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E. 135.c.3.
 AL

LIB
ION

RAR
NAT

SCOTLAND
 +

NARRATIVE

OF Eassica

PROCEEDINGS IN VENEZUELA ,

IN

SOUTH AMERICA ,

IN THE YEARS 1819 AND 1820 ;

WITH GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE COUNTRY AND PEOPLE;

THE

CHARACTER OF THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT,

AND ITS LEADING MEMBERS, &c.

ALSO A DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY OF CARACCAS ; OF THE FORCE

OF GENERAL MORILLO ; THE STATE OF THE ROYALISTS ;
AND THE

SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE UNDER THEIR JURISDICTION.

BY GEORGE LAVAL CHESTERTON,

LATE CAPTAIN AND JUDGE -ADVOCATE OF THE BRITISH LEGION, RAISED

FOR THE SERVICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA.

LONDON :

PRINTED FOR JOHN AND ARTHUR ARCH,

CORNHILL .

1820.
J. M'Creery, Tooks-Court,
Chancery-Lane, London.
 INTRODUCTION .

In presenting myself before the Public in the

capacity of an Author, it is necessary that I

should offer some apology. Well aware of

my deficiencies in those qualifications , which

are generally expected in one supporting that

character, I feel that diffidence which is na-

tural to those who, for the first time, are

candidates for public favour and attention .

For the former, I beg to make an honest

avowal that my pretensions are but small ; but

to the latter I confidently appeal, not from any

impression of the literary merit of this Work,

but from a conviction of the importance and

interest of its contents, to the many friends of

those, who have unfortunately embarked in

the project I had myself embraced ; and to

a 2
 iv

the many more, who may hereafter be induced

to follow their example. Such an appeal is

therefore made to the COUNTRY AT LARGE.

A powerful and general feeling has existed ,

called into action by a knowledge of the very

considerable armaments equipped from Eng-

land for South America ; which armaments

have been invariably accompanied by those

sanguine expectations from their services,

which the well known bravery of British

troops could not fail to inspire. Such expec-

tations have been disappointed ; and it is but

just that the disgrace attendant on their failure

should attach itself to those, whose misappli-

cation of the means afforded them, have cre-

ated impressions, unfavourable to the conduct

of men, from whom so much was anticipated .

To afford information on this head, I have

detailed the otherwise unimportant operations

of General Urdaneta's division, composed of

the British legion, German riflemen, and Cre-

oles ; and after its perusal, I would ask every

disinterested man, whether any share of re-

proach, for the non-success of the European

 V

troops, should in common justice be extended

to them ?

Many, who may have entertained doubts

of their good conduct, and may have express-

ed surprise at the little value of their services,

will now, I should hope, acquit them of the

charge of relaxation in their usual energetic

exertions ; and feel for the situation of those

brave men, whose misfortune it was, to be

made the victims of treachery and injustice

in the first place, and of ignorance , imbecility,

cowardice, and cruelty, in the second .

By some, I may be considered as speaking

of the Patriots in terms too severe ; but I

would beg to remind such as may enter-

tain this opinion, that there is a vast disparity

in the feelings of those, who have only been

distant judges of the conduct of the contend-

ing parties in this case, and one who has been

concerned in the events narrated ; and who has

narrowly escaped falling under the hand of

gross fraud and oppression, most improperly

assuming the character of liberty : one, who

has witnessed and severely suffered by this

 vi

traffic in human blood ; for it was literally

such- and of a nature, as black and barba-

rous as the SLAVE TRADE. One, who has be-

held his fellow- countrymen, by the operation

of that traffic, in a situation of distress and

misery almost beyond belief.

These things I have witnessed ; and wit-

nessed with sensations sufficiently acute.

These sufferings I have endured, and endured

with the knowledge that they were not con-

fined to myself alone, but were alike felt by

hundreds besides . The fraud that established

them , was practised, not only upon us, but

upon the whole British nation ; and was a base,

unworthy, and ungrateful return for the ma-

nifestation of a spirit favourable to the Inde-

pendents, truly generous and disinterested,

inspired by a belief that they were worthy of

the good wishes so ardently breathed for their

success.

The treatment of the British soldiers who

had enlisted under their banners, is, (and I

have always strongly felt it to be,) a gross in-

sult upon Great Britain, Its successful con-

 vii

tinuance has been solely attributable to the

difficulty of obtaining correct information

from so great a distance. The Independents

have carried on their ruthless system with im-

punity, supported in it by a supposition that

few reports could be made in England, and

those few they regarded without alarm ; re-

lying upon the warm and steady attachment

to their cause, amongst the British people,

·
to throw discredit upon such statements , if
made .

Notwithstanding all that has transpired in

South America, the daily reports which con-

tinue in circulation in our newspapers (in

which the editors are doubtless deceived) are

calculated still further to inveigle the mer-

cantile speculator, and the adventurous sol-

dier of this country . The lives and property

of British subjects have, however, been too

long sported with. It is now high time that

a check should be opposed to the future pro-

gress of the wily schemes that have endan-

gered both.

Having been in a situation to form some

 viii

judgment of the state of both parties, I may

be allowed, without encountering the charge

of vanity, to consider myself capable of af-

fording more correct information on the sub-

ject than most others. This has been an ad-

ditional motive for intruding myself upon the

public as an author.

In performing an act of justice to the

SPANIARDS , I trust I shall be considered sin-

cere when I assert, that nothing would induce

me, from any idea of repaying my obliga-

tions to them , to overrate their strength, or to

exaggerate their prospects . I have given the

relation of their situation from the honest

impression made upon my mind, by such

means as it will be seen that I possessed, for

forming an estimate.
Here it may be proper to assert, which I

most solemnly and conscientiously do, that,

in writing in favour of, or against, EITHER

SIDE, I have no interested views to answer,

but am totally independent of both . I am

alone guided by the conviction of the truth of

what I have asserted.

 ix

When I left the Patriots, I beg distinctly

to avow, that this step was not dictated by

necessity. On the contrary, many induce-

ments were held out to me to remain ; and

Colonel Montilla was deputed, by Bolivar

himself, to make me offers of advancement ,

which would have rendered a continuance

amongst them desirable, if any thing could

have had such an effect.

I am fully aware how comparatively tri-

fling is the space I have travelled over in

South America ; and how defective is the de-

scription ofthat little : but nevertheless, I hope

that some useful information may be gleaned

from my observations upon that country .

In my remarks upon the leading characters

amongst the PATRIOTS, &c. , should I have

been guilty of stating what is incorrect, the

error has not been wilful ; my narrative is

the result of information derived from my in-

tercourse with the natives, with the truth of

which I am satisfied .

When speaking of facts, the knowledge of

which has been derived from other sources,
 X
.
I have been cautious to conceal the names

of individuals , where the disclosure of circum-

stances would be attended with danger to

them .
I therefore leave this narrative in the

hands of the public ; not so much with the

hope that the interest of the facts related

in it may beguile a tedious hour, as that

the facts themselves may have the effect of

deterring others of my countrymen , from

heedlessly engaging in any such desperate

enterprize, to the imminent hazard of their

lives, the peace of their families, and the an-

nihilation of their prospects .

G. L. CHESTERTON .

London, Nov. 2, 1.820.

w
ww
 NARRATIVE

OF

PROCEEDINGS

IN

VENEZUELA.
. il
Adv
B

It is well known to the generality of the

people of England, how great a spirit was

manifested , some time ago, in favour of the
INDEPENDENTS of SOUTH AMERICA ; and

how many of our discharged soldiers, toge-

ther with a considerable number of half- pay

officers, and young men emulous of military

reputation, enrolled themselves under the

banners of (what was supposed to be) an

oppressed people, struggling for the dearest

rights of men.

In this country, it is only necessary to re-

present a nation fighting for liberty, to excite

a generous sympathy. An opinion is too

hastily formed, and that opinion is always

B
 2

exercised in its favour. Sufficient pains are

not taken to ascertain the truth ; for should

it prove to be contrary to the interests of

those to whom they wish well , it will be re-

ceived and treated as the work of the oppo-

site party, and declared to be an effort to in-

jure the cause in the public estimation .

This was unquestionably the case when

the expeditions of Generals English, M'Gre-
gor, and Devereux, and Colonel Elsom, were

preparing. Many statements, unfavourable

to these adventurers , were made public,

and intended as a warning to those who

were about to embark with them. These

warnings, however, were instantly cried

down, as attempts, on the part of the court
of Madrid, to check those warm feelings

towards the revolted provinces which were

so rapidly gaining ground ; * and thus hun-

dreds rushed madly on, with no know-

So far was the determination, carried, to hear nothing

against their beloved cause, that I was informed in South
America, by an officer of Devereux's legion, that a gentleman
was actually turned out of a coffee- house at Dublin, as an
enemy to freedom, who, having returned from the country to
which they were bound, and being consequently acquainted
with the nature of the service they were embracing, ventured
to advise them not to expose themselves to the miseries he
had himself experienced there.
 3

ledge of the country they were about to visit,

or of the people they were going to assist.

Such enthusiastic adventurers were, in fact,

animated solely by the idea that they were

about to aid the CAUSE OF LIBERTY .

No one departed from his native country

more enthusiastically devoted to the princi-

ples of the Independent cause than MYSELF.

Equally with others, I disbelieved all accounts
against it, and wondered that any person
could be found in England to revile a people

endeavouring to emancipate themselves from

the grossest oppression : this was my first and

my favourite view of the subject . With re-

gard to what was to be expected from the

part we were taking, my hopes of ultimately

reaping much benefit from it were not a little

enhanced by the knowledge that our Colonel
(English) had already been in South Ame-
rica, and in the Patriot service . It was there-

fore reasonable to suppose, that he would not

again embark in the same cause, and take his
wife with him, had he not some well- ground-

ed expectation of deriving advantage from it.

The following were the inducements held

out :-TO OFFICERS, one third more than Bri-

tish cavalry pay, with all the allowances of

B 2
 4

the British army ; and when the indepen-

dence was gained , a grant of land , more or
less extended, according to rank with the
sum of 3,000 dollars to a sub-lieutenant ;

4,000 to a lieutenant ; 6,000 to a captain ;

8,000 to a major, or lieutenant- colonel ; and

10,000 to a colonel. To the SOLDIERS, a

bounty of 80 dollars, on landing ; a daily

pay of 2s .; rations and clothing, as in the
British service ; and at the end of the war, a

grant of land , and 500 dollars.

It is not surprising that, with such pro-

mises made to them, many soldiers should be

induced to leave their pensions at home, and

enter the Independent service. For my own

part, I must confess I did not expect to re-

ceive pay regularly : it was not rational to

suppose, that a people striving to obtain their

emancipation , should have it in their power

to pay their army with any regularity . I

merely calculated upon receiving from time
to time what they could spare ; but never
doubted their willingness to account hereafter
for the arrears, as Colonel English had full

powers from GENERAL BOLIVAR, then supreme

chief, to act for the government of Vene-
zuela, and was moreover supported and as-
 5

sisted, in fulfilling the task assigned him, by

Don Louis Lopez Mendez, their acknowledged

agent.
We had received from Colonel English the

most flattering description of the country.

He represented it as a perfect garden, pro-

ducing tropical fruits and vegetables in the

greatest abundance. It was, therefore, a na-

tural supposition that, beyond the contingen-

cies of war, we could experience no want of

food. Of course we anticipated the endur-

ance of many hardships and privations, which

we readily determined to undergo for the
ultimate realization of our expectations .

The expedition was fitted out by Mr. Her-

ring, of the firm of Herring and Richardson,
who most liberally provided us with every

thing necessary to our comfort on the voy-

age. We had a very respectable band , co-

lours, and elegant and expensive uniforms.

Our corps was called the BRITISH LEGION ;

and its strength, according to muster-rolls in

possession of Colonel English, was 1,050

effective men . The first division had pre-

ceded us some time ; and we sailed , with the

expectation of hearing where we were to join

it in the Gulph of Paria.
 6 .

I shall not give the usual dry details of a

sea voyage, which, without some very extra-

ordinary occurrences, cannot be interesting ;

but shall merely observe, that we unfortu-

nately carried with us the typhus fever, then

raging in many parts of England and Ire-

land . This fever gained rapid ground, and

rendered our situation extremely critical and

alarming. Day after day fresh cases oc-

curred ; and on board the head - quarter ship,

(the Francis and Eliza,) as well as on board

the Duncombe, one of our companions, we
lost many valuable men. The fever had not

abated even on our arrival at Margarita, and

this was perhaps the first instance of a con-

tagious fever being carried from England to

the West Indies.

On our arrival at Trinidad , the Governor,

Sir Ralph Woodford, who is a decided enemy

to the Patriots, refused us permission to land.

Colonel English, however, obtained leave for

twenty-four hours only. The men belonging

to the Custom-house boat gave us a most dis-

couraging account of the country, and of the

treatment we should experience ; but we still

fondly clung to our long- cherished expecta-

tions of the contrary, and accounted for their

 7

enmity to the Independents by supposing all

persons in the government employ to have

imbibed the prejudices of the Governor.

Sir Ralph Woodford was, however , deter-
mined to make an effort to rescue us from the

misery to which we were about to be ex-

posed ; and was preparing to come off in a

steam -boat, to take on shore as many of the

officers and men as would forsake the cause

upon his representation, when Colonel En-

glish (who was on shore, and heard with

much alarm of these preparations , ) instantly

repaired on board ; having previously sent

word to the governor, that, should he ap-

proach his vessels, he would fire upon him.

I have since been informed that Sir Ralph,

having little doubt but that Colonel English

would put his threat into execution , and fear-

ing the unpleasant consequences that must

naturally ensue, relinquished his project. On

our part, we did not wait for his approach ,

but instantly weighed anchor for Margarita.

It was late in the evening when we left the

Gulph of Paria, and early on the following

morning we were much surprised to hear
orders from Colonel English, to clear away

for action, and to see every preparation ac-

cordingly made- our ship, the Francis and

 8

Eliza, being armed with twenty guns . The

mystery was, however, soon explained by the

Colonel, who informed us he had heard at

Trinidad, that the Fly, British brig of war,

was in search of him to prevent the ships

going into Margarita ; and that he was deter-

mined, in such event, to fight the Fly. Upon

this, the officers consulted together, and de-

clared their determination not to fight against

their own flag, and thereby to make them-

selves outlaws . Fortunately, the Fly did not

make her appearance .

On the 7th of April, 1819, we anchored in

the Bay of Juan Greigo, in the Island of Mar-

garita, where we found the Patriot squa-

dron. The first division of our legion had
been in the island two months, and we were

given to understand , that in a fortnight's

time, every thing would be in readiness to

proceed on an expedition, which had been

retarded solely on account of our non -arrival.

The next day we disembarked, and marched

across the Island to join the first division at

Pampatar.

No place can possibly have a more dreary

and barren appearance from sea, than Mar-

garita ; and the unfavorable impression made

at first sight, is not much removed on land-
 9

ing. It produces little besides fruits, and is

very mountainous. In its centre, is the City
of Assumption, which was nearly destroyed by

the Spaniards, prior to their evacuation of

the island ; but which has every appearance

of having been a handsome town, and is

indeed the only place deserving the name .
The others are what are called Pueblos, and

are, Norté, St. Johns, Periwichi, Pampatar,

de la Mar, and the Valley of Margarita . Be-

tween Pampatar and the valley is a small

place called Robles, which was formerly a

pueblo ; but there are now only one or two

miserable hovels inhabited, all the rest having
been destroyed .

Since Juan Greigo has been the rendez-

vous of the fleet, a considerable number of
houses have been built on the beach, and it

is become the principal place of commerce

in the island .

There is throughout Margarita a great

scarcity of water. Small running streams

are to be found at Assumption, St. Johns,

and the valley ; but at Pampatar and Juan

Greigo, the two principal harbours, the water

is very scarce and bad. Great numbers of

our men, quartered at Pampatar, suffered

most severely from the flux, many indeed.
 10

died of it, and this terrible disorder was attri-

buted to the unwholesomeness of the water.

The passes in this island are extremely

intricate, and known only to the inhabitants ;

added to which, the ground is so covered with

the prickly pear, that it is rarely you can go

six yards to the right, or left, of the road.

The thorns of this horrible plant, will even

pierce the soles of shoes, and the wounds re-

ceived from them are truly serious, (there

appearing to be venom in the juice of the

plant, ) as they are always attended with con-
siderable inflammation. I have known men

to remain in the hospital ten days or a fort-

night, with no other complaint than wounds.

from the prickly pear.

The inhabitants go barefooted ; or have, at

most, sandals made of bullock's hide ; but it

is wonderful to observe their dexterity in

passing amongst the thickest of them, with-

out sustaining any injury. The defeat of the

Spaniards in this island was not a little.

owing to the prickly pears, amongst which

they could not go ; and they were thus at-

tacked by the natives with great effect.

There are two species of this plant, * one

One species of the prickly pear I have frequently seen in

Spain, which was that with flat leaves ; it, however, grows
 11

of which has flat leaves, (if they may be so

called,) and grows (at least in this island, ) to

no considerable height, but rather creeps

along the ground : the other is round and

thick, and grows much higher ; is pulpy and

very full of sap. This latter the natives cut

down, first stripping it of its thorns ; and let it

lay in the sun a sufficient length of time to be-
come quite rotten. It is then used as soap, and

I was informed, answers extremely well for

washing canvas or any thing equally coarse.

The white and coloured inhabitants of

Margarita are stronger, and are said to be

braver than those on the Main. The In-

dians of this island are a wandering peo-

ple, who live chiefly by fishing. They differ

in appearance from any other I have ever

seen, either of North or South America ;

being, both men and women, extremely fat,

and having amazing large heads . Amongst

other tribes of Indians, I have observed some
with soft and rather handsome countenances,

particularly the women ; but here, women and

considerably higher than that in Margarita, and is generally

seen in hedges, or in waste ground. The effect produced by
its thorns, I never witnessed ; but should suppose from my
recollection of its appearance, it would be much the same as
the others. I have frequently seen and tasted the pear in
Spain, but in Margarita it does not come to perfection.
 12

men are alike hideous . When they come to

those places occupied by other natives of the
island, they seem to have no desire to live in

their houses, but content themselves with

making an uncouth encampment on the

beach . They seldom stay in one place more

than a fortnight or three weeks .

Margarita is celebrated for its cotton ham-

mocks, all of which are made by the women,

who work at them with much apparent in-

dustry ; and before the revolution , a very

considerable trade was carried on in them.

They are generally used on the Main, and in

many of the West India Islands ; in which

latter they are considered luxurious , and are

used for the siesta.

This island was once a place of considerable

importance for its pearl fishery ; but of late
years it has fallen off, owing to the number of
pearls taken, not being sufficient to render
its pursuit worth following. They are, how-

ever, still sometimes to be purchased from the

natives, and very cheap ; but not in sufficient

quantity, to make the trade worth any one's

exclusive attention.

