leagues S.E. from Panama; from whence the passage lies between Isola del
Rey and the main. In this gulf many rivers discharge their waters. Its
southern point is Cape _Carachina_, in lat. 8° 6' N. and the northern,
named Cape _Gardo_, is in lat. 8° 18' N. The most noted rivers which
discharge themselves into this gulf, are named _Santa Maria, Sambo_, and
_Congo_. This last rises far within the country, and after being joined
by many small streams on both sides of its course, falls into the north
side of the gulf a league from Cape Gardo. It is deep and navigable for
several leagues into the country, but not broad, and is neglected by the
Spaniards owing to its nearness to the river of Santa Maria, where they
have gold mines. _Santa Maria_ is the largest of the rivers in this
gulf, being navigable for eight or nine leagues, as far as the tide
flows, above which it divides into several branches fit only for canoes.
In this river the tide of flood rises eighteen feet. About the year
1665, the Spaniards built the town of Santa Maria, near six leagues up
this river,[173] to be near the gold mines. I have been told, that,
besides the gold usually procured out of the ore and sand, they
sometimes find lumps wedged between the fissures of rocks as large as
hens eggs or larger. One of these was got by Mr Harris, who got here 120
pounds weight of gold, and in his lump there were several crevices full
of earth and dust.

[Footnote 173: In modern maps the river which seems to agree with this
description of the Santa Maria, is called _Tlace_, one of the principal
branches of which is named Chuchunque. The gold mines of Cana and Balsa
are placed on some of its branches, on which likewise there are several
towns, as Nisperal, Fichichi, Pungana, Praya, and Balsa.--E.]

The Spaniards employ their slaves to dig these mines in the dry season;
but when the rivers overflow, as the mines cannot be then worked, the