is built near the South Sea, and
eighteen leagues from Nombre de Dios, which is near the North Sea.[121]
It is of small extent, by reason of a lake which confines it on one
side, and the city is considered unhealthy on account of the evil
vapours which rise from this lake. It is built with the streets running
due east and west; so that when the sun rises no one can walk in any of
the streets, because there is no shade whatever; and this is felt very
much as the heat is intense; and the sun is so prejudicial to health,
that if a man is exposed to its rays even for a few hours he will be
attacked with a fatal illness, and this has happened to many. Half a
league from the sea there are good and healthy sites, where the city
might have been built at first; but as the houses have a high price, on
account of the great expense of building them, the site has not been
changed, although the inhabitants are aware of the notorious harm which
all must receive from living in so unhealthy a place. The first
conquerors are now all dead; and the present inhabitants do not expect
to remain long, only think of becoming rich, and care little for the
public good. A river flows near this city, which rises in certain hills;
and there are many others, on the banks of which the Spaniards have
their farms, where they have planted many trees from Spain, as oranges,
citrons, and figs. Besides these there are other fruits belonging to the
country, such as fragrant pines and plantains, many excellent
_guavas_,[122] _caymitos_,[123] _aguacates_,[124] and other fruits. In
the plains there are large herds of cattle, for the country is well
adapted for breeding them. The rivers contain much gold, and at the time
that the city was founded they obtained a great quantity.
Panama is well supplied with provisions, being situated between two
seas,--that is to say, the North Sea, by which the ships of Spain come
to Nombre de Dios; and the South Sea, by which ships sail from Panama to
all the ports of Peru. The country round this city yields neither wheat
nor barley; but the owners of farms raise much maize, and they bring
plenty of flour from Spain and Peru. There is much fish in all the
rivers and also in the sea, though different from those on the coast of
Spain.[125] On the sea-shore, close to the houses of the city, they find
great quantities of very small mussels (_almejas_), which they call
_chucha_; and I believe that, at the time of the first settlement, the
city remained on this site because the Spaniards felt themselves safe
from hunger on account of these mussels. In the rivers there are great
quantities of alligators, which are so large and fierce that it is
wonderful to see them. In the river of Cenu I have seen many very large
ones, and have eaten the eggs which they deposit on the shore. We found
one of these large alligators in the river which they call San Jorge,
when we went with Captain Alonzo de Caceres to discover the province of
Urute. It was so monstrously large as to measure more than twenty-five
feet in length; and when we killed it with our lances, it was a grand
thing to witness its bravery. Being very hungry we ate some of the
flesh; but it is bad, and has a disagreeable smell. These alligators
have eaten many Spaniards, horses, and Indians, when passing over the
land from one river to another.
There are few natives in the neighbourhood of Panama, for nearly all
have been destroyed by the evil treatment they received from the
Spaniards and by sickness. The city is inhabited by many merchants from
all parts, who trade here and in Nombre de Dios; for there is much
traffic, and the place might almost be compared with the city of Venice.
Very often ships come to Panama from the South Sea to discharge cargoes
of gold and silver; and the number of vessels is very great that arrive
at Nombre de Dios, bringing much merchandise, which is transported to
Panama by canoes up the river Chagres, and thence over five leagues of
road. Near the city the sea forms a large bay, and the vessels come into
the port with the tide. The anchorage is very good for small vessels.
Panama was founded by Pedrarias de Avila, who was governor of Tierra
Firme, in the name of the invincible Cæsar Don Carlos, the august King
of Spain, our lord, in the year 1520. It is in about 8° north of the
equinoctial line.[126] It has a good port, into which the vessels enter
with the ebb tide until they are high and dry. The ebb and flow of this
sea is great, so that the shore remains uncovered at low water for a
distance of half a league; and vessels anchored in three fathoms at low
water, are in seven fathoms when the tide comes up.[127]
In this chapter I have treated of the city of Panama. In the following I
shall describe the harbours and rivers along the coast as far as Chile,
for this plan will give much precision to the work.