The island is principally valuable as a

military position, from its contiguity to the
Coast of Cumana on the Main, the lofty
 13

mountains of which are always clearly dis-

cernible. The shelter it has afforded the

Patriot fleet, is a proof of its value to the

Spaniards .
Perhaps no people in the world live from

necessity more frugally than the natives of

Margarita ; their food consisting of little

besides Indian corn and Cassava, • but mostly

the latter, as the island is not sufficiently fer-

tile to produce much of the former. Nothing

can be more insipid to a European , than the

bread made of the Cassava root, which is in

large, round, thin cakes ; and tastes, when

eaten dry, more like saw-dust than any thing

else to which I can compare it ; but when
wetted , it swells and becomes glutinous ; even

then it has a peculiar flavour, to which no-

thing but habit will reconcile one.
The Cassava is a small tree, the leaf of

which is not unlike that of the willow , though

much darker and rather of a reddish hue .
It gr
ows in some places to a tolerable height ,
but no part is used for bread except the root ,
which is called Juka . This root is scraped ,

then put into long , narrow, pliant baskets ,

and wrung. The milk that issues from it is a

deadly poison ; but even from this milk (a

small dose of which would , it is said , cause
 14

death, ) the Indians extract a wholesome

liquid, with which they make a sauce much

eaten with meat or fish . When the milk is

thus drawn from the root, water is repeatedly

poured upon it ; and after being wrung, as

before, several times, it is formed into round
thin cakes, and dried ; and in Margarita, as

well as in other parts of South America,

since the revolution, it has been nearly the
sole food of the inhabitants.

Almost every person in this island has the

itch, to which the inhabitants pay little or no

attention. If it become very violent, they
bathe frequently, and rub themselves with

lime-juice. This operation does not kill the

relief..
disease, but affords a temporary relief It is

not only in Margarita that this filthy com-

plaint prevails, but generally in South Ame-

rica, even in the city of Caraccas.

On our arrival at Pampatar, to join the

first division, we found that the seeds of dis-

content had taken deep root amongst the men

composing it. They had left their native
land upon
the faith of promises, of the ful-

filment of which they saw no prospect. Their

dissatisfaction was augmented by the great
irregularity that prevailed in the issue of their

rations ; this was entirely the effect of want

 15

of system on the part of the Patriot autho-

rities, and was altogether unpardonable, as

provisions were in the island . The men sel-

dom received their daily rations till three or

four o'clock in the afternoon ; and were some-

times left without food, of any description ,

for two days together. I will therefore leave

any body to judge, whether it was an easy

task for the best officers to preserve discipline

under such circumstances . The soldiers, how-

ever, looked forward to better regulations on

the arrival of General English, who was

made General of Brigade .

General English was a man too indolent

and selfish to trouble himself with seeking
the comfort either of his officers or men ;

and nothing but being absolutely spurred on,

would induce him to make any complaint
He was,
to his superiors in the service.
perhaps, the very worst man that could be
selected to hold the command he did ; and

in taking the trouble to raise the legion in

England, he had been actuated solely by the

desire of obtaining a considerable sum of

money, promised him by General Bolivar, for
the execution of that service. From his extra-

ordinary torpidity and supineness, I have often

been astonished how he could have summoned
 16

up sufficient resolution to undertake such an

Herculean task. No complaints were made

by him ; and the consequence was, the same

irregularity continued , and the discontent of

the first division very naturally communicated

itself to the second : till at length the whole

legion was in a state of open mutiny.- The
men demanded loudly the fulfilment of their

promises, refused to parade, and threatened

to desert over to the Spaniards on the first

occasion .

The officers, whose situation was equally

distressing with that of the men, were like-

wise tainted with this spirit ; and gave free

vent, amongst themselves, to their feelings.

They could have borne privations with a better

grace, had they been subjected to them in a
different manner ; but the carelessness of

General English on this occasion alarmed

them . They could place no reliance upon

him, in case they should be involved with

the authorities upon any question respecting

their interests, or even their existence ; added

to which , there was now a strange and percep-

tible alteration in the conduct of their chief

towards them : he treated them with such an

overbearing haughtiness, that he became uni-

versally hated. Those who knew him before

 17

having embarked with him, now freely ob-

served upon his character ; which, to the

great astonishment ofmyselfand many others ,

proved to be of the very worst description .

It was at length resolved to call a meeting

of the captains and subalterns, and to pro-

-
pose to address a spirited remonstrance to

General English . This was accordingly done ;

and a letter, expressive of our feelings, was

sent to him, signed by thirty - six officers : but

what was our surprise to hear, that, in his

rage, on reading this letter, he had resolved

to arrest every one who had signed it, and to

confine them in the fort ! This, however,
upon second consideration, he no doubt saw

would be attended with much danger, as we

should of course have the support of all the

men. The officers were therefore summoned

to attend Colonel Blosset, who commanded

the infantry of the legion, next morning ; and

he, by General English's desire, made some

observations upon the unmilitary nature ofthe
proceeding ; but ended, by promising that
better arrangements should in future be made
.

for the regular issue of provisions, and ex-

horted us to set a different example to the

men.
In the mean time, the dissatisfaction of the
C
 18

soldiers was unabated . They still refused to

parade ; openly threatened their officers, and

designated General English as a " dealer in

human blood." It was resolved at length to put

a stop to these proceedings by violent means,

and the ringleaders were accordingly arrested,

tried, and flogged . The lash was now un-

sparingly administered ; and with such effect,

that the legion , which a few days before had

been a disorderly rabble, was now a regular,

well conducted body of men, and improving

daily in their exercise, and in the knowledge
of military movements . Drill was attended

to regularly three hours every morning, and

two or three hours every evening ; and thus,
under the able tuition of experienced British
officers, our corps was making rapid strides

towards perfection .
It may not be amiss to mention an occur-

rence here, which proves the truth of the old

adage, that " necessity is the mother of in-

vention." The money current in Margarita

is a mixture of silver and copper, and I need

hardly say, quite worthless. The calcula-

tion, as in Spain, is by reals, eight of which

go to a dollar. There are pieces of two reals,

one, and half reals, called " medios :" these

coins should , rightly, be round ; but it is very

 19

rare to see them of that form. They are

neither round nor square, but of rough un-

couth shapes, having no impression upon

them difficult to imitate. The country people

were in the habit of bringing their fruits, & c.

to market, at Pampatar, for sale ; and those

officers, who had not brought money with

them from England , had recourse to the dis-

posal of their linen, and other articles of

clothing, to enable them to obtain, I may say,

the necessaries of life, as the ration was very

inadequate. But the men, who had nothing

to sell, were in a very destitute situation. › At

length, we observed that the buttons of their

undress jackets disappeared ; and on being

questioned, they were never at a loss for an
excuse ; till it was at last discovered that

these buttons, which were of lead, had been

manufactured into the smaller coins, called

" medios” —these being the most likely to

escape detection . The natives, for some

time, disposed of their articles of sale very

rapidly, till the fraud was discovered, to the

utter dismay of a great number of them.

When they upbraided the soldiers for this

piece of roguery, they asserted their right to

make money equally with General Arismendi ;

and observed (what was certainly TRUE) that,

C2
 20

in the end, THEIR MONEY WAS AS GOOD AS

HIS ! After this the natives became very

suspicious, and before taking money tried it

with their teeth .

In this island we became acquainted with

Admiral Brion, chief of the independent squa-

dron, and with Joly, his commodore ; General

Arismendi, the Governor, General Urdaneta,

who had been sent by Bolivar to command

the land- forces to proceed on this expedition ,

and who was represented to us as one of the

best Generals of the Republic ; General
Valdes, second in command to Urdaneta ;
Colonel Montilla, chief of the staff ; Gene-
ral Gomez, who took a very conspicuous

part in the revolution of the island ; and

with several others of inferior note in the re-

volutionary war.

Time crept on apace ; but still we were

always given to understand that in about a

fortnight the squadron would be in readiness

to proceed . Meanwhile, these advocates for

liberty and independence gave us a very un-

favourable idea oftheir unanimity. We heard

continually of petty disputes between them ,
which at length broke out into open rupture ;

and at one time an appeal to arms seemed

to be the inevitable consequence. General
 21.

Arismendi, the Governor of Margarita, (of

whom I shall have to speak more fully here-

after) had, it seems, prior to the arrival of

General Urdaneta, buoyed himself up with

the hope of commanding the European

troops on the intended expedition ; and it

was said, that such was his disappointment
when the latter arrived with the envied ap-

pointment from the supreme chief, that he

endeavoured to throw every obstacle in the

way of completing the necessary equipment.

Urdaneta required the co- operation of a

body of the Creoles of the island, which

Arismendi resolutely refused ; and the latter

being senior to the former, had, in that re-

spect, much the advantage.

The place of residence of the TWO RIVALS

was Norte, one of the prettiest spots in Mar-

garita, and only about four miles distant from

Juan Greigo, which is at the north part of

the Island, whilst we were quartered at Pam-

patar, the opposite extremity. General Ur-
daneta had with him a small corps, composed

of about one hundred Germans and two hun-

dred Creoles, embodied as a rifle corps, under

the command of Colonel Urslar, a German,

who sailed from Europe at the same time

with us, and who was the nominal com-
 22

mander of between seven and eight hundred

men, sent from England ; the whole, with

the exception of the Germans abovemen-

tioned, having proceeded up the river Oro-
noko to Angostura .
Arismendi fled to the City of Assumption,

where he assembled the chiefs and people of

the island ; and two brigs of war, then lying

at Pampatar, were dispatched with men from
our legion to reinforce Urdaneta at Norte.
General Valdes rowed round the island in

an open boat, to convey the requisition for

such assistance ; so urgent was the state of
the case considered to be.

Arismendi was supported by Commodore

Joly, (his brother- in- law, ) and Urdaneta by

Brion. In short, distrust and tumult was the
order of the day.

Reports were industriously circulated, ac-

cusing Arismendi of having conspired to
massacre the British legion . We were con-
sequently constantly on our guard, and
piquets were every evening thrown out, oc-
cupying the several passes to Pampatar,

whilst the main body of the corps was in

readiness to turn out on the first alarm.

At length, advances towards a reconcilia-

tion were made to Urdaneta by General

 23

Gomez, who was at Assumption with Aris

mendi, and the armed inhabitants then as-

sembled were dispersed, and retired to their

respective homes . In a few days after this,

Arismendi returned to his house at Norte,

and was there arrested and conducted a pri-

soner on board the brig of war Libertador,

commanded by Captain Chitty, which, for

greater security, was sent to Pampatar. A

guard of soldiers from the British legion,

was every day embarked, specially charged

with the custody of Arismendi , who was

denounced as an enemy to the state . Pre-
parations were made to forward him for trial

to Angostura, and he was, we were assured,

in imminent danger of losing his head .

Six or seven of the chiefs of the island were

likewise arrested, and confined at Juan

Greigo ; but these were afterwards released

without any proceedings being instituted

against them ; their late governor being con-

sidered the main spring of the conspiracy.

Prior to these occurrences, the natives

were constantly sounding the praises of Gene-

ral Arismendi ; but no sooner was he arrested,

than every one seemed anxious to traduce

his character, and many instances of villainy,

 24

on his part, were adduced, of which I shall

speak when I mention him again .

In the mean time, the internal harmony of

4
our corps was every now and then disturbed

by the same want of regularity in the issue of

the rations. I before observed, upon these

occasions, that the men never failed to inveigh

bitterly against the breach of promise towards

them , and generally demanded what they

termed " their rights . " Their causes of com-
plaint were so evidently well founded, that

it was not always thought just to visit their

murmurings with punishment ; for keenly as

they felt their disappointment, they would

still have observed the most exemplary con-

duct, had common attention been paid to

the distribution of their scanty allowance of
provision.

The greater part of them was likewise very

badly provided with clothes, having only

received one suit ; consequently, when wash-

ing their canvas pantaloons and shirt, they

had nothing to put on till those were dry.

They were all provided with knapsacks, but

had nothing to put in them ; neither had they

blankets, great coats, or any thing else upon

which they could sleep at night ; but were

 i
25

obliged to repose on the bare ground - and

owing to the great swarms of fleas in all the

houses in Margarita, they generally were

driven into the open air, and thus numbers

contracted diseases that carried them to their

graves.
A proclamation from General Bolivar was

issued, couched in the usual bombastic style,

in which the faithful observance of our en-

gagements was promised. We shall see by

the sequel how well he kept his word .

In order for the moment to quiet the de-
mands of the soldiers, much cunning was

had recourse to. It was told them that it

was unreasonable to expect the realization of

their hopes there ; that they were on a barren

island, distant from the government of the

Republic, and upon which they had been

placed contrary to all expectation ; that,

although it formed part of the territory of the

Independents, still it was not South America ;

and that they must defer their complaints till

they arrived in the land of promise. They

no doubt calculated upon the troops being

completely placed in their power when on

the Main, and in that respect they were in

the right ; but this mode of reasoning was by

no means satisfactory to the men, and so they

 26

frequently gave their superiors reason to un-

derstand .

At length, after the waste of so much time,

we were apprized that the squadron was in

readiness for our reception ; and accordingly

on the 11th July, 1819, we marched from

Pampatar for the purpose of embarkation,

having, instead of a fortnight, been upwards

of three months in the Island . Prior to this,

however, a subscription had been entered

into amongst the merchants, and the officers

were presented with a few dollars, and two

dollars given to each man. At first, the men

refused to receive it, considering the offer of

such a trifle as an insult, after the many in-

ducements held out to them in England, for

entering this service, having turned out to be

fallacious. But when it was explained that

this was from merchants, and not from the

government, they took it.

It may be necessary to observe, that the

German corps had taken the oath of allegi-

ance to the Republic of Venezuela ; but

though the administering of such oath to the

British legion had been spoken of at the early

part of our arrival in Margarita, I have rea-

son to think it was not persevered in, from

the feeling with which the proposition was
 27

received ; as I believe there was scarcely an

officer who would willingly have taken it,

and I am sure I can answer for a refusal on

the part of the soldiers.

We proceeded to Juan Greigo, where we

embarked, our corps being now about eight

hundred strong. We had lost many men by
the fever before- mentioned, at sea ; and num-

bers fell victims to it after landing. This,

together with the flux, other disorders, and a

considerable number left in the hospital, re-

duced our force to about eight hundred men .

We sailed from Juan Greigo on the 15th

July. The object of the expedition was

known only to the military and naval com-

manders, but it was generally supposed that

an attack would be made, either upon Cu-
mana or Barcelona. It was, however, soon

evident, from the course we steered, that the

latter was the intended place of operation.

On the evening of the 16th, we anchored

in the bay of Porsuelos, distant from Bar-

celona about four leagues ; and the landing

of the troops was effected without opposition,

early the next morning. We could observe

the Spaniards on the Moro, a fortified height,

(or rather more deserving the name of a

mountain,) commanding the entrance to the
 28

Barcelona harbour and river, making signals

to the town : consequently, it would be sup-

posed that no time should have been lost in

moving to the attack ; but, to our great sur-

prise, although the troops were landed, and

the column was in readiness by nine o'clock

in the morning, we remained in statu quo the

whole of that day. Nor did we commence

our march till two o'clock the following

morning.

This was owing to General Urdaneta hav-

ing suddenly come to the resolution of taking

two pieces of artillery with the division ;

which, had he possessed common sense, he

might have known it would have been im-

possible to convey, there being no beasts of

burthen to draw them, and the roads being

such as to preclude the possibility of their be-

ing dragged by men . At any rate, before de-
a
taining the troops, and giving the enemy7 n
opportunity of retiring with whatever they

thought proper to convey with them, he

ought to have reconnoitred the road ; and

he need not have gone far to have perceived

the folly of the attempt. Thus were seven-

teen hours lost to us, and in the same propor-

tion gained by our adversary.

At two o'clock on the morning of the 18th

 29

we moved forward with the two pieces of

cannon . The result was what every one had

predicted . Our road, lying over salines which

at high tide were flooded , before we had pro-

ceeded a mile, the gun- carriages were up to

the nave in mud, and were obliged to be left

behind in charge of an officer's guard .

Early in the morning, we arrived before

Barcelona, which we entered without oppo-

sition ; the enemy having retreated only eight

or ten hours before, and having had abundant

time to convey with them the most consider-

able portion of their stores. They had at-

tempted to destroy the bridge over which we

must necessarily pass, but in this they failed ,

and the injury done to it was very slight. I

have since been much surprised that the Spa-

niards had not effectually demolished the

bridge, and opposed our entrance, which they

might have done with considerable effect ;,

for the rapidity of the stream would have

prevented the possibility of our crossing the

river in slightly constructed rafters, and we

should consequently have been obliged to

wait the arrival of boats from the fleet, which
could not have entered the river till the re-

duction of the Moro, and would then have,

had the disadvantage of pulling up against

 30

the stream, and of being exposed to annoy

ance from the enemy .

I mean to enter into some detail of our

proceedings under General Urdaneta ; as

much to defend the character of the finest

body of British (or of any other foreign) troops

ever seen in that country, as to convey an

idea of the military talents and energy of the

Patriot generals :-Urdaneta being considered

one of the best, and being a distinguished
favourite of Bolivar .

I shall therefore revert to the two field-

pieces left on the saline, and to the officer's

guard in charge of them . In the first place,

then, the men chosen for this service were

those who were lame, or too ill to proceed, or

whose muskets were damaged ; these, with

a few artillery-men, composed the body in-

tended to defend two fine brass pieces of

cannon. The division had passed out of gun-

shot of the Móro, leaving it on our right ;

the fleet was in our rear at Porsuelos, and it

was quite impossible to know what was the

Spanish force in the Moro, which commanded

a view of the surrounding country, and con-

sequently of the party on the saline. No-

thing would have been more easy than for them

to have despatched a detachment to destroy

)
 31

the guns ; and such a guard as I have before

described would have had, little chance of

saving themselves by flight. The officer, per-

ceiving his situation , and being moreover ex→

posed to a scorching sun , without even water

or provisions, proposed to the men to make

an effort to draw them back to Porsuelos ;

which, with infinite labour, was effected .

Here he perceived the greater part of the

fleet under weigh, and the remainder pre-

paring to follow ; consequently, had he not

retired when he did, the loss of his party
might have been the result.
In the meantime we entered Barcelona

without opposition, and the men were placed

in quarters, and suffered to range the town.

This was the very height of folly on the
part of General Urdaneta :-who, by the by,

seems to have had scarcely a second thought,

otherwise he might have known that, in a

town recently inhabited , and evacuated in

haste, it was not improbable but that many

houses and stores would contain spirits ; and

that such a temptation, to troops, whose cha-

racter for love of drink is so well established ,
would not be resisted . Besides, the exposure

to it might have been easily avoided, by quar-

tering the men in the village of Portugar, on

 32

the opposite side of the bridge, close to the

town itself. Guards, sufficient for the protec-

tion of the town, might have been placed at

different points, and the houses & c. searched,

and all spirits removed ; prior to permitting

the permanent entry of the division.
These precautions, however, were not

taken the consequence of which was, rum

was found in almost every house, (whether

placed there by accident or design it is im-

possible to say,) and a scene of inebriety was
exhibited that beggars all description . Bri-
tish, Germans, and Creoles, were in a state of

brutal intoxication : though the latter, it must

be confessed, were in a less degree. A scene

ofdisorder and confusion, the most disgusting,

and most distressing to the officers, now ap-

peared ; and the liquor having robbed the sol-

diers of the power of reason , as a natural con-

sequence, the officers lost all power of com-

mand over them. . In this state of things,

had two hundred determined Spaniards en-

tered the town, they might have annihilated

the whole body.

