What does Ferdinand de Lesseps and those accompanying him encounter at Barbacoas?

Upon arrival, Ferdinand de Lesseps and his companions find Panama City is a crumbling-down location sitting on a volcanic rock tongue. The harbor is far too shallow to accommodate ships of any significant size. It is ravaged by fire periodically. The streets are narrow, oversized barrels collect fresh water all over, and there is no sanitation. While Panama City is an improvement over Colon, illnesses such as malaria, tuberculosis, cholera, smallpox, and yellow fever are common.