MARIA (St.), a considerable town of South America, in the audience of Panama, built by the Spaniards
after they had discovered the gold mines near it, and soon after taken by the English. It is seated at the bottom of the Gulf of St Michael, at the mouth of a river of the same name; which is navigable, and the largest that falls into the gulf. The Spaniards come here every year in the dry season, which continues three months, to gather the gold-dust out of the sands of the neighbouring streams; and carry away great quantities. W. Long. 148. 30. N. Lat. 7. 0.