What ought to have been done in the first

instance, was now had recourse to ; and with

infinite difficulty the men were removed to

Portugar.
 33

I do not intend upon this occasion to de-

fend the conduct of our men ; but this I in-

tend to say, that such an opportunity of dis-

gracing themselves should not have been af-
forded. It is well known that, even in the

British service, repeated instances of this

kind have been witnessed ; and upon such
distressing occasions the interference of offi-
cers has been attended with little more than

danger to themselves. The whole blame,

therefore, rested with Urdaneta and Montilla,

chief of the staff ; which latter was, I may

say, the actual though not nominal com-

mander, and possessed about as much mili-

tary talents as the former. It was at all times

useless for the British commanders to advise ;

for though the Creole chiefs knew nothing,

they were too obstinate and too proud to

learn.

During this crisis, Admiral Brion proceeded

with the squadron to attack the Moro . The

plan of operations concerted by these com-

manders shewed the extent of their abilities :

for Brion, it must be remembered, is, as well

as Admiral of the fleet, a Captain- General of

the army. What this plan was, God knows ;

but what in this instance it ought to have been,

was evident to the meanest capacity. The

D
 34

Moro of Barcelona is, as I have before ob-

served, a fortified mountain, commanding the

entrance ofthe bay and river. At high tide it is

an island, and at low tide it is onlyjoined to the

main by a narrow neck of land, about a mile

and a half in length . Consequently, had the

precise time of the attack upon it been duly

considered, it would have only been neces-
sary to place a body of men to dispute this
passage to the continent, and the retreat ofthe

garrison would have been effectually cut off.

But there seemed to exist amongst these chiefs

a charitable determination to suffer their

enemy to escape. They had by their want

of energy allowed the Spaniards quietly to

retreat from the town, and, I suppose, they

now wished to afford the same opportunity to

their companions of the Moro.

The squadron attacked the place ; when

the Commandant, whose force did not exceed

one hundred and twenty men, after firing two

guns, retired. He was however killed while
attempting to pass the narrow passage before

described, and six or seven prisoners were

made. Very late in the afternoon, a detach-

ment of our men had been sent under Gene-

ral Valdes, to prevent the escape of the

Spaniards ; but it was considerably too late.

 35

They did, however, pick up one or two

stragglers, part of the prisoners above named .
It was now seen that, had not the guns been

withdrawn, this party, in its retreat across the

saline, would have had an excellent oppor-
tunity of attacking them, and the miserable

detachment left in their charge, would have

fared badly against so many.
No official document was ever more ridi-

culously bombastical than Brion's account of

the capture of the Moro, to the government
at Angostura. After describing it as a brilliant

achievement, glorious to the arms of the Re-

public, this wretched coward (for so I doubt not

to be able to prove him) continues his rhap-

sody as follows : " Never was country better

served, never was commander more ably sup-

' ported ." All this, it must be recollected, was

said upon an occasion where the enemy-
FIRED TWO SHOTS ! He might have done the

cause, of which his support was a mockery, an

essential service the following day ; but his

dastardly spirit would not permit him. I must

not forget to state, that the number of pri-

soners taken on that day, and which did not

exceed seven, was by him reported to beforty !

The following morning, the 19th July, we

were paraded at day light, and marched from
D2
 36

Barcelona to the Moro ; distant about six

miles . We were ignorant of the object of

this movement, as the left wing of the British

legion, and the Germans, remained behind .

However, on our arrival at the beach, we per-

ceived the Spanish squadron anchored in the

Bay of Porsuelos, which our fleet had left the

preceding day. They had hastened from

Cumana, under the impression that they might

throw succours into the Moro, and thus enable

it to hold out.

This squadron consisted of two corvettes,

one brig, and two schooners, besides gun- boats.

When we reached the Moro, all their gun-

boats, as well as the boats of their ships, were

rowing towards it full of men : they not being
yet apprised of its capture . We found Brion
preparing to evacuate it ; but this act of

cowardice was prevented by our arrival : and

accordingly we occupied the several posts,
and waited the approach of the enemy . Un-

fortunately, however, a gun was very unad-

visedly fired from one of the batteries, before

the enemy were even within range of can-

non shot. This informed them of what they
were before ignorant ; namely, that the Moro

was in our possession : accordingly, they put

about, and returned to their ships.
 37

I have already stated what was the force

of the Spanish squadron : that of the Inde-

pendents was vastly superior. Brion had un-

der his command sixteen vessels of war, be-

sides transports ; in all, twenty-one. He had

one corvette, three fine brigs, and the rest
consisting of hermaphrodite brigs and schoo-

ners : two of the former (the General English

and the Admiral Brion) being beautiful ves-

sels and admirably equipped ; and the whole

indeed of his squadron being well provided
with guns and munitions. Under these cir-
cumstances, will it be believed that this MISER-

ABLE POLTROON not only was afraid to go

out and engage the Spaniards, but positively

rowed round, and desired the outer vessels to

warp under the Moro, as he was apprehen-

sive of an attack from the enemy ?!

General English, who, to do him justice,

was not wanting in bravery, entreated him to

go and attack them ; offering, at the same

time, any number of men from the legion, to

act as marines on the occasion, and pointing

out how completely they were in his power :

but all to no purpose !

Porsuelos Bay is about five times the depth

of that of Barcelona, the Moro projecting into

the sea so very far : consequently, Brion, in
 38

going out, would have had considerably the

advantage, even were the enemy disposed to

fly; but there was another, and a more pow-
erful reason for his acting with the promp-

titude to be expected from one in his situ

ation. The boats of the enemy were crowded

with soldiers, and distant from the protection

of their ships : the latter, therefore, could not

depart, leaving their boats to be sacrificed :

and, at all events, Brion might reasonably ex-

pect either to cut some of them off, or to in-

jure them very considerably. In short, the

Spanish squadron was in his power ; and was

saved only by the most disgraceful cowardice
on his part.

When the boats of the Spaniards returned

to their ships, the latter immediately weighed

anchor, and stood to sea. Brion, in his de-

spatch to the government, excused himself

for not making the attack- saying there was

not sufficient wind : but there was quite suf-

ficient to enable the Spaniards to get out of

Porsuelos, although he could not, or rather

would not, stand out to prevent them !

Two hours elapsed before this Hero de-

termined upon following them ; and he only
then came to such a resolution, on hearing
of the discontent of his men. As soon as he
 39

had made up his mind upon the subject,

volunteers were called for from the British

legion, and a sufficient number immediately

embarked . Upon this occasion, I embarked

as a volunteer on board the Victoria, bearing
Brion's flag ; where I had a further opportu-

nity of witnessing his evident cowardice.

A considerable time had elapsed before the

squadron could put to sea, during which time

the Spaniards had got well to windward , on

their return to Cumana : so much so, that

there was very little chance of overtaking

them . This , no doubt, our brave commander

had perceived ; otherwise he would not have

exposed himself, had there been any probabi-

lity of coming to action ! That night, instead

of making all sail, he lay to ; and the next day

the wind was light and variable. About two
o'clock in the afternoon of this day, the Spa-

nish squadron was taken aback, whilst the

wind singularly favoured us. An engagement

was now considered inevitable, and every pre-

paration was accordingly made ; such as wet-

ting and sanding the decks ; putting badges

on our arms, to distinguish us, in case of our

boarding, or being boarded, from the enemy ;

and the men of the legion being stationed in
 40

the tops, to fire at the Spaniards below.

During these preparations, Brion was as pale

ás death . I paid particular attention to his
countenance, in which I could discover the

strongest marks of fear ; and which I after-

wards remarked to some of my brother offi-

cers. The wind, however, returned to its usual

quarter, and the Spanish squadron proceeded

onwards, or rather escaped .

We continued a mock pursuit, T till the

enemy entered the gulph of Cariaco, in which
Cumana is situated ; when our brave com-

mander gave us a specimen of the warfare

for which he was certainly most adapted . He

hoisted the Spanish under the Patriot colours,

and fired a salute of nineteen guns : the whole
fleet following his example !
We then returned to Barcelona ; the sailors

swearing that the Admiral was a coward- as

God knows, well they might ! Had Joly

(who was left behind at Margarita in disgrace,

principally I believe for his countenance to

Arismendi ) commanded the squadron, the

Republic of Venezuela would doubtless have
boasted the annihilation of their enemy's sea

forces ; and the same result might have been

expected had it been commanded by any

 41

other man than Brion ; for I have hardly so

bad an opinion of mankind as to suppose

that his equal for cowardice is in existence.

No sooner was it known to the troops of

Barcelona that the Spanish squadron had got

safe into Cumana, than the accusations and
assertions of the sailors were echoed by every

soldier, and in their rough and easy manner,

Brion was assailed with many epithets, by no

means complimentary. Meanwhile, nothing

farther in the way of military operation seemed
to be intended by General Urdaneta ; who
passed his time at ease in his hammock, and

gambling with his staff-while our pickets

were constantly kept on the alert by parties.
hour
of the enemy, and the alarm was every
being given. It was forbidden to any officer

or soldier to sleep without his belt, &c . so

that every one might be in readiness at a mo-
ment's notice.

At Margarita we had constantly heard of

councils of war to determine the line of ac-

tion to be pursued . The result of all these

deliberations seems to have been to possess

themselves of Barcelona, which, once in their

power, was rather an incumbrance to them.

What could have kept us so long in that

island was also unaccountable, unless it were
 42

to enable our chiefs to be out of the reach of

assault, and to consume provisions in idle-

ness.

The want ofprovisions was now loudly and

generally complained of. Every one declar-
ed something must soon be done, but what

that something was, did not seem likely to be

determined . The Spaniards had retired to a

place called Espirito, about a day's march

from Barcelona, and their force, it was well

known, did not exceed five hundred men ;

whilst ours was more than double that num-

ber. General Urdaneta was entreated to

march against them, but always refused ;

alledging, as an excuse, that it was too dan-
gerous an enterprise . Colonel Urslar who

commanded the German and Creole rifle

corps, (of whose untimely fate I shall have to

speak hereafter,) observed to me at this time,

that " if we were to be thus commanded,

OUR DESTRUCTION WAS INEVITABLE . " In

short, our General's conduct created pity

and disgust ; whilst at the same time we dis-

covered his secretary or principal agent, Mon-

tilla, to be so great a liar, that we could not
repose confidence in one word he uttered.

Before disembarking, we had been given

to understand that hundreds would flock to
 43

the Independent standard, and that in fact

they were anxiously waiting our arrival . But

so far from this being the case, we found the

town evacuated by its inhabitants, with the ex-

ception only of a few women who had taken

refuge in the church. Every one had carried

with him what he could convey ; and the con-

fusion visible in every forsaken house, evinced

the terror and dismay which our approach

had created . Still it was asserted they would

all shortly return ; but day after day passed
on without any signs of their re- appearance :

whilst proclamations, from the Spanish chief

MORILLO, were distributed amongst our sol-
diers by a few Creoles, who ventured among

us for that purpose only.

This proclamation was an invitation to the

British soldiers to desert to the royalists ; the

General solemnly promising them convey-

ance either to England or any other part,

or to retain them in the King's service if they
wished it. Morillo said , they must now be

aware of the gross imposition that had been

practised upon them, and the fallacy of the

great expectations they had indulged . He de-

signated the patriots as " ragamuffins and wise-

acres ;" and declared the wish of the people of

Venezuela to be for peace, and for the destruc
 44

tion of " monsters," who had rendered them-

selves notorious by the practice of the most

unheard of barbarities. He further entreated

them to put confidence in the honour of a

Spanish General , who had fought with them

for the liberty of Europe, in the division of
the " brave General Hill.”

We had received intimation of the exist-

ence of such a proclamation at Margarita,

but had never before seen a copy of it.

Morillo was represented , by the Independents,

as a blood- thirsty tyrant, whose deeds of
murder had caused the bosom of every one

to thrill with horror ; and it was asked what

dependence could be placed in the most.

solemn engagements of such a man ? It was

finally asserted, that, after obtaining from

those who should be credulous enough to rely
upon his promises, the information which he

desired, they might depend upon death- pro-

tracted even by torture !

During this time nothing could be pur-

chased at Barcelona. What little the few

persons who had remained behind were dis-

posed to sell, could not be procured by the

officers or men ; as the worthless coin of

Margarita was very naturally refused . Upon

this occasion, Urdaneta issued an order for
 45

that money to pass current, regardless of the

injury thereby done to the miserable few

whom he professed to benefit by extending

the blessing of independence. At length, so

great was the want of these unfortunate

beings, that, when the daily ration was issued

to the troops, they would entreat to have a

very small portion only sold to them ; repre-

senting, in the most piteous accents, the starv- 1

ing state in which they were, and tendering
for it
good money for it !! I need hardly say that

their requests could not be complied with.

We heard daily that we should be shortly

joined by General Bermudez, and a Creole

force from the plains, who would bring with
them cattle and horses, of which we stood

much in need. But still the hourly alarms ,

occasioned by the approach of the enemy's
small parties continued, and the infatuated

or rather scandalous torpidity of General

Urdaneta was undiminished ; when, one morn-

ing early, a party of horse, calling themselves

the advanced guard of Bermudez, entered

the town with cries of " Viva la patria !" and

proceeded enquiring the way to the General's

quarters. On arriving there, they suddenly

turned about, and set off at full gallop, at-

tacking every one they saw with their lances,

 46

killing a Creole rifleman, and wounding

several others. They then quitted the town.

All this was done in such a hurry, that they

received nothing more on their retreat than

a shot from one or two of the sentries ; the
effect of which we never learned.
• I was immediately sent out one way, with a
detachment , while a small number of the Ger-
mans went another ; but we discovered no-

thing more than the prints of their horses '

feet, which approached the town by the way

of Espirito ; the party consisting of Spaniards

in disguise . Another circumstance happened ,
about the same time , which , however trivial

in itself, added not a little to the apprehen-

sion ofthe men. A soldier was missing from

the regiment, and we concluded that he had

deserted ; but his body was found by a patrol-

ling party, a short distance from thet own ,

with his throat cut , and his heart and entrails

taken out and lying by him .

Discontent was now making rapid strides

amongst our soldiers. They were now in

this long-talked- of land of promise, but even

in the town of Barcelona their situation was

worse than it had been at Margarita . They

heard constantly of one General or the other

being on his road with provisions, (the want

 47

of which they experienced by a reduction of

their previous allowance, ) but no one made

his appearance . It was likewise impossible

they should fail observing that the natives

were decidedly inimical to the Patriots, other-

wise they would not have departed with the

Spaniards, and even the peasants refuse to

bring their fruits and vegetables to the town.

They complained that they could not stir

from their immediate neighbourhood , with-

out the danger of having their throats cut by

the natives ; that the Spaniards were mock-

ing them ; while they could enter the town

and slay whom they pleased , without their

general having the spirit to march against an

enemy, only half their number ! And lastly,
the pitiful, cowardly, childish conduct of

their commander, excited in them feelings

of the utmost contempt, and which they did

not fail to give vent to. They again de-

manded the fulfilment of their promises, and

asked if it were to be expected they should

expose themselves to the dangers of war and

climate, receiving for their reward only a

ration that would scarcely support nature ?

It must be recollected, that they were rather

emboldened by the prospect held out to them

 48

by Morillo's proclamation, which they had

all read at least.

Between thirty and forty of them now de-

serted, with the intention of going over to

the enemy . Five were apprehended, one of

whom, in attempting to escape, was shot : the

remaining four were conveyed to Barcelona,

and immediately brought to trial. It was my

painful duty to be present at this proceeding,

in my capacity of Judge Advocate ; and the

clearest evidence having convicted them , they

were sentenced to be shot. The troops were

paraded in the Plaza de las Armas, and the

prisoners brought out for execution ; but as
the nature of the sentence was not yet com-

municated to them, they laughed at their

comrades as they passed into the square , ima-

gining they were only to receive a flogging,

No sooner, however, was the sentence of

death made public, than they fell on their

knees, and begged earnestly for mercy. Co-
lonel Montilla now notified General Urda-

neta's commands that only two should suffer ;

and that it should be decided by drawing

lots. The painful anxiety of every one who

witnessed this scene may be readily ima-

gined ; and the frantic eagerness with which

 49%

the poor wretches themselves opened the slips

of paper, to learn their fate, was truly dis-
tressing to the observers. The conduct of
the Two who were doomed TO DIE afforded a

great lesson to man. These poor creatures,

who perhaps had scarcely ever before uttered

the name of GOD, but to blaspheme it, now
earnestly and fervently addressed themselves

to heaven, as their last source of hope !

The punishment of these offenders made a

great impression on the division , and pre-

vented the desertion that evening of at least
two hundred, who had determined to decamp.
After this , we had not another instance of the

kind during our stay at Barcelona. Of the

fate of the other deserters, I shall hereafter

speak.
We now learned that the want of provi-

sions was such , that Brion could no longer

supply us with more ; and that, consequent

ly, Barcelona must be evacuated, and the di-

vision marched over the mountains to the

plains. The next day was fixed upon for the

commencement of the journey, and the fleet
was to return to Margarita. This informa-
tion we received in the morning, $
and at
about two o'clock in the afternoon heard that

these distinguished and able chiefs had come

E
 50

to quite a different resolution ; and that it was

› now determined to embark the land forces,

and proceed to the attack of Cumana. We

heard of these dispositions with a careless-

ness which bespoke the want of confidence in
any measures carried on by such leaders.
Prior to the desertion of the town, how-

ever, the church was stripped of every thing

that could be transformed into money. A

report was afterwards industriously circulated,

that this act of pillage was committed by the

British ; but I do most solemnly declare that
I was present when the officers of Urdaneta's
staff were busily employed in packing up, for

removal, whatever was worth the trouble :

even the robes of the priests ! Under their

immediate observation, and with their con-

sent, I appropriated to my own use a few

silver legs and fingers, of the value of about

four shillings English ; but I aver that, unless

led on by such examples, I should have con-

sidered the contents of the church sacred ;
nor should I have thought of touching any

thing of the most trifling value.

Barcelona is situated about six miles up

the river. It is a tolerable large town, con-

taining some very good houses, and has rather

an elegant church . As it is open and almost
 51

defenceless, it has been so often the seat of

war, that a very considerable part of it is now

in ruins. It is closely surrounded with a

thick wood of low bushes ; so much so, that,

unless by the side of Portugar, when at the

extremity of the town either way, you can

hardly see one hundred yards before you .

There are a great number of small beaten

tracks, scarcely perceptible, leading to the

town from different parts of the country.

This, as may be naturally supposed, rendered

it exceedingly difficult to know where to
place picquets, and of course facilitated the

means of annoyance on the part of the ene-

my. So great indeed was this difficulty, that

we were latterly obliged to concentrate the

guards in the Plaza de las Armas, or centre of

the town, and barricade the extremities of the

streets leading to it ; contenting ourselves with

occasionally sending out patrolling parties.

Colonel Montilla (whose character for vera-

city does not stand very high) informed me,

that these passes were in number forty-six ;

and, from my own observation , I do not think

it exaggerated. Barcelona is very unhealthy,

and is almost annually visited with an epi-

demic fever the ague is also said to be very

prevalent. The river, which is not navigable

E 2
 52

for boats beyond the town, is full of alliga

tors and noxious fish ; the current always

running rapidly down . Here were found a

considerable quantity of cotton and hides,

which were of course delivered over to Brion ,

and by him sent for sale to St. Thomas's ; the

proceeds of which would I suppose be suffi-

cient to reimburse him for the provisions con-

sumed by the European troops.

ix On the morning of the 31st of July, 1819,
we marched from Barcelona, after setting fire

to the bridge, and proceeded to the Moro for

embarkation . Thus, after so much prepara-

tion, or, rather, waste of time, at Margarita,

was this place occupied twelve days, and then

forsaken ; without having answered any other

purpose than that of making the Indepen-

´dents, and their cause, more odious to the in-

habitants than they were before.

On arriving at the Moro, we found Brion

busily engaged in embarking from it the guns

and stores. Those of the former, that were

not worth taking away, were precipitated to

the beach below. While remaining here,

which was for a few hours only, a circum-

stance occurred that deserves recording ; as

it exemplifies the amiable manners of the com-

mander of the Independent fleet . Not con-

 33

sidering what had been his own disgraceful

conduct, and that of his co- operator Urda-

neta, he thought proper to attribute the failure

of the expedition to the BRITISH LEGION . It

must certainly be acknowledged that irregu-

larity of conduct, on their part, had been
evinced ;
and that complaint of the treat-
ment towards them was almost incessant ;

but surely, considering the situation in which

they had been placed, there was every excuse

and allowance to be made for the irritation of

their feelings. Almost all our old soldiers

had forsaken pensions to bear arms in that

cause large promises had been made to

them ; instead of the fulfilment of which,

they found themselves without money,

clothes, or a sufficiency of food . Nor was

there any prospect of melioration— nothing

upon which to ground their hopes. Their

state was alike deplorable and hopeless.

Was it therefore astonishing that they should

strongly feel and resent the injury done

them ? -that they should even wish to go

over to the enemy, as a means of returning

to their country, from which they had been

allured by treachery ? Was it to be reasonably

expected by their chiefs, ་ ས་ that bad conduct

towards them would generate feelings of

 54

friendship, and devotion to their cause ?→→→

Added to all I have before stated, they found

themselves commanded by men devoid of

ability, energy, or even courage. When ap

proaching the town of Barcelona, under the
ion of pposition
expectat o from the enemy,

never did men march to an attack with a

more determined spirit ; and had their entry

been disputed, they would, I am confident,
have done honour to the name of BRITONS.

If the place were not worth capture, with

whom did the blame rest ? Surely, not with
THEM .

All these circumstances, and endurances of

privation and hardship, were, however, for,

gotten ; and Brion had the humanity to say,

"he wished the British Legion had been at

h- ll , before he ever saw them !" Upon

which an officer of rank spiritedly replied-
" He did not believe there was one in that

corps who did not entertain the same wish

with regard to their Admiral ! ”
The batteries of the Moro were then de-

stroyed, and the buildings fired ; after which

we sailed the same evening for Cumana,

where we arrived and disembarked about two

miles from the town, on the evening of the

2nd of August. Here we were joined by a

 55

Creole force of between five and six hundred

men, under a Colonel Montes, a native of Cu-

mana, who, prior to the revolution, was a

man of notoriously bad character. We now

heard of the fate of the remainder of our de-

serters from Barcelona, who had marched

over the country, with a view of entering the

town ; but were met on their passage by

Montes and his Creoles. The English sol-

diers, imagining from their vicinity to Cu-

mana, that they were in the Royalist service,

approached them , crying " Viva el Rey !”

which the Creoles, who soon discovered what

they were, answered by the same expression,

and came up and shook them by the hand.

When they had sufficiently surrounded them ,

these Creoles fell upon them suddenly, and
butchered with their knives all but eight ;

who fled, but were afterwards taken, and

made prisoners .

The news of the melancholy end of so

many of their comrades, effectually put a

stop to all spirit of desertion ; and those who

had been on the point of following their ex-

ample, heartily congratulated themselves on

their present safety. Had the poor wretches

gone to Espirito, they would have reached

the Spaniards without difficulty ; but from

 56

this they were prevented, as they could not

pass from Portugar through Barcelona, with-

out having been observed, and exciting sus-

picion ; and to ford the river would have been
attended with infinite danger.
At two o'clock in the afternoon of the fol-

lowing day, we marched past Cumana, to a

fordable part of the river, it being intended

to take up a position on the opposite side. In

order to give the Spaniards an idea of our

force, which they could well survey from
their fortified heights, we marched each file

six paces distant ; the line was consequently

very considerably extended . But this was a

shallow artifice, as, with the assistance of the

telescope, the fraud could be easily detected ;

which, indeed, I afterwards learnt was the
case.

This afternoon's march was very fatiguing,

the weather being oppressively hot, without

the possibility of our receiving the benefit of

the breeze, as we marched through such low,

thick groves, as I have before described to be

in the vicinity of Barcelona . Captain Hoche,

a German, and Aide de camp to General

Urdaneta, died of excessive heat and fa-

tigue.
At length we crossed the river, but with
 57

much difficulty, it being deep and rapid ;

and that evening we bivouacked on its bank.

The next morning we marched, and took up

our position, without encountering resistance,

on a sandy plain near the town ; the road

from the river to the plain being STREWED

WITH HUMAN SKULLS AND BONES. Cumana

was hid from our sight by a ridge of hills.

The fleet had passed, the preceding even-

ing, further up the Gulph of Cariaco, in

order to communicate with us, and had had

some firing with the Spanish gun- boats and

batteries en passant ; but Brion , as usual, kept

at a respectful distance, and was much ridi-

culed by some of the officers of his squadron,

who proposed subscribing to pay for the ex-

penditure of powder-as they declared it to
be rather an exhibition, carried on more for

amusement than for any purpose of war ! The

Spanish squadron had sailed some days be-

fore to Puerto Cabello , of which Brion had

received previous information, otherwise he

would not have ventured there.

The plain upon which we were posted was

totally destitute of wood. We were there-

fore exposed to the heat of a tropical sun,

without tents or any covering : added to

which, it rained considerably almost every
 58

night. The water we drank was stagnant

and brackish, and made every one ill, but

the distance to the river was too great to send

there for it. Cumana was in our front, be-

hind the ridge of hills before named ; the

river (which afterwards runs through the

town, and empties itself into the Gulph) was

on our left, and by our right we communi-

eated with the fleet. We no longer received

provisions from Brion, but had an issue of one

pound only of fresh meat, the bullocks for

this purpose being brought down from the

mountains by Colonel Montes. In addition

to this, we had neither bread nor spirits.

Our situation had therefore now become
worse than ever. It may be easily imagined

that meat, obtained from cattle immediately

after they were driven from the plains, over

high and in many parts almost inaccessible

mountains, could not be the very best in the

world : on the contrary, it resembled carrion

rather than any thing else.

A party was sent out to reconnoitre, in

which was Lieutenant -Colonel Lowe, Bri-

gade Major of the legion. But Brion being

in great haste to be gone, fearing the return

of the Spanish squadron, and Urdaneta hav-

ing as little inclination to remain as the other,

 59

it was intimated to us by the latter, that as

he had received no orders to attack Cumana,

he should march the troops over to the plains.

It may readily be conceived that such an

intimation could not fail of disgusting every

one ; and the opinions of the heads of the

regiment were expressed without ceremony.

It was represented, that the circumstance of

our having appeared before the place, and then

decamping without making any effort to re-

duce it, would expose us to the ridicule of the

whole world : that our characters and honour

would suffer ; as it was well known we were

so much more numerous than the Creoles,

and might naturally be supposed to take the

lead and it was asked whether General

Urdaneta had any want of confidence in the

British, to induce him to withdraw them with-

out giving them an opportunity to act ? At

the same time, an offer was made by Lieu-
tenant- Colonel Lowe, to attack the fort of

Agua Santa with one hundred men, and a six

pounder : this fort being the highest, and

commanding all the others round Cumana.
General Urdaneta excused himself from

accepting the offer of Colonel Lowe, by say-

ing that he could not dispense with his services

in his staff capacity : but finding that be

 60

could not, under any pretence, any longer re-

fuse to make an attack, he sent, late that night,

and ordered the grenadier and light companies

ofthe British legion, to be in immediate readi-

ness for the assault of Agua Santa. These

companies were assisted by a company of the

German rifles, and the whole was supported

by the remainder of the division .

We consequently moved from our ground

about two o'clock on the morning of the 6th

of August, but were halted for a very consi-

derable time, about a mile from the fort,

Agua Santa is on that side of the town that

faces the gulph of Cariaco ; is built on a high

and commanding hill, and , at that time, only

two pieces ofcannon were mounted on the fort.

It is not an open fort, but is a block - house sur-

rounded by a deep ditch, and by the way in

which we approached it there is no road, and

the ascent is particularly rugged and steep ; the

guns completely commanding the advance to
it. Near this hill, but further from the town, is

another eminence, nearly as high, upon which

there are no fortifications. This latter is so

close to the former, that it would be impossi-

ble for ten minutes to maintain a footing.

The attacking party was provided with

two guides from Colonel Montes' Creoles ;
 61

but on our halting, as before mentioned, they

were taken away by Montes, and detained (for

what we could never learn, ) upwards of three

quarters of an hour. Notwithstanding it was
clear to every body that the assault ought to
have been made before day- light, the guides
were not brought back in time ; and when

the party moved on , the dawn was percepti-

ble. But will it be believed that these guides
conducted the men up the wrong hill, and

affected not to find out their mistake till they

were two -thirds of the way ? The party was

then obliged to descend, and being perceived

by the Spaniards in the fort, they were saluted

with a discharge of grape . There can be

little doubt but that this was a piece of wilful

treachery, and Colonel Montes was strongly

suspected of having given them instructions
to that effect. He had blockaded Cumana

for a length of time, and was perhaps fearful

that the success of the British would be a

reflection upon him.

Lieutenant-Colonel Friedenthal , ofthe Ger-

mans, instantly cut one of the guides down,

but the other made his escape. Meanwhile

our men mounted the right hill with cheers,

but were sadly galled by the enemy's fire.

The officer commanding this attacking

 62

party, was not furnished with any directions ;

nór had he previously been shewn any plan by

which to form an idea of the course necessary

to be pursued. As usual, these useless et ceteras

were neglected ! All, therefore, that the offi-

cer knew of the subject, was, that he was to

attack the fort of Agua Santa ; but whether
that fort was round or square, whether it was

easier of access one way than the other, he

was utterly ignorant . Neither was his party

provided with scaling ladders, or, as they
ought to have been in this instance, with axes.
General Urdaneta seems to have sanction-

ed the assault from necessity, and does not

appear to have calculated upon any operation

beyond it. The possibility of success doubt-

less never entered his head, nor do I believe
he wished it to succeed ; his desire was to

march away : and he well knew the capture of

Agua Santa would oblige him to remain , and

that much more was to be done before the
town could be taken .

He was a man, whose arrangements were

such as to render the bravery and ardour of

any troops ineffectual ; and upon this occa-

sion, so far from aiding in the reduction of

the place, he seemed desirous of throwing

every possible obstacle in its way. For in-
 63) #

stance-one part of the plan of attack recom-

mended, was, the service of cannon , which

might have been placed upon some of the

eminences in the neighbourhood, and would

of course have been of much utility . But

then, on the other hand, it would have been
attended with labour and trouble ; conse-

quently, all arguments in its favour were lost.

He would not suffer a gun to be landed.

He had not thought it necessary to concert
measures with Brion, otherwise some of the

ships might have approached and taken off

the enemy's attention from one exclusive

point ; but nothing of this kind being done ,

the troops below, in support of the storming

party, were exposed to the fire of all the
batteries. Those, whose long guns could

not bear upon us, fired shells from their

howitzers and mortars, and considering the

cannonade under which we stood, it is next
to a miracle that our loss was not greater.

A house in our rear, chosen for a temporary

shelter for the wounded, was obliged to be

abandoned ; and scarcely had the sufferers

been conveyed from it before it was knocked
to atoms.

The storming party had closely invested

the fort, but could no where force an entrance
 64

to the block-house ; while the Spaniards from

within kept up a heavy fire of musquetry

from their loop-holes : occasionally opening

ports to fire their guns, or throw hand-gre-

nades into the ditch. This was briskly re-

turned from without, and our men had almost

silenced their fire- when General Urdaneta

ordered a retreat ! In vain did General Eng-

lish, Colonel Blosset, and others, entreat him
to let them remain. The latter had ascended

for the purpose of ascertaining how things

were going on, and reported very favourably ;

the men being then under cover of projecting

rocks, and from which they greatly annoyed
the fort. But these statements were of no

avail. A retreat, therefore, was ordered, to

the utter astonishment and disappointment of

the besiegers, who already concluded the fort

in their power.

Our loss on this occasion was comparatively

trifling ; being no more than two officers

killed, two wounded, and seventy- five men

killed and wounded . The latter almost all

died ; as to be wounded in that country is

almost certain death- owing, as much to the

want of proper attention , as to the character.

of the climate . The most trifling wounds

will bring on lock-jaw, and this consequence
 65

has followed from slight flesh -wounds in the

arm .

The two officers who were killed were

much regretted , for the legion was, 1 may

say, robbed of two of its brightesť ornaments .

Captain Sadler, of the light company, for-

merly of the British 69th regiment, an Irish-
man, was in every respect a soldier. He fell ,
A
gallantly leading on his men to the assault,

and was afterwards represented by them to

have displayed the most heroic courage.-
Lieutenant Lyans, of the grenadier company,

also an Irishman, was about twenty -two

years of age ; and possessed' one of the most

amiable dispositions. He was a general

favourite, and was also reported to have be-

haved most gallantly . He was dreadfully

wounded, and could not be brought away.

When the Spaniards were at liberty to sally

from the fort, he presented his sword to the

first who approached him, and was barba-

rously murdered with HIS OWN WEAPON !
The injury done to the Spaniards was, as I
afterwards learned, five killed , and sixteen

wounded ; which was tolerably considerable,

when it is recollected that the shot must pass
2
through the sides of the blockhouse before

taking its effect within .

F
 66

A party of one hundred Spaniards, coming

from Cariaco, were attempting to pass us,

to make their way over the hills to Cumana.

They were, however, perceived and attacked ;

but not till they had entered the bushes, and

begun to ascend. Many ofthem were killed ;

and the Captain commanding them, and three

men, were made prisoners.

These were no sooner in the hands of the

Creoles, than they were stripped naked and

bound. General Urdaneta promised them

their lives, but did not keep his word. It was

now that we witnessed the manner of putting

their prisoners to death, which filled all the

British with horror. These unfortunate men

were taken to some distance from the camp,

tied together, and speared at the back of the

neck till dead . Their countenances became

horribly disfigured, and each body had at

least twenty wounds.

Can it be believed, that the Creoles delight

in the exercise of this diabolical cruelty ? and

that they undertake the massacre of those,

who unfortunately fall into their hands, with

an avidity and apparent thirst of blood truly

appalling to the human mind ? But so it is ;
and General Urdaneta, as an excuse for his
breach of faith to these ill-fated men , repre-
 67

sented the danger of not permitting the Creole

troops to wreak their vengeance upon those

whom they considered as their lawful victims .

The distressing sight we here beheld, made

a deep impression upon myself and some
other officers ; and from that moment we con-

sulted together as to the means ofwithdrawing

ourselves from these ignorant, cowardly, and
cruel wretches. We naturally considered
.

ourselves as parties to such deeds of blood,

so long as by the support we gave them we

added to their means of conquest, and con-

sequently of murder. The ideas under which

we had identified ourselves with the Inde-

pendents, were quite of a different nature :

they were honourable, though mistaken. In

becoming the advocates of their cause, we

had certainly never thought of sacrifising.

those feelings of humanity so predominant in

the British character, or of refusing to listen

to the cries of the afflicted ; much less to thirst

for the blood of those, whose unfortunate

situation ought to be an additional motive to

the exercise of pity and kindness !

It was now resolved to proceed immediate-

ly over the mountains to the plains ; and time

was promised to allow the officers to get, from
F 2
 68

their baggage on board, such things as they

might require. Many of them, from the sup

position that we were to continue our coast-

ing operations, brought nothing on shore,

from an aversion to carry a knapsack in so

hot a country. Brion , however, who was in

hourly fear of the return of the Spanish squa-
dron, resolved to decamp while his passage

out was undisputed ; and accordingly, very

unexpectedly, he set sail, and left us to our

fate.

This conduct, on his part, was highly selfish

and inconsiderate ; but his fear for himself

and ships robbed him of all consideration for

us. Our situation was truly distressing ; there

being amongst our men a great many, who,

from exposure to sun and rain, want of
food, and bad water, had been attacked with
violent fevers, and were in a state of great

danger. Thus these poor creatures, who

were unable to stand, were either to be left
behind to be butchered by the enemy, or to

be conducted over mountains, in some places.

almost inaccessible. It was intended to have

embarked them for Margarita, but this plan

was thus prevented .

Officers, too, who had been at considerable
 69

expense in England, in providing themselves

with necessary clothes, were, without a second

shirt or pair of shoes, about to be marched
into the interior of this wild and solitary

country, with the prospect of being shortly

naked . This was fortunately not my case, as

I had taken care to bring with me a well-

stored knapsack , of which I scarcely ever

quitted sight.
Such was our situation when, on the morn-

ing of the 9th of August, 1819, we moved

from before Cumana, and began a march,

the fatigues of which were to consign many

to the grave. Several of the unfortunate

sick men above-mentioned were conducted

a short distance ; and then, from necessity,

left ; whilst others lay down and died .

The country around Cumana, which was

represented to us, as being in the highest state

of cultivation, before the revolution , was

now a wilderness ; overgrown with bushes,

and presenting nothing to the eye but the
rugged work of nature. We passed many
cottages, but none were inhabited. The Pa-

triots and Spaniards were alike fearful of

each other, keeping within their respective

defended precincts. We beheld before us the

lofty mountains we were shortly to ascend,

 70

and looked forward with some pleasure to

the interest such a march was likely to create :

little thinking of the sufferings we were to

encounter, or of the many of our companions

who were to bid us an eternal farewell . Ge-

neral English, who doubtless anticipated the

misery to be endured , and feared the feelings
it would excite in the men towards himself,

wisely embarked for Margarita ; otherwise I

verily believe he would have been sacrificed
to their fury.

We reached the position in the mountains

occupied by Colonel Montes, and which is

certainly by nature very strong . The ascent
to it is steep and difficult, and is unassailable

except by one track ; the sides being so over-

grown with trees and bushes, as to render it

impenetrable. Any attack must therefore be

made in front ; and the assailed, from their.
elevated situation, would have, of course , so

decided a superiority, that a few could im-

pede the advance of many.

This position is distant from Cumana about

five leagues, and affords the Independents an

admirable place of shelter, from which they

frequently descend, and annoy the Spaniards
in the town. Here we found a few open

straw sheds, erected as shelter for the Creole

 71

troops ; but there being but little room in

them , the greater part of us took up our

quarters amongst the bushes, where we were

dreadfully tormented with ants and mos-

quitoes.

This day I was suddenly startled by the

noise made by a beetle, very common in the

woods of South America ; the body of which

I never could see, but which has been de-

scribed to me as not unlike the cricket. The

noise it makes is, to one unaccustomed to it,

truly terrific ; and several others, as well as

myself, at first thought it proceeded from a

serpent. It commences by a loud hissing,
which increases to the most harsh and grating,

but at the same time shrill, sound imaginable.

Were I to mention to what it most ap-

proaches, I fear my veracity would be in

danger of being questioned . We were after-

wards so accustomed to the sound as to dis-

regard it.

As it was expected to be moonlight that

night, we were ordered to fall in for march-

ing at 12 o'clock ; which we accordingly did ,

and were given to understand we had the
next day to pass over a mountain nearly as

high again as the one upon which we were

halted . This information was not received
 72

with much pleasure, as we had not forgotten

the labour it had cost us to arrive at our pre-
sent elevation.

At 12 o'clock we began our march ; and

went this day the most fatiguing journey by
far in our travels over these mountains. We

left Montes's first position, descending into a

valley, and passing through several rapid

streams . We then ascended to as great a

height as the eminence we had left ; and de-

scended again, passing through another val-

ley, prior to our arrival at the foot of the
mountain so much dreaded. This was called

by the natives " El impossible," and cost us

infinite labour to climb. The clouds almost

always rest upon its summit, as they did at

that time. Many of the men fell , exhausted

from fatigue, and were unable to proceed .
Of these no notice was taken : they were left

by their humane conductors to shift for them-

selves ; and unless they made an effort to get

on, they stood an almost certain chance of

starving.
The descent was, if possible, more distress-

ing than the ascent ; and the road in many

parts was such as to be with difficulty passed .

My great surprize was, how they could ma-

nage to conduct cattle up and down such
 73

places ; but certain it is they do so, although

many of them, as may naturally be supposed,

fdie by the way. When we got so far down

as to be out of the clouds, the scenery was

certainly very sublime. A valley on the

right was tolerably wide, through which ran

a rapid river, the sides of which were skirted

with impenetrably thick woods. (These

woods, by the by, continue equally thick
even to the very summit of some of the

mountains.) Our ears were now assailed

with a tremendous roaring, which the Creoles
informed us proceeded from the tigers : great
numbers of which are to be found in all parts

of South America, but more particularly in

those the least frequented. Parrots were to

be seen in flocks ; and as soon as the noise of

the tigers ceased, the chattering of the mon-

keys was heard. In short, had we been less

fatigued and hungry, we might have enjoyed

such novelties .

For my own part, the passing of " El im-

possible" made an impression upon me never

to be forgotten ; and indeed all my compa-

nions seemed to have the same feelings, for it

has frequently since been the subject of con-

versation .

When we reached the bottom , we were

 74

scarcely able to stand . Here, therefore, it

was determined to kill the oxen, and cook.

We were now upon the bank of a river,

branching from the one I have above men-
tioned ; and in this, as in other shallow rivers

in South America, there are interspersed here

and there, large stones, upon which three,

four, sometimes five, or six men, could con-

veniently sit. The water was overhung with

lofty trees, and in this romantic spot we pass-
ed two hours ; for the bullocks were killed ,

and the beef cooked and eaten, within that

time.

The fires for cooking were lighted on the

stones, and there each party was assembled

to make his miserable meal. It was remark-

ed to me, by a brother officer, how many

persons in London would delight to pass the

day in such a lovely spot ! To this I as-

sented ; but conceived it most probable they

would prefer something better than one pound

of bad beef, eaten broiled without salt, and

water as the only beverage.

We had been warned at Margarita to pro-

vide ourselves with salt, as otherwise we

should severely feel the want of it ; but as we

had no means of conveyance for any thing

beyond what we could ourselves carry, we

 ."

75

found it impossible to take any considerable

quantity ; and what we had, was either con-
sumed or destroyed by the rain when before
Cumana.

It was on the banks of this river, that we

saw a great number of small monkeys, of a

light green colour, frolicking in the trees. Of

course it was not permitted to waste powder

by firing at them, but I do not recollect ever

to have seen any smaller, or apparently more

delicate .

We resumed our journey, and marched

without intermission till six o'clock in the

evening. It must be recollected that this

season of the year was the rainy season , and

this afternoon we proceeded by a road, wind-

ing round a mountain, a river being on our

right, the current of which descended with

an astonishing rapidity and noise ; the rain in

the mean time falling in torrents . We were

stopped several times by the water from the

mountain intersecting the road .

At length our passage was completely ob-

structed, and a scene presented itself to our
view awfully majestic . The rain, descending
from the mountain, of course works a chan-

nel down, and the one we now saw seemed to

be the principal ; several smaller ones emptied

 76

themselves into the main track, and an im-

mense body of water rushed from this lofty

summit with an indescribable force and

velocity, rolling down huge stones, and pass-

ing our path with the rapidity of lightning

to the river below, and with an almost deaf-
ening roar. Never do I recollect to have

seen a more frightful, but at the same time,

impressive sight ; every one gazed with silent

wonder and fearful admiration . An hour

elapsed before the rain subsided, and the fall

of water then gradually diminished ; but an

officer, fancying prematurely he could resist

the current, endeavoured to pass through.

He was immediately carried off his legs, and

borne down by the stream ; but fortunately

encountering a small tree in his way, he clung

to it and was saved. To those who were ac-

customed to travel amongst these immense

mountains, such a sight was not new, but to

us it was a most surprising and novel spec-

tacle.

It was intended this evening to reach Cu-

manacoa, a Patriot town, and the head- quar-

ters of Colonel Montes ; but the heavy rain

had so swelled a river we had to cross, as to

render it impassable, and we were necessitated

to spend the night in a perfect swamp . The

next morning we marched nearly all the way
through mud, and were continually wading

through streams of water ; at length we

reached Cumanacoa, wearied beyond mea

sure, having left behind us many of our poor

men who had dropt by the way.

No quarters were provided for the officers,

but they were left to shift for themselves.

Finding, therefore, a small empty shed, I had

crept into it, and was reposing myself, when
a coloured Creole rushed in and asked me

what I did there ? He had neither shoes nor

stockings on ; wore a check shirt, an old pair

of coarse canvas pantaloons, and an old straw
hat. On demanding his reason for such an

enquiry, he told me he was an officer, and

that I had taken his quarters. Such an ap

pearance for an officer not a little surprised

me; but finding he was in earnest, I asked his

rank, to which he replied, a Sub- Lieutenant.

I then informed him I was a Captain, and¹
should not turn out but for one of superior
rank to myself. He then went away, and I

saw no more of him. I soon, however; found

that many Patriot officers were much worse

provided with clothes than this man.

General Urdaneta, in order to urge on the

men, had promised them rum and bread on
 78

their arrival at Cumanacoa ; but no sooner

was he there, than he forgot all he had said.

This ruse-de-guerre was attempted to be prac-

tised more than once, but the men afterwards

paid no attention to it.

Cumanacoa is situated in a valley, and

surrounded by mountains ; the ground around
it is exceedingly fertile, and noted for its very
excellent tobacco- the best on the Spanish
Main. It was before the revolution a hand-

some town, the houses being built of stone,

all of which were destroyed by the Spaniards.

They are therefore now of straw, as indeed

are all the Patriot towns, except Old Guay-

ana and Angostura . In general these straw

houses are exceedingly ill built, but in Cuma-

nacoa they were quite the contrary, having

an air of great cleanliness and neatness.

The town is provided with two large for-

tified houses for its defence against the Spa-

niards, or rather for the reception and defence

of the Creole soldiers. In these, stages are
erected one above the other, where the men

stand and fire at their enemy through loop-

holes. These houses are large and built of

wood, the roof being covered with straw.

The Spaniards do occasionally fall upon

them, advancing from the Gulf of Cariaco ;

 79

and two years prior to this period they had suc-

ceeded in destroying the town, and killing
or taking off many of the inhabitants ; but

they were unable to drive the Creoles from

their ground .

There is very little to be got at this place

beyond sugar, Indian corn, and Cassava

bread ; of which, although there was abun-

dance in the town, it was not thought neces-

sary by our brutal Chief to procure it for

either officers or men ; notwithstanding he

had given his promise to do so. We were

therefore obliged to receive, and endeavour

to satisfy ourselves with, our pound of fresh

beef.

Our situation was certainly most pitiable,

and the unhappy men made repeated but

useless complaints. They were now com-
pletely in the power of the Patriots, and whe-

ther they were satisfied or not was perfectly

immaterial.

Here a general court-martial was held, for

the trial of the eight deserters from Barcelona,
who had not shared the fate of their com-

panions . They were convicted of the charge

against them, and sentenced to be shot, but

were pardoned by General Urdaneta. Such,

however, had been their sufferings, while in

 80

the custody of the Creoles, that not one sur-

vived ; ALL DYING shortly after !

We had here a day of rest ; and in the

evening those men, who from sickness were

unable to proceed, were assembled for the

purpose of medical inspection prior to being

left behind. The number amounted to one

hundred and forty, besides officers ; also a

considerable number of the rifle corps . Even

Creoles sunk under the fatigue, and from want

of nourishment.

A most barbarous order was here put into

execution. These unfortunate men were

stripped of their clothes, for the purpose of

completing those who could go on ; and were

thus left, in this inclement season of the year,

in a state of the most abject misery . About

thirty of them afterwards joined their corps,

and the last accounts I heard of the remainder

were that ONLY ONE had survived !

The day we marched from Cumanacoa, we

passed through no less than twenty-five rivers

and streams, some tolerably deep, others

shallow ; and we bivouacked for the night
on the summit of a mountain. In short, till!

our arrival at the plains; we were daily as

cending and descending ; in the ravines, pass

ing through rivers and stagnated water ; all

 81

this time subsisting upon one pound of beef,

which rather resembled carrion . Although,
both on the mountains and in the vallies,

there is the greatest abundance of wood, we

found no trees bearing wholesome fruits ;
nothing eatable was to be met with but limes
and pepper. The latter is growing wild al-

most every where .

Tigers abound here ; and we were informed

by the inhabitants of Cumanacoa, that it was

with difficulty they could preserve their mules
and horses : the natives seeming to be in con-

stant dread of them , though I could not learn

that they very frequently, or successfully, at-

tacked men .

The summits of some mountains we found

of considerable extent, having the appearance

of plains of pasture : but what astonished us

was, frequently meeting, even there, with fine

clear springs of water. These we found very

acceptable . The air is much colder, and the

atmosphere finer than below ; that is to say,

when the clouds are off. The herbage looked 1

greener, and, for my own part, I should

much prefer my abode here to the ravines.

On reaching the extremity of the moun-
tain-tops, the descent would frequently pre-

sent an aspect the most rugged and frightful ;

G
 82

and exclamations of surprise, at the nature

of the road before us, would burst from every

mouth. Trees, high and bushy, growing from

the brow even to the bottom , rendered the
passage so inconceivably dark, that it would

appear we were about to enter some intermi-

nable abyss . We were obliged to descend

with the greatest caution, clinging to the

projecting roots ; but that cattle should be

enabled to encounter, and overcome, such ob-

stacles to their passage, was to me and all my

companions, a matter of the greatest wonder.

We saw but few natives of these parts, al-

though we passed throughthree small villages.

Those we did see, presented an appearance
of almost inconceivable misery and poverty ;

and the interior of their habitations was dis-

gustingly filthy. The Indians are always cor-

pulent and healthy looking, but they are not

permanent settlers anywhere.
On the thirteenth day, after our depar-

ture from before Cumana, we reached the

plains . As we approached them, the moun-

tains becoming smaller and less furnished
with wood, but ending in black rocks, or ap-

parently withered grass. In short, the wild

fertility of our former route was now com-

pletely changed. This, however, we hailed
 83

with rapture, as we we were informed it indi-

cated that we were shortly to leave them be-

hind .

The view of the plains, from the eminence

upon which we stood, was most beautiful .

As far as the eye could reach, scarcely a

rising was perceptible. The ground , after

the rains, bore evident marks of improve-

ment ; and instead of the burnt and barren

prospect we had lately been led to expect,

every thing wore the appearance of verdure.
Woods and clusters of trees, interspersed here

and there, added a diversity to the scene truly

enchanting ; and we this day saw, I think,

as great a number of parrots and paroquets,

as I have seen at one time in any part of
that country .

On descending the mountain, for the last

time ( at least for the present), we felt light

of heart, and congratulated each other on our

arrival at the plains ; but we soon perceived

that our legs only were likely to be benefited

by the change : for although every thing had

a delightful appearance to the eye, we could
find nothing to gratify the palate. We still

seemed destined to taste only beef, the bare

sight of which became every day more dis-

gusting, and was eaten from necessity alone.
G 2
 84

We next arrived at a large Patriot town

(built of course with straw) called Aragua, and

by this time the number of our sick and dis-
abled men was very considerably increased :

added to which , many had remained between

Cumanacoa and this place ; not by desire ofour
General (who insisted upon their advancing,
whether able or not) but because they really

could not get on. These we afterwards learned

were robbed of every thing they possessed, by

the hard-hearted inhabitants for whose liberty

they were fighting. We had also lost five men

one morning, crossing a river unusually deep

and rapid ; and thus our strength was daily

decreasing.

At this place, the poor old woman, in whose

wretched hovel I took up my quarters, gave me

a most distressing account of the misery her-

self and many of her friends and acquaintance
had suffered by the revolution . She repre-
sented herself to have been in a situation of

affluence ; having slaves, abundance of cattle,

and cultivated grounds : all of which she had

lost, together with her husband, who had been

obliged to take arms and was killed and she

was then reduced to so great a state of poverty,

as sometimes to be unable to procure a suffi-

ciency of food. The poor woman shed tears

 85

on her recital of these sufferings , and told me

how heartily she cursed the revolution, as did

all those whom she knew.

From Aragua, we marched to a small

Indian village, where we remained for the

night. In the neighbourhood of this place

our half famished men found some berries,

which they greedily devoured , but which near-

ly proved fatal to them. Almost all who had

eaten of them were seized with convulsions,
and endured for a long time the greatest

agony. This taught them to be more upon

their guard for the future.

On the 24th of August, 1819 , we reached

Maturin, the head- quarters of what is termed

by the Patriots, the Province of the East.

This day I was seized with the fever, and so
completely did it deprive me of all sense of
what I was about, that I marched from a

place where we had halted for an hour , and

left my sword hanging upon a small tree. Nor

did I make the discovery till the next morning.

Here it was resolved that we should stay a

considerable time, until some plan of future
operation was decided upon . Still our Gen-

eral took no steps to provide us with bread,

but the quantity of beef was increased half a

pound per day. During my illness at this

 86

place, which was however short, I took so

great a dislike to the sight of beef, as to be

unable to bring myself to taste it : until com-

pelled to do so for the support of nature.

We all now began to perceive the desperate

situation to which we had reduced ourselves,

and most heartily repented not having listened

to the warning voice raised in England against

this MAD SPECULATION ! There had been a time

when we might have gained something for

ourselves by our swords, had we been pro-

perly commanded ; and the hope of doing so

had in some degree supported us ; but now,
even this prospect had vanished , and we beheld

ourselves pennyless ; many of our companions

naked ; and, to crown all, the whole of us starv-

ing!-The murder of the unfortunate Spanish

prisoners at Cumana was not forgotten ; and

the subsequent unfeeling conduct of our Gen-
eral towards his own troops, excited in us re-

sentment for the past, and alarm for the future.

In short, despair was imprinted upon every

countenance, and nothing was heard but la-

mentation .

Maturin was by far the largest Patriot town

we had yet seen on the Main, and was also

formerly built of stone, but destroyed by the

Spaniards . It stands on an arm of the river
/
 87

Guarapiche, by which there is a communica-

tion, by the Gulph of Paria, with Trinidad .

This arm is narrow, with a rapid stream , and
navigable only by boats.

The town is composed of straw houses ;

some few with mud walls, whitewashed . Its

plaza, or square, is large, from which branch

various streets : but every thing in it has the

appearance of poverty and wretchedness . It

is defended by a few guns placed in the square,

and a traversing twenty-four pounder upon a

wooden platform , erected on the plains at the

distance of about a quarter of a mile . The in-
habitants are enrolled as militia for its defence,
but are destitute of fire- arms,

I do not suppose it to be possible to witness,

in one place of this size, such an assemblage of

rats as in Maturin. The houses being built of
straw, there is abundant room , both in the

sides and thatch, for them to nestle ; and as

the inhabitants use no means to destroy them ,

they are daily increasing. In the day- time they

remain perfectly still ; but towards evening,

and all the night, the galloping , squeaking ,

and ear- piercing noise they make, is beyond

belief. In short, the whole place is overrun

with them, to the great annoyance of all

strangers, particularly Europeans.

 88

This place was formerly of considerable.

note for its trade in mules and cattle with the

West India Islands ; but there is now a great

scarcity of the latter, and hardly any of the

former. Indeed the embarkation of mules

from Maturin is prohibited .

It being the head- quarters of the Province

of the East, the Independent Generals in

command have so frequently , under pretence

of the exigency of the case, made seizure of

all cattle brought for embarkation , that traders

are deterred from going there. When these

seizures are made, no attention is paid to the

loss or total ruin of the proprietor : nay, the

milch cows of the inhabitants , many of whom

had scarcely any other means of subsistence,

were, on our arrival, taken from them, and
killed, for which not the smallest recompense

was made.

Small vessels can come up the river Gua-

rapiche, within about forty miles of Maturin,

and a few articles of sale are brought from

Trinidad . But so miserable are these people,

and so little have they occasion for pen, ink,

and paper, that not a sheet of the latter was

to be procured in the whole place . This too

at a town, where a staff establishment is kept

up !
 89

Here our men were dying daily ; while

fever, the ague, and other disorders were

hourly attacking them. Nor was there any

medicine for their relief. Our surgeon, (a

young man of great ability, named Murphy,

who had entered this service in England from
the idea that he should find ample scope for

practice, ) made repeated strong representa-

tions to the General, urging the necessity of

procuring medicine, and pointing out the

barbarity of suffering the unfortunate soldiers

to perish for the want of it ; but Urdaneta

was a man with whom no statement of this

kind was likely to have any effect. So long

as he could follow his own degrading plea-

sures, he cared not whether his soldiers were

fed or starved, or died or lived.

He was in the constant habit of gambling

the whole day long, as were General Valdes

and Colonel Montilla. Indeed Urdaneta has

been frequently seen putting five doubloons

on a card, at Monté, although he would not

give one farthing for bread for his famished

troops, or take the least trouble to procure
medicine, to save the sick from the grave !

This latter might have been had with facility

from Trinidad , in the course of three weeks
or a month .

Officers and men were alike attacked with

 90

a horrible disease, very prevalent in this

country, called " Maldita. " This word lite-

rally signifies a curse. The arms , hands, legs,

and feet, are covered with sores that eat to

the very bone, and are attended with great

inflammation , running, and excruciating pain .

I have been informed that amputation, and

even death, have frequently been caused by

them .

An open shed, called an hospital, was

crowded with these unhappy wretches'; pre-

senting a spectacle of human suffering that

baffles all description. Destitute of ought

whereon to repose, of medicine to check the

ravages of disease, or even of the common

necessaries of life, these poor men were

breathing their last ; their bodily sufferings

augmented by the swarms of sand-flies, which

their diseases attracted, and by which they

were incessantly tormented . I do not believe

it possible for a more distressing or heart-

rending scene to be any where witnessed ;

and I think could General English have seen

the state to which he had, for the sake of

sordid gain, reduced his countrymen, his

heart, had it been made of flint, must have

felt some compunction. *

* Notwithstanding this, I afterwards read an extract of a

letter, inserted in some of the English Newspapers, said to be
 91

In this state of things, many officers insist-

ed upon resigning ; hoping to be able to get
to Trinidad, and from thence to their native

country. In that number was myself ; but

we were not only refused permission to do

so, but it was made known to all, by order

of General Urdaneta, that any officer for the

future tendering his resignation, would be

sent a prisoner to the Fortress of Guayana.

We were told we were the PROPERTY OF

THE REPUBLIC ; that they had engaged to

pay a certain sum for our services, which, if

not willingly given, would be exacted by

force . It was acknowledged the government
had not observed their obligations to us, nor

were they likely to do so, but still we were

their property and must remain . This rea-

soning, by the chief of Urdaneta's staff, con-
vinced us we had indeed embraced the cause

of Liberty !

It may be demanded by some, why, when

from Trinidad, giving South American news about this period,

and stating that the British legion at Maturin was in high
health and spirits. And thus, to answer the purposes of inter-
ested persons- to keep up, as they term it, " public opinion❞—
have the most infamous falsehoods and exaggerated statements,
respecting this country and cause, been propagated ; to the
ruin and death of many hundreds, who have been so unfortu-
nate as to read and put confidence in them.
 t

92

thus treated, we did not rise ? I have been

asked this question several times ; but although

the men would have taken arms to follow any
officer who would have proposed such a thing,
the officers saw too well that, in so wild

and intricate a country, with the great diffi-

culty of procuring food, such a step would
have been attended with inevitable destruc-
tion .

Finding all hopes of being able to withdraw

with consent at an end, several of us de-

termined to attempt an escape . Secret meet-

ings were accordingly held, and plans sug-

gested and discussed ; but none of them ap-

peared likely to be attended with success.

At length it was ascertained there was a fine

large boat at a plantation, three miles dis-

tant. It was therefore agreed to reconnoitre

the place, and see how far it would be prac-

ticable to seize this and decamp . Our in-

tention was to get to Trinidad . We were

well aware of the difficulty and danger of

the enterprise, as well as of the fate that
awaited us should we be taken ; but we were

ready to risk every thing - so earnest was our

desire to leave this horrid land, and the more

horrible savages in whose service we were

enlisted .
 93

We found, however, so many persons at

this plantation , that our own number, which

was five, would be inadequate to carry the

plan into execution . I proposed to enlist

some of the men in our cause, but this was

overruled ; although, for my own part, I

would have depended upon any of them . In

consequence, for the present, the project was
abandoned .

We now formed an acquaintance with a

young Canadian, who had come from Tri-

nidad on business . To him, therefore, we ad-

dressed ourselves for advice and assistance,

which he readily seemed disposed to give us.

He, however, represented the danger of the

above project of the boat, from the difficulty

of obtaining sufficient provisions ; the rapidity

of the current, and intricacy of the passage of

the small river ; our own want of experience

in boating, & c. &c. This induced us to give

up all further idea of it, he promising, how-

ever, to endeavour to procure us means of

disguise ; and as he himself would be shortly

going, to take us in his boat in the great
river.

Some of our soldiers now deserted, which

circumstance gave us much apprehension ;

as it would put Urdaneta on his guard, and

 94

render our escape so much less practicable.

Others shortly followed the first example,
but all were taken. The time was fast ap-

proaching when our attempt was to be made,

but unfortunately our friend the Canadian

was attacked with a violent fever, and we

were once more nearly reduced to despair.

We now heard, to our utter astonishment,
that General Urdaneta had received the

thanks of Congress for his bravery in having

possessed himself of Barcelona ! Of this I am

certain, that, had a General of any other coun-

try conducted himself as this fellow had done,

eternal disgrace to himself would have been

the consequence.
A circumstance respecting our operations

at that place, also now came to our know-

ledge, which will serve more particularly

to mark the military character of this man .

It will be recollected that, during our stay

in Barcelona, we were daily expecting to

be joined by General Bermudez with horses

and cattle . We now learned that, in conse-

quence of advice from Urdaneta, he was in

possession of the place. Bermudez, who was

on the plains in that province, lost no time
in making preparations to join him : and
knowing that the fleet was there also , and
 95

that he could be supplied with what ammuni-

tion he stood in need of, took with him only

two rounds per man . This

His force was said to be twelve hundred

men, and he had collected five hundred head

of cattle and two hundred horses, with which

he marched for Barcelona . But what was

his surprise, on arriving at that town, to find

it evacuated by Urdaneta, without his having

received any previous notice of such an in-
tention?!

The Spaniards, who were still at Espirito,

and had been reinforced from the province of
Caraccas by a considerable number of troops,

sent by sea, no sooner heard of the arrival of

Bermudez, than they marched to attack him ;

and he, having no ammunition to defend him-

self with, was obliged to decamp, leaving be-

hind his cattle and horses. He was of course

pursued by the enemy, and his men obliged

to separate and hide themselves in the moun-
tains between Barcelona and Cumana .
He afterwards arrived at Cumanacoa, with

the remnant of his men, in a most deplorable

state, and infuriated to the highest degree

against Urdaneta ; of whose conduct he com-

plained to Congress . The latter excused

himself by throwing the blame upon Brion,

 1

96

who retorted upon him, and thus the matter

rested . Urdaneta still being esteemed an able
General, and Brion still holding his empire
over the fleet.

I now positively declared my resolution,

be the consequences what they would, to

serve no more ; and absolutely refused to sit

as judge- advocate on the trial ofthe men who

had lately deserted . On the contrary, I ex-

pressed openly my opinion, that, considering

the brutal treatment towards them, it was un-

natural to expect they should not endeavour

to escape from such a state of misery and
slavery.
For this I was summoned before the chief

of the staff, and recommended to be cautious

of what I was about : the latter at the same

time intimating, that the General would re-

present such conduct to the Government,

which representation would operate power-

fully against me, and would entirely destroy

all my hopes of being at a future period per-

mitted to resign. How far Urdaneta might
have carried his resentment, had he remained

in command, I know not ; but suddenly , and.

to our great delight, he was superseded by

General Marino .

At this period we heard of the capture of

 97

Santa Fé ; and the riches, taken there by Boli-

var, were said to be immense : for, although

in his despatch to Congress he only ac-

knowledged having found half a million of

dollars, yet so effectually did these gentle-

men exercise their talents in multiplication,

that his half million was soon made five or

six millions !
Bolivar ordered that Urdaneta should be

directed to join him forthwith ; for so fond

was the president of this able commander, that

no consideration of distance, or of his being

on other duty , could induce him to withstand

the temptation of having his favourite near

him .

General Marino, the next in military rank

to Bolivar, is a man possessing the most

gentlemanly and winning manners ; but is

destitute of talent, and is as great a gambler

as his predecessor Urdaneta. He had for-

merly conspired against Bolivar, who offered

a price for his head : but although outwardly

they appear as friends, they are well known

to be secret enemies.

Marino soon however ingratiated himself

with the officers and men ofthe British legion,

as much by his pleasing manner, as by his

immediately taking measures to have the
H
 98

troops supplied with Cassava bread. He had

also brought with him, from Angostura, a

small sum of money, and a dollar and a half

was distributed to each man, and a few dol-

lars to each officer. I was however denied

any share, owing to having declared my de-

termination no longer to serve .

General Marino also visited the hospital,

which Urdaneta never had done. The sur-

geon informed me he was so shocked at this

deplorable sight, that he turned pale, and

immediately quitted the place : at the same

time expressing his resolution to do every

thing in his power to alleviate the condition
of the men . The bare expression of kindness

from this General , when compared with the

brutal coldness of his predecessor, made such

an impression , that the poor fellows all swore

they would die by his side !
To him, therefore, I applied for permission
to go to Trinidad . In reply he told me he

could not consent, as he had no authority to

suffer any one to leave the territory of the

Republic ; but offered me leave to proceed to
Angostura, the seat of Government, where I

could represent my case to the Vice Presi-

dent ; who would, he said, perhaps suffer me

to resign. At the same time, he introduced
 99

me to a Colonel Sucré, who was to set off the

next day, and politely requested of him to

shew me attention on the road .

This introduction was, by the by, a most

fortunate circumstance ; for otherwise, my

permission to go would have availed me very

little, as I should not have known in what

way to get there ; it being a distance of at

least 300 miles over the plains : whereas now,

Colonel Sucré offered me the use of one of

his mules, which I most thankfully accepted .

General Marino, to do him justice, did not
appear to approve of obliging officers to serve

against their consent ; as he had that day given

permission to two others to proceed to An-

gostura also : but it being represented to
him that he would, at that rate, shortly lose

all the officers of the corps, he refused further

applications of that nature. The two officers

abovementioned were not, however, so fortu-

nate as myself ; for although they had leave,

they had no means of taking advantage of it :

and I never afterwards saw them, though

I remained a considerable time at Angostura.
I endeavoured, while at Maturin , to learn

if the natives were at all acquainted with the

ancient history of their country ; and upon

this subject questioned several of them, but

H 2
 100

all they seemed to know was, that the Indians

were the original possessors, and were cap-
tured by the Spaniards .

One man spoke to me of the splendour in

which the ancient Indian kings had lived ;

and said, that in that time, gold and silver

were in such abundance, that their houses were

made ofthe former, and their seats and uten-

sils of the latter ; that if the king was in the

interior, however far, his subjects would form

a line from the sea- coast ; and by offering

fish, taken from the sea alive, from hand to

hand, convey it to the habitation of the king

in the greatest perfection . He told many

ridiculous stories of this kind, and seemed to
believe them to be true.

I observed, during my stay at Maturin,

that there was nightly a heavy fall of dew ;

notwithstanding which, many of the natives

would, from preference, sleep in the open air,

and with little or no covering. Nor would

they enter the house all the night, unless

compelled to do so by rain. It did not ap-

pear that this was attended with any injuri-

ous consequences to them .
When the men heard that I was about to

proceed to Angostura, for the purpose of re-

turning to England, many of them came and
 101

requested I would make known, on my arri-

val in England, the treatment they had expe-

rienced there, and the miserable condition to

which they were reduced ; and seemed to

derive some consolation from the assurance
would do so.

On the 25th of September, 1819, I set off

from Maturin in company with Colonel Sucré,

mounted on a good mule, and in high spirits

at the prospect of being shortly able to leave

this detested country. The road, we now

passed, was widely different from the one by

which we had reached Maturin ; the herbs,

in many places, completely obstructing our

view of the small beaten track we followed ;

and I am sure, without the assistance of a

guide, I should have left the proper direction

fifty times.

We this night passed another arm of the

Guarapiche river, and rested at a house about

two leagues distant from it ; where we were

treated with anecdotes of the boldness of the

tigers in that neighbourhood, and ofthe losses

the relater had suffered by them. We were

unable to close our eyes for the swarms of

musquitoes, against the stings of which there

is hardly any preventive.

Early the next morning we continued our
L
NA
TIO
NA
 102

route over these apparently boundless savanas ,

and saw immense numbers of wild deer, and

many most curious birds. In passing through

woods, we were always much amused with

the frolics of the monkeys in the trees.

We this day arrived and took up our quar-
ters at a house on the bank of the river

Tigre ; so called, from the number of tigers.

that infest the woods that skirt it . They

were represented to me as larger and fiercer

than ordinary ; and the old woman, who oc-

cupied our present habitation , told me that

her dread of them was great. Here Colonel

Sucré met some friends coming from Angos-

tura to Maturin , in consequence of which we
remained the next day, and then proceeded .

On this day's journey we crossed the river

Morescao Largo, the banks of which are lined
with thick woods, so infested with musquitoes

and sand-flies, as to be called by the natives

" la
la Madre de la plaga. " I need not say we
made all haste to get rid of such tormentors.
It is curious to observe the mules, when

disburthened of their saddles, walk into these

rivers, and swim across of their own accord ;

waiting on the opposite side the arrival of

their masters . Colonel Sucré was accom-

panied by two Creole servants ; one driving

 103

a sumpter mule, and the other attending us :

there was also a little Creole boy going to

Angostura, who walked every step of the

way, nor ever appeared to be fatigued . On

the contrary, when we rested for the night,

he would immediately proceed to light a fire,

and prepare supper, and was as active as

though he had not stirred the whole day.

144
Our attendant, who was mounted, was a

Samboe, and certainly for that country a most

useful and active fellow. He would plunge
into the rivers with a load upon his head,

and convey it to the opposite bank without

its receiving any injury ; and upon every oc-

casion was equally serviceable .

We this evening bivouacked on the plains,

lighting fires, and keeping our mules near us
to protect them in case of attack . We had

that day seen several tigers, and one particu-

larly large. They invariably gazed at us for

a short time, then turned round, and walked

leisurely away. Our mules always gave no-

tice of our approach to them, as they never

failed making a stop- pricking up their ears ,

and looking earnestly in the direction of their

well known enemy .

Colonel Sucré informed me he had known

instances of mules, when resting, being at-

 104

tacked and borne off within five or six yards

of their masters ; notwithstanding fires had

been lighted . He also related his having seen

a very extraordinary and interesting battle

on the open plains, between a tiger and a

wild bullock ; in which the latter was com-

pletely the conqueror, and not only made his

enemy run, but chaced him .

The following day we reached an Indian

village called Tobasko, and passed the night

in a house occupied by a black Patriot Colo-

nel, who was there recruiting. I have never

yet met with a man of his colour, who pos-

sessed such engaging manners. They would
not have disgraced an English drawing- room .
The Indians of Tobasko make many curi-

ous things of grass, particularly hammocks ,

which are exceedingly strong, though light. I

fancied these people were taller than I had

seen them elsewhere .

The next day we had a long journey before

us, intending to reach Baranças, a town on
the river Oronoko ; and there take shipping

for Angostura. We consequently started at

three o'clock in the morning, and at seven

arrived at the river Coa, by far the largest we

had yet crossed, and which consumed much

time. We here found an old Indian residing,

 105

who obtained his living by transporting tra-

vellers over this river, and whose assistance

was very welcome.

It was here also I saw five amphibious

animals, called by the natives " chickwis. "

They appeared to me to resemble the sheep,

and were just of that size. As we approach-

ed them, they betook themselves instantly to

the water, and disappeared . They feed , I

understand, upon herbs, and are exceedingly

fat ; tasting not unlike veal . The plains and

waters of the Apure are said to abound with

them .

Horses and mules are frequently drowned

crossing this river, it being upwards of a quar-

ter of a mile broad, with a rapid current : an

accident of this kind had happened the pre-

ceding day, but we fortunately escaped any

thing of the sort.
About twelve o'clock we met a troop of

herdsmen conducting cattle to Maturin . They

had halted and just killed a calf, of which we
were invited to partake. I now witnessed
their manner of roasting meat, with the skin

on, using a long stick for a spit, which they

point, and thus hold it to the fire till done.
I certainly never, either before or after, tasted
meat in South America half so delicious.
 106

This I have since learned is the common way

of cooking by the herdsmen.

We were this afternoon completely lost,

but went on at hazard . At length we came

to a piece of deep stagnant water, by which

our passage was impeded , and which seemed
to extend to so considerable a distance to the

right and left, that we determined to cross it

there. In doing so, I found myself, on reach-

ing the opposite side, covered with leeches ;

and what was most singular, Colonel Sucré

had none . While employed in removing

them, I was beset with such a swarm of large

horse-flies, that, what with the one and the

other, I was nearly driven mad. With much

difficulty, however, I removed the leeches

and continued the journey .

As we approached Barancas, we had a view

of the mountains on the other side of the

Oronoko ; the bare sight of which recalled

so powerfully to my recollection what we had

suffered in passing those between Cumana

and Maturin, that they excited feelings of
pain .

We reached Barancas at eight o'clock in

the evening, and fortunately found a schooner
about to ascend the river to Angostura the

following morning. It was some time since

)
 107

I had seen so fine a stream as the Oronoko,

which the natives consider the wonder of the

world, and cannot be brought to believe that

its equal exists. I looked upon it with plea-

sure as the channel by which I hoped once

more to be placed under the protection ofthe

British flag .

This journey across the plains had afforded

me much delight ; and the circuitous route by
which we proceeded to Angostura, had given
me an opportunity of seeing more than 1
otherwise should . My attention had been

constantly taken up by curious, and to me

unknown birds and animals ; and those vast

uncultivated and almost uninhabited plains

gave me some idea of the desolate wildness
of these regions .

Further in the interior, you may march

for days without seeing a human form or

habitation ; and even here we had travelled

from morning to night under the same cir-

cumstances . Sometimes, as far as the eye
could reach, in either direction , nothing was

observable but sky and grass ; and the latter

quite parched by the burning heat of the sun .

It may easily be imagined what an effect it

must have upon the traveller , who is pre-

vented, when he does arrive at a wood or
 108

cluster of trees, taking the advantage of their

shade, owing to the musquitoes that swarm

there.

I observed here, equally as in the moun-

tains, that where wood is abundant, nothing
is to be found eatable but limes, and occa-

sionally guavas. This latter fruit is so un-

wholesome, that it is almost a misfortune to

meet with it, as you are tempted by its agree-

able smell to partake of it.

It is impossible that any birds can be more

common in any country than are parrots and

paroquets in this ; for whether in the moun-

tains or on the plains, they equally abound ;

and though, when domesticated, they are ap-

parently sluggish, their flight, when wild, is

exceedingly swift. There are also great num-

bers of macaws, but I cannot say I much

admire these birds in South America, parti-

cularly when tamed ; as their noise is into-

lerable, and their feathers always rugged and

out of order.

Barancas is a very small place ; but being

on the Oronoko, and consequently having
frequently communication with vessels from

the West India islands, there was a much

greater appearance of comfort . For instance,
the houses were furnished with chairs and
 109

tables ; and cups and saucers, plates, knives

and forks, and spoons, are here made use of ;

things wholly invisible and unknown in the

interior. Even at Maturin , although there

was a communication with Trinidad, not one
house in twelve was furnished with a chair,
and knives and forks seemed to be out of the

question.
The inhabitants squat themselves down on

the ground, and are so used to this, that they

can either sit or rise without the assistance of

their hands. Sometimes they make use of

small low stools, or blocks of wood. For a

table they take whatever first presents itself,

such as a wooden box, but most frequently

the ground serves them .

When they eat meat, one dish (frequently

of wood,) is in placed in the middle, and each

helps himself with his fingers ; which, how-

ever, they always previously wash . Before

they begin to eat, either a boy or girl says a

long grace ; but in so hurried and careless a

way, that, were it not for the sign of the

cross first made, a stranger would suppose it

to be any thing but an address to Heaven .

All the men carry long sharp knives in

a leather sheath by their side, which serve

them either for personal defence, to cut their

 110

meat, or for purposes of labour . Where an

edged instrument is required , you never find

the want of it. The Indians , Samboes, and

many of the blacks, generally go naked ; but,

at most, their dress consists of short linen

drawers and a shirt . They are naturally very

indolent.

Arriving, therefore, at Barancas, and see-

ing a degree of neatness and comfort in the

interior of the houses, to which I had lately

been so unaccustomed , I found it an agree-

able surprise. Here we heard a confirmation

of a report, prevalent at Maturin, that the

pest had been raging most violently, and was

not yet entirely subsided at Angostura, and
that numbers had been carried off by it. It

was said most particularly to attack strangers,

coming either from the exterior or interior of

the country, which not a little alarmed us.

We staid but one night at Barancas, em-

barking in the schooner and setting sail next

morning. The day following we reached
Old Guayana, and remained there four hours.

This place is defended by two large and

strong forts, of long standing, which com-

pletely command the passage of the river

for though it is here as broad as I remember
to have seen it any where, the channel is so
 111

near the shore as to oblige vessels to pass

within gun- shot .

When the Spaniards evacuated this place,

they destroyed the greater part of it. There

are, however, yet many stone houses, but the

greater number are of straw. The pest had

been raging here likewise ; and the haggard,

unhealthy looks of the inhabitants were truly

distressing . This town was garrisoned by a
few miserable Creoles, but the number is

quite inadequate to its defence in case of

attack .

It was here that Colonel Wilson was so

long kept a prisoner by Bolivar ; and here

also Urdaneta threatened to send the officers

of the British legion , who should tender their

resignations. From Old Guayana we arrived

in three days at Angostura ; during which

time we anchored close to the shore whenever

the breeze fell short, and on one of these oc-

casions were furnished with muskets from

the vessel, and went on shore shooting. It

was agreed we should separate for a short

distance, in order to have the greater chance

of game.

I proceeded with some trouble a short way ;

my passage being much obstructed by shrubs

and brambles, till I could get no further.

 112

I then attempted to return ; but the more I

struggled to get out of such a labyrinth, the
more I was entangled . The sun was intoler-

ably hot, and I dreaded snakes, or alligators.

In short, I was really terrified . At length,
with much difficulty and labour, I got to the

water's side, and was soon joined by the others ,

who had been precisely in the same predi-
cament, and were equally scorched and torn

with myself. We returned on board, not much

pleased with, or inclined to renew, a shoot-
ing excursion on the banks of the Oronoko.

At Angostura I found my old acquaint-

ance, General Arismendi, ( of whose arrest at

Margarita I have before spoken ) , not only

with a head on his shoulders, but raised to

the dignity of Vice President ; and conse-

quently, in the absence of Bolivar, the Presi

dent, Chief Magistrate of the Republic.

To him I made known the nature of my

errand, and begged his permission to leave

the service and return to England, on the
plea of bad health . This he informed me

was utterly impossible. He could not give

such permission to any officer, and wondered

I should desire it at a time when they were

preparing for the invasion and certain capture

of Caraccas. He ended by desiring me to
 113

remain, and take rest at Angostura ; after

which I must rejoin the army . Thus for

the present my hopes were blasted.

Having letters to present to Mr. Hamilton,

a merchant well known at that place, and

who has much weight with the Government,

he politely invited me to take up my quarters

at his house ; and his good table, and excel-

lent Madeira wine, assisted not a little to

keep up my spirits. But this comfortable ‫شود‬

method of living was unfortunately not to

last long, for money being sent from Santa

Fé, and Bolivar requesting Mr. Hamilton to

take part of it to the islands , to purchase arms,

I was of course obliged to seek quarters else-

where ; after being in that gentleman's house

six or seven days, during which time I had

been in the habit of almost daily seeing there

the members of congress and of the adminis-

tration.

Angostura, the seat of government of the

Independents, and their place of principal
commerce, is about five hundred miles up

the Oronoko, and is rather a handsome town,

possessing some very excellent houses. It is

built upon an eminence, the ground being

hard and rocky, which attracts the heat of the

sun-and its unhealthiness is, by some persons ,

I
 114.

in that way accounted for. Formerly a great

quantity of cocoa was grown in its neighbour-

hood, as was coffee, cotton, & c ., and exports

of those articles were made from it : but now

nothing is to be procured in exchange for

goods from the West Indies but cattle brought

from the Apure. These are dear and scarce.
Mules and horses are sometimes shipped for
་
the islands, but rarely ; as the former are

very dear, and the latter are very bad.

On the opposite side of the river (which is

here about a mile in breadth ) stands the vil-

lage of Solidad ; the houses of which are built

of straw. Here persons from the city retire as

to the country. It is singular that this place

was not visited by the pest, although it raged

so violently at Angostura.

The population ofAngostura * was stated to

me to be six thousand ; but, from my own
observation, I should not think it so much.
This includes people of all colours . That

part of the country leading to the open plains,

is for some distance cultivated, but very im-

perfectly ; as there is no certainty in the

* It is well known and even acknowledged by the Patriots,

that many persons, resident in this city, are secret friends of
the Spaniards. They are of course, for their own security,
obliged carefully to disguise their sentiments.
 115

establishment of the cultivators : they being

in constant fear of being pressed and sent up

to the army. Consequently, articles of food

are exceedingly dear.
The Indians from the upper banks of the

river occasionally come down in their canoes,

bringing the Cassava bread, Indian corn,

plaintains, bananas, &c . for sale. They are
most extraordinary looking beings ; men and
women being quite naked, wearing only a
ceinture round the middle, apparently for
decency sake.
Their bodies and faces are rubbed over

with a red powder, resembling ochre : the

women wear (no doubt as an ornament) a

sort of broad bracelet between the knee and

calf of the leg, which is strapped so exceed-

ingly tight, as always to cause a painful sen-

sation to the European beholder.
The men appear to be immoderately fond
of spirituous liquors ; and generally, after the

sale of their produce, get brutally intoxicated ;

drinking unmixed rum in great quantities.

Neither do the women abstain, but drink as

freely as the men : they then go about the

town howling and playing antics, and usually

fight amongst themselves . Upon such occa
1
sions the inhabitants never interfere wi

I2
 116

them . When their money is expended, they

return to their homes.

I was once witness to a scene of this kind,

where an Indian man was so far drunk as to

be unable to stand ; but was supported in the

arms of another. A woman, who had like-

wise swallowed a tolerable portion , advanced

to him, with a full glass of rum . She opened

his mouth, and poured the liquor down his

throat : the poor wretch then sunk, unable to

move or speak.
I met in Angostura several officers from

the army of the Apure, commanded by Gen-

eral Paez, who had come with the same inten-

tion as myself. The account they gave of

the deplorable state of the British there, was

truly distressing . Many officers were not only

without shoes, but in as complete a state of

nudity as the Indians themselves : nor was

it without the greatest difficulty they could
obtain permission to visit Angostura, to get a

supply of clothing.
They mostly went up to the army well pro-
vided with clothes, of which they were soon

robbed by the Creoles ; from whom the oldest

and most cunning English soldiers could not,

for any length of time, preserve the smallest

articles beyond what they wore. And when
 117

sleeping, they would stand a chance of being

deprived of part of them, particularly shoes :

nor could they ever obtain the least satis-
faction.

They represented Paez as a man willing to

do more for them than any other commander
they were ever under ; and described his

manners as amiable though rough . There

being a superabundance of officers, they

formed a part of his guard of honour, taking

the right retaining the rank of officers, but

performing the duty of privates .

We were not an atom better off at Angos-

tura than on the plains ; for although at the

seat of government, the ration consisted only

of beef, the extravagant custom of adding to

it bread and spirits having been some time

since discontinued . It would also appear that

the very worst cattle were killed for the

British. This I solemnly assert to be the

fact ; for the meat issued to us was, generally,

of the most strong and rancid quality. *

It was not infrequent, that no meat was to be procured,

and upon those occasions we were left to shift for ourselves
and do the best we could. If complaints of this were made
to the Vice President, the answer was : " You must wait till
tomorrow ;" and in the interim we might, like the camelion,
feed on air. This, I repeat, was frequently the case.
 118

We were, in short, ill-treated and insulted

in every possible way. The native generals

and officers, being in their own country, had

means of procuring money unknown to us ;

and were mostly dressed in uniforms, which

they had purchased for trifling sums from the

distressed and starving English officers . These
fellows would pass us in the streets (even

those we knew) with an overbearing hauteur

and apparent contempt, highly wounding to

our feelings.
Had we occasion to wait on members of

the government, we were generally received

and treated as menials ; and instead of cop :

sidering themselves indebted to us for the

assistance we were rendering them, they ap,

peared to look upon it as an honour conferred
by them, to allow us to endure starvation and

misery, and to have the almost daily prospect

of death, in their service ! When they ad-

dressed their proclamations to us, as a body,

it was invariably, " Generous Strangers !" and

we were loaded with fulsome praise and

thanks. But their conduct to us individually

belied their every public assertion.

While at Margarita, we had, by proclama-

tion, been promised the strict fulfilment of

our engagements ; but they were proclama-

 119

tions addressed to answer present purposes,

and never considered hereafter. We wished

for some document more satisfactory to us,

and binding upon them. Accordingly, at

Maturin, Colonel Stopford, of our corps, had

been deputed to write, in our names, stating

the promises made by General English, and

to request the government to guarantee the ob-

servance ofthem , in order that we might know

the grounds upon which we were acting.

These representations were made and re-
peated without obtaining an answer. At

length, that gentleman was requested to pro-

ceed to Angostura and address himself to
the ministers , personally, upon this very inte-

resting subject. This he accordingly did ; and

found, to his astonishment, that all the papers

had been received, but immediately thrown

aside, as if of the most trivial naturę.

The only paper under English's* hand in

possession of the legion, which enumerated
the rewards for our services, was likewise laid

aside, and pretended to be lost. This paper,

* General English had died some time previous, at Mar-

garita, of the pest, which was taken to that island by a vessel
from Angostura ; where also, at the same period, upwards of
fifty officers, and five hundred men of Devereux's legion, died
of the same disorder !
 120

1 doubt not, was wilfully destroyed, as its

loss left us at their disposal. They then call-

ed for official documents, to prove the nature of

General English's engagements in their name,

knowing they could not be procured ; as they

would doubtless refuse a paper upon the oath

or word of honor of the officers of the legion.

Colonel Stopford then addressed the Con-

gress, and proposed the appointment of a

Committee to receive and consider our claims,

which was agreed to ; but the committee

could never be brought to assemble. Find-

ing therefore all his efforts useless, he was

obliged to relinquish the attempt. *

In the mean time, with a view to quiet the

British legion on the subject, Arismendi issued

a proclamation, in which certain promises

* The British legion was not only deprived of the hope of

ultimately receiving the recompense upon which they had
depended, but the officers were even robbed of what they had
brought with them from their native country. Their baggage
had been left on board one of Brion's vessels, for the purpose
of being forwarded to Angostura ; but on its arrival it was
found to have been so plundered, that little besides the empty
trunks and portmanteaus remained . One of the senior naval
commanders of Venezuela, (in observing to me upon the hard-
ship to the officers, and shame to Brion, for the little attention
paid by him to the interests of men, whom it was his duty as
much as possible to protect, ) said, he should not be astonished
ifhe were the instigator of, and participator in, the robbery.
 121

were made, and said to be binding on the

part of the government ; but what those pro-

mises were, no one could understand . The

paper in question was so artfully worded, as

to admit of no construction either one way or
the other.

I had at that time occasion to wait on

Mr. Zea, the late Vice President, to interpret

for a friend . The discontent of the British

was a subject introduced ; upon which he said

the late proclamation would tend to remove

it. I told him nobody could understand its

terms, and that we were as much in the dark

as ever. He then explained its meaning to

be, " that when the Independence was gain-

ed, they were to receive, on account of pay,

&c. what the government could afford to give

""
them .' I need not say this was unsatisfac-

tory ; as, after years of service and suffering,

they might be presented with any trifle, and

be expected to receive it willingly ; because

the government might be said to be able to
afford no more.

I had not been long at Angostura, before

I was attacked with the fever by which so

many had been carried off. This was follow-

ed by the ague, till I was reduced to a state

of weakness the most deplorable ; and cer-
 122

tainly, under Heaven, owed my life to the

kind attention of an English medical gentle-

man, named Kirby, who removed me to his

house ; provided me with his own medicine ;

and treated me with the kindness of a bro-
ther. Had not this been the case, I might

have lain and perished for any assistance I

should have received from the beings whom

it was my misfortune to serve !
When a little recovered , I crawled to the

Vice President, and begged his permission to

leave the country. Seeing that I was not a

subject for campaigning, he consented ; and I
thus had the happiness to obtain my pass-
port ; but was detained for a vessel to go in

a very considerable time.

37 Meanwhile, nothing was spoken of but the

"
intended invasion of Caraccas, and the most

extravagant accounts were given of the dis-

tress to which General Morillo must be re-

duced, by the preparations then making, and

by the number of points to which his attention

must necessarily be drawn . Various opinions

were given as to the course he would pursue.

Some thought he would embark his forces,

and proceed to the Havannah or Carthagena;

but the general belief expressed , was, that he

would retire to, and shut himself up in, Puerto
 123

Cabello ; which, being ofgreat strength, would

enable him to hold out till he received assist-

ance from Spain. At all events his passage

out was sure .

General Arismendi had, through Mr. Ha-

milton, forwarded to England, the pattern of

a superb uniform , which, with a General's hat

and plume, sash, sword, &c. was to be pre-

pared and sent out forthwith- in order to

make a triumphal entry into the city of Ca-

raccas ; thus proving (as I doubt not to shew)
his utter ignorance of Morillo's situation, and

of the country through which he would have

to pass ; of which, in his capacity of Vice Pre-

sident, he certainly should have had a more

correct knowledge.

Every man that could be spared, was sent

to the army ; and the workmen at planta-

tions, and those following trades, were in-

stantly pressed and sent to the same destina-

tion . At Maturin , all men entering the place

were seized and enrolled ; a strict eye being

kept over them to prevent their escape. And

at Angostura, guards were sent round the

town at night, to take all they could find,

who were immediately put into boats kept in

readiness, and forthwith despatched .

Arms, ammunition, & c. were embarked,

 124

and sent to Santa Clara on the Oronoko, the

place of rendezvous ; and every effort was

apparently making by Arismendi to carry

into execution his darling scheme, for the

accomplishment of which he seemed most
particularly to depend upon the army of the
\
east, commanded by Marino , the number of

which was multiplied to four thousand. But

how they could make it thus augmented,

since I had left it, is known only to them-

selves ; for God knows it was then far short
of one thousand.

It was said Marino would advance on the

right, Paez on the centre, and a corps com-

manded by Soublet, to be sent by Bolivar

from New Granada on the left. But the

sequel proved that Bolivar was not only igno-

rant of the proceedings, but totally disap-

proved of them . He, however, was supposed

(at least so I should imagine,) to be so far dis-

tant, as to cause no apprehension on the part

of Arismendi from his interference ; the latter

no doubt calculating to monopolize all the

credit of so great an undertaking, as the con-

quest of the capital of Venezuela.

We now heard that Colonel Urslar, who I

have before mentioned as commanding the
rifle corps, was taken by the Spaniards in a
 125

boat, while crossing the Gulf of Cariaco on

his way to Margarita- whither he had been

sent by Marino for the purpose of command-

ing the Irish legion then at that place : there

having been a schism amongst the seniors of
that corps, some of whom had retired from

the island, and it being intended in some way

to get the legion over to accompany the great

expedition against Caraccas.
General Arismendi left the seat of govern-

ment, (a thing highly irregular,) to inspect

the troops at Maturin, where he issued a pro-

clamation, beginning as usual " Generous

Strangers ! "-and filled with the unmeaning,

pompous language they generally use in their

productions of this nature : scarcely two words

of which are connected .

He was absent about a month, and very

singularly arrived at Angostura a few minutes

before Bolivar ; who, on his return from New

Granada, hearing of the mighty preparations

of the new elected Vice President, lost no

time in flying to put a stop to them. But be-

fore I proceed to relate the failure of Aris-

mendi's hopes, it may not be amiss to look

back to the means by which he obtained his

present exaltation ; which was doubtless not

only highly displeasing, but also alarming, to

 126

Bolivar ; to whom Arismendi must prove a

dangerous rival .
When Bolivar installed the congress, in

the month of February of the same year,

Mr. Zea was (doubtless by his recommenda

tion) appointed Vice President , in which ca-

pacity he had acted ever since ; but Bolivar

being now in the kingdom of New Granada,

and consequently supposed to be out of the

way of all interference, a party was formed

by Marino and Arismendi to effect the dis-

missal of Zea, and the nomination of the lat-

ter in his place .

In consequence of this, it was necessary to

have recourse to stratagem ; and a false report

was raised of the march of the Spaniards from

the province of Barcelona towards Angos-

tura ; which caused much ferment and alarm .

Mr. Zea was questioned as to the state of de-

fence of the city ; to which he answered, that,

not being a military man, he left arrange-

ments of that nature to the military governor.
This answer was received with great dis-

approbation ; and the necessity urged of im-

mediately naming, as Vice President, some
General, who by his conduct had merited the

good opinion of the people of the Republic.

Occasion was immediately seized of enume-
 127

rating the military qualities of Arismendi ,

and his public services at Margarita and else-

where ; and a proposition followed to appoint

him to supersede Mr. Zea.

The latter, seeing how things went, ten-

dered his resignation, which was however re-

fused ; the conspiring party, no doubt, wish-

ing their victory to be most decisive, by hav-

ing the satisfaction of dismissing him them-

selves . The friends of Bolivar made a stand

in behalf of Zea, but without avail . The

opposite side succeeded, and moreover gave

Marino the command of the army ofthe East,
of which he had some time before been de-

prived by Zea.

This conspiracy having answered their ex-

pectations, the arrangements before men-

tioned, for the capture of Caraccas, were

9
made and continued with unabated zeal,

until the sudden and unexpected arrival of

Bolivar gave a death-blow to their hopes.

He no sooner heard of what had transpired at
Angostura, than he hastened to counteract
the effects of their machinations : doubtless

entertaining much alarm at the power placed

in the hands of such a man as Arismendi ,

who, although devoid of common education,

 128

possessed much cunning, intrigue, and ambí-

tion.

Marino, too, the old and well known enemy

of Bolivar, commanding the army of the

East, was another cause of fear on his part :
for the British, Germans, and Irish, were to
compose a part ofit, and the " suaviter in modo"

of the former was too irresistible not to make

him, in such a situation, dangerous to Bolivar,

particularly when leagued with Arismendi .

On the 12th of December, 1819, at about

seven o'clock in the morning, a boat arrived

bringing the intelligence that Bolivar would

be at Angostura in two hours . This news 3

caused the greatest astonishment, as it was

hardly supposed possible he could have arrived

at the Apure. At about ten o'clock Bolivar

made his appearance, and was received with
firing ofguns, and the huzzas of the assembled

inhabitants. A band of music preceded him

to the government house, where he was met

by Arismendi, who had reached the place

only in time to dress for his reception.
The congress was now as obsequious in

Bolivar's presence, as they had before been

contumacious in his absence ; and imme-

diately, on his suggestion , rescinded their ap-

 129

pointment of Arismendi, and named, as his

successor, Dr. Herman Roscio, formerly mi-

nister of finance. Marino was recalled from
the army of the east, and his place in that

command was filled by Soublet.

Still, however, the conquest of Caraccas

was spoken of, and said to be certain . The

motive for keeping this report in constant agi-

tation, was, that it deceived their creditors,

made them patient by hope, and frequently

procured fresh advances : for when Caraccas

was taken, all debts were to be paid, and pro-

mises of reward to the military to be fulfilled

although the Spaniards who held it were suffi

ciently poor.

Every body waited upon the President to

pay their respects ; and, although exceedingly

ill, I was prompted by curiosity to make öne
of the number. In a conversation , in which

I interpreted for my medical friend ( who was

in treaty with the government to undertake

the duty of inspector of hospitals, but who

wished previously to know what ultimate

prospect of reward he might expect) Bolivar

distinctly stated that the REPUBLIC did not

recognize the principle of pay to their troops :

that "they were too poor to pay." This was

now avowed by him, after promising us the

K
 130

fulfilment of our engagements with General

English ; and when he had just written a pro-

clamation to the Irish legion to the same

effect : knowing, as he naturally must, that

they could not in reason be expected to serve

for nothing, and that pay had been promised

them .

Bolivar is a native of Caraccas ; and was,

before the revolution , one of the richest men

in that province : possessing, besides consider-

able lands in the Valley of Aragua, many
houses in Caraccas and La Guayra ; indepen-

dently of which he was left, at the death of

his father, upwards of one hundred thousand
dollars in ready money. He is thirty- seven
years of age, ten of which he has past in a

leading capacity in the revolution.

He is short and meagre : his hair is now

grey, and his mustachios quite white. His

eyes are large and very light, and the general

effect of his countenance is in the highest
degree unprepossessing. His voice is harsh

and disagreeable, and his manners are cold

and forbidding in the extreme. In short,

having heard so much of this man, and my

expectations being raised, my disappointment

was great indeed . In conversation , his eyes

are always cast down, and he never looks any

 131

one in the face : merely answering yes or no ;

and appearing to wish not to go beyond

these monosyllables, if possible . His dress
consisted of a jacket resembling that of the
British horse artillery ; red pantaloons ga-

looned with gold lace, a cap and feather

like that of the ordinary British infantry , and

his cravat, with a standing collar, put on with

much study.

He speaks French remarkably well, but

very few words of English.
He is quick in his motions ; and walks, or
rather struts, with an apparent air of great

self- complacency. His manner evidently be-

trays the effect produced upon him by the

extracts, carefully copied into the Oronoko

Courier, from the English and French papers ;

in which the appellations of " a second Wash-

ington," " hero," and " liberator of his coun-

try," are frequently found. These compli-
ments seem to have been dwelt upon by him,
till he fancied himself the first man of the

age ; at least, such was the impression made

not only upon myself, but upon others of my

countrymen.
He is universally acknowledged to possess
1
no abilities, but his activity and perseverance
are astonishing ; particularly the former, by
K 2
 132

which Morillo cannot calculate upon his pre

sence in any one place for a single day. He has

many enemies amongst the Patriots, and does,
I believe , command their respect only by the
recollection of his former riches. So great,

however, is the party against him, that were

Paez a man of ambition, he would have long

since deprived him of the chief command ; so

much more is he beloved by the natives, who
always speak of him as the main stay of the
war. It is said to be owing to Bolivar's

jealousy of him that he remains a Brigadier-

General ; whilst Urdaneta, Santander, and

Soublet, are Generals of Division (the latter

lately made) , who have not half his claim or

military talent ; for though none of them

can be said to possess the latter, Paez has,

by all accounts, more pretensions than any

other.

Bolivar is said to be vindictive and tyran-

nical , and is by many accused of having mur-

dered the unfortunate Pierre, a General of

colour ; who was shot some time ago for a

supposed conspiracy to massacre the whites.
On the other hand it is asserted by many,

with greater probability, that this event took

place because Pierre possessed talent, and was

growing too great a favourite with the people.
 133

Of this , however, I have no proof, although

I know it stands upon high authority.

Bolivar ordered the execution of a British

sergeant, because he became spokesman for

the soldiers who, when they were required

to march without shoes, refused so to do. I

have likewise heard of his passing an English

soldier, who was resting himself, and , enquir-

ing his reason for not proceeding, (to which

he was answered he could not from fatigue, )

he fastened him by a cord to his horse's tail,

and thus obliged him to march. Of the latter
circumstance I have no doubt ; as I had the

testimony of several British officers for it,

upon whose words I could safely rely.

Of his justice, I form an opinion from my

own observations ; and I would ask, what

right he had to send his agents to England,

to bring out, under false promises , so many

unfortunate men to undergo the miseries of

which he was previously aware ? Whether

taken out by General English, Elsom, M‘Gre-
gor, or Devereux, the same infamous de-.

ceptions have been practised ; and he, by

receiving them, and by his proclamations
endeavouring still further to deceive, has
made himself a party to the fraud.
But, towards the soldiers, the same premes
 134

ditated deception was doubtless sanctioned

by him as towards the merchants : which
latter are for their own interests constrained
to be silent . I have seen copies of con-

tracts at Angostura, in which an immediate

part-payment, in the produce of the country,

was promised them on the landing of the
troops ; which not only was not observed, but

which Bolivar knew, before signing, he could

not possibly observe . And yet, some persons

would argue he was justified in doing this

by his necessities !-that is to say, to answer a
man's own views, fraud and murder are to

be had recourse to, and such a principle

is to be defended upon the ground of expe-

diency !

I have even heard Bolivar accused, by

his own partisans, of cowardice ; but this
charge is, I think, refuted by the bare circum-
stance of his undertaking, at the season ofthe

year he did, the conquest of Santa Fé, so

fraught with difficulty ; besides his having

carried on a ten years' war in such a country.
The march to New Granada was, prior to its

success, very generally disapproved ; but Boli-

var was prompted to it by his distress for

men, not knowing where to procure them,

and being obliged thus to stand or fall.

 135

I have subsequently learned , that, when

Morillo heard of the fall of Santa Fé, he

could not believe it possible ; supposing the

Spanish force there to be quite adequate for its

defence. The success of Bolivar was entirely

owing to the want of skill in Colonel Barrero,

the Royalist commander, who was only twen-

ty-four years of age, and without expérience ;

and who, contrary to all advice, forsook the

strong posts in the Cordilleras of the Andes,

where, according to Bolivar's report to Con-

gress, " two hundred men might have opposed
the advance of ten thousand." Barrero ex-

pected to be able to cut off Bolivar's retreat, by

allowing him to enter New Granada ; but in-

stead of that, he placed himself in so aukward

a position as to be himself cut off, and obliged

to surrender .

The Spanish Commander, and many offi-

cers and men were put to death (as I under-

stood at Angostura, ) for having been engaged

in a conspiracy to effect a counter-revolution ;

and the prisoners taken from M'Gregor, were

retaliated upon by the Royalists. It was

afterwards circulated at St. Thomas, by the

friends of the Independents, that General

Santander, Vice President of Santa Fé, put

the Spaniards to death by way of retaliation
 136

for the massacre of M'Gregor's party. The

execution of the Spaniards I heard of before
quitting Angostura, though it was not till

considerably afterwards that I learned the fate

2
of the latter. It is but justice to acknow-
ledge, that, when in the field, Bolivar seeks

not to live better than his soldiers, but, as I

have always heard, he shares with them in

common.

Mr. Zea, ci-devant Vice President, is a na-

tive of New Granada, considerably advanced

1
in years, and spoken of as a man of great

ability, being fond of the study of philosophy

and botany, and having been, it was said, a
friend and correspondent of the late Sir Jo-

seph Banks. It was however remarked by me,

as well as by others, that, when deprived of

the Vice Presidency, he was almost continu-

ally in the streets, either gossipping or walk-

ing about with his hands behind him , as if at

a loss how to pass his time ; whereas it would

be presumed a philosopher would find amuse-

ment in the perusal of his books. He was, it
must be confessed , always polite and gentle-

manly in his manners to us ; but, upon the

whole, considered by all disinterested persons,

to be utterly unfit for the office to which he had

been named. While Vice President , he used
 137

to write the Oronoko courier, which, when he

retired, was edited by Dr. Roscio.

General Arismendi, successor to Zea, is a

native of Margarita, and was originally a

fisherman . During the war between England

and Spain, a British man of war having land-

ed marines, with the intention of destroying

the fort of Juan Greigo ; Arismendi collected

his companions, and opposed them with great

bravery ; for which he was made an officer

by the Spaniards, and by degrees became the

principal man in the island, possessing land

and houses . He was the promoter and con-
ductor of the revolt, and was, on the arrival

of Morillo in 1814, made prisoner , mobgland

When brought before that General, che

threw himself at his feet, embraced his legs,

and kissed the ground before him ; begging

his life with an earnestness and abject humi-

liation, perhaps unparalleled swearing here-

after eternal allegiance to the king, and to
leave no means untried to make amends for

his former conduct ! Morillo was softened ;

listened to his protestations of sincerity, and

not only spared his life, but restored him his

land, houses, and property ; requiring him in

return, to use his influence to bring the re-

volted inhabitants to their duty. Thus Mo

 138

rillo appears to have acted both wisely and

humanely ; but in what way was such cle-

mency and mercy repaid ? Why, by this

monster in human shape plotting the murder

of Morillo and his officers, at the very moment
that he shared their confidence and councils ?!

This act of deliberate villany was however

prevented by a discovery. Arismendi fled to
the mountains, where he was concealed a con-

siderable time. Being active and daring, he

conducted the operations against the Spa-

niards, and finally obliged them to decamp ;

in the mean time, rendering himself conspi-

cuous by the exercise of every species of bar-

barity towards the ill fated prisoners who fell

into his hands, and putting them to death by

slow torture. These, and many other acts of
wickedness, were related by his own party,
and afterwards confirmed to me by the Spa-

niards. Such was the man the Congress of

Venezuela elected to be the VICE PRESIDENT
OF THE STATE !

Never shall I forget the manner in which

this arch- fiend threw himself into the arms of

Bolivar, against whom he had been conspir-

ing. Not content with the same demonstra-

tion of respect used by others, he pressed his

head with an apparent warmth and affection
 139

to THAT bosom, which, to answer any purpose

of personal ambition, he would doubtless have

gladly made the sheath of his dagger !

Arismendi is of short stature, and possesses

a countenance perfectly expressive of his

character. When deprived of the Vice Pre-

sidency, the black scowl upon his brow shew-

ed the inward working of his soul . It is
needless to say, that such a man is beloved or
respected by no one. On the contrary, both
at Margarita and on the Main, I have heard

him spoken of by the natives as an accom-

plished villain .
Doctor Herman Roscio, his successor, is 1

believe a native of the Canaries, and a law-

yer. He is one of the " savios" of the Inde-

pendents ; and was Minister of Finance (Ha-

cienda) prior to being Vice President. His

manners are insolent and overbearing to those

who wait upon him ; and a circumstance ,

which came to my knowledge at Angostura,

will serve to convey some idea of the bless-

ings to be expected from his administration .

A poor Italian, who had brought goods

to that place for sale, had them seized by the
government, under the plea that such things

were required for the public service, (this by

the by is very frequent,) and received in lieu
 140

of payment, papers acknowledging him cre-

ditor for such an amount. This man, des

pending almost entirely upon the goods seized,

for a livelihood, made repeated but useless

representations to the government, and was at
last referred to Dr. Roscio, to whom he com-

plained of the hardship of his case ; when

this enlightened advocate of liberty, told him,

"if he were not satisfied, the mouth of the
Oronoko was sufficiently wide for him to go
out."

Dr. Roscio, as editor of the Courier, was

author of " Intercepted Letters from Car-

thagena," in which a most deplorable and

touching picture was drawn of the miserable

state to which the Spaniards there were re-

duced for want of provision, at a time when

the place was so overstocked with wine and

flour, that ships from Spain with the former,
and from America with the latter, could not

find a market. The trade between Cartha-

gena and the islands was also during this

time uninterrupted .

The next person of importance in the ad-

ministration of that country, was Diego Ur-

baneja, Minister of War and of Marine. He

is a native of Cumana, and also a lawyer,

possessing manners as unbending as those of

 141

Roscio. It was to him that our letters were

addressed, on the subject of our engagements

with General English ; and by him we were

treated with much contempt, as well as our

documents mislaid . He was also doubtless

the author of Arismendi's unmeaning procla-

mation on that subject ; and perfectly suc-

ceeded in making it unintelligible and invalid :

the two objects which of course he had in

view. When persons waited on him on busi-
ness, he always desired them to " call to

morrow." At Cumana, his native place,

every body laughed heartily on hearing of

his elevated post in the Republican Govern-

ment.

Amongst the Independents, there are few

who, prior to the revolution, were of property

or consideration. The most respectable are
the Montillas of Caraccas and the Sucrés of

Cumana, the former having possessed estates

in the valley of Aragua, and the latter having

been the principal merchants of their place.

The elder Sucré was a Lieutenant-Colonel of

Militia in the Spanish service, and has two

sons engaged in the revolutionary war ; one
a General of Brigade, and the other a Co-
lonel.

Colonel Mariano Montilla, who was chief of

 142

the staff of Urdaneta's division , formerly con-

spired against Bolivar, with a view to advance

himself to the supreme direction. He was,

however, obliged to fly to St. Thomas, where

he remained five years, and was recalled by

Bolivar shortly before he joined us at Mar-

garita. He is a man of considerable talent,

speaks remarkably good French and English,

but is false and intriguing, and very little

respected. His brother is Brigadier- General,

and so addicted to drink, as to be frequently
intoxicated before breakfast.

General Marino is a native of Cumana, and

is also a man of property ; still possessing

estates near Gueria on the coast of Paria.

His very engaging manners have gained him

many friends ; but he is jealously watched by

Bolivar, whose interest however it is, to retain

these men of weight and property in the

cause, as it not only adds to its respectability,

but influences the people of the country.

General Soublet, who was a considerable

time chief of Bolivar's staff, and with whom

he is a favourite, was, prior to the revolution,

a school - master in the province of Caraccas.

He is said to possess ability, but to be desti-
tute of courage. He is one of the most re-

spectable in appearance amongst them , being

 143

tall, well made, and possessing a military

carriage.
General Bermudez is a native of the Plains ;

low born, ignorant, and brutal. I was in-

formed at Maturin, but could scarcely credit

the report, that he had been guilty there, some

time before, of excessive cruelty ; of cutting
open alive a pregnant woman- whose only

crime was, her being a native of Spain. This

character of him was given to me by the

natives of the country. His countenance be-

speaks ferocity, and is strongly marked.
Paez is a native of the Plains, and was for-

merly a herdsman . As I have before said, he

is much respected, and always spoken of fa-

vourably. Being a man, who, though un-
educated , possesses much natural talent, he is

beloved by his men who do not desert from

him ; and has been known to act on some

occasions with much generosity towards the

English officers . I have never seen him, but

speak of him only from the reports of British
officers who have served with him.

General Gomez of Margarita was, before

the revolution, a shoe- maker. He has be

haved with much bravery, and is said by the

Spaniards to be a man of great humanity ;

www
 144

and at his own risk to have saved the lives of

some oftheir countrymen condemned to death.

Admiral Brion is a native of Curacoa, and

was left considerable property by his father,

who was a ship-builder. He is not a sailor,

but has acquired what knowledge of ships he

possesses by his father's trade. When he

first came to the assistance of the Indepen-

dents, he brought with him his own vessels,

and never fails enumerating the services he

has rendered them ; which by the by have

not been gratuitous : for, during our stay at

Margarita, he was constantly purchasing for

himself prize merchandize and vessels, which

are doubtless disposed of, on his account, by
his agents in various parts . I need only

mention one instance : a fine new Spanish

brig was pointed out to me at Juan Greigo,

with good rigging, sails, and ropes, purchased

by Brion for four hundred and fifty dollars ↓

He is of middle stature, and stout ; having a
fierce saturnine countenance, rendered more

so by a pair of large black mustachios. His

character for cowardice is well known, and

universally acknowledged .

Commodore Joly is a Frenchman, and mar-

ried to Arismendi's sister. He was a priva
 145

teer's man, during the war with France and

England, and has been represented to me as

very brave. Some of the finest vessels of the

squadron belonged to him, but under various

pretences were seized by Brion, and himself

imprisoned. I have however since heard of

his enlargement ; but whether his vessels were

restored to him I cannot say . He is reported

to have committed many acts of piracy.

Prior to my arrival at Angostura, I had

heard much of the execution done to the

enemy by the cavalry of General Sardenio ;

but was not a little surprised to see him there

in idleness, having neither men nor horses.

He is an ignorant man, who cannot even

write, and is so tyrannical to his men, as to

drive them all away from him.

There are, independently of those I have

named, other Generals and Commanders , of
whom I know little. General Valdes, who

was second in command to us, I have hardly

spoken of. He is a desperate gambler, as

indeed are the greater part of them, and is
described by the Spaniards as sanguinary .

The government of this nominal Republic

is the most contemptible imaginable : totally

devoid of energy, and practising every species

of fraud and injustice. There is no confi-

L
 146

dence reposed in it, and those I met with,

(with very few exceptions ) who had been

engaged in mercantile transactions with it,

expressed themselves heartily to repent it.

At Angostura every petty vender designates

himself a merchant ; and of the foreigners

trading there, the most part are either men
whose credit and character are ruined else-

where, and who seek their fortune there as a

dernier resort ; or those, who, having made

themselves creditors to the government , dare
not withdraw for the fear of themselves and

their claims being totally forgotten : and who,

in the mean time trade on the spot, to watch
over their interests and to avail themselves of

whatever may present itself favourable to the

creditors generally.

I never could yet learn of the Independ-

ents having honourably fulfilled one of their

engagements ; and although many persons,

to answer their own views, circulate abroad

the most favourable reports respecting the

country, government, and cause, it is only

necessary to be on the spot, where the mur

muring, abuse of the government, contempt

expressed for it, and constant accusation of

its want of faith and honour, present a sad

contrast to such public assertions.

 147

Merchants are obliged to be cautious in

selecting their goods, to bring none likely to

be serviceable to the government, otherwise

they would in all probability be seized, and

paid for in paper of so little value, that many

possessors would be glad to dispose of it for
one third its amount. * When I left Angos-

tura, there was a great want of flour and

rum, articles usually brought from the West

India islands ; which (particularly the former)

would have found a ready and good market :

but every one was afraid to undertake the

speculation, as the public service would doubt-

less have required it.
When the Irish legion was at Margarita,
and known to be in a state of starvation , the

officers and men receiving no ration beyond

a third of a pint of rice daily ; the govern-

ment received the account of it, and of the

disunion and dissatisfaction which it created,

with the greatest sang froid : using no efforts

* A friend of mine had sold a boat to the government for

fifty-four dollars, for which he received an order on the chest.
This order not only remained unpaid at the end of fifteen
months, but was not likely to be discharged within the succeed-
ing fifteen months . I was present when he offered it to a
merchant at a considerable loss : who answered he would not
give two pence for it, having himself many such, and which he
considered as little better than waste paper.

L2
 148

to relieve it ; although they might, and un-

questionably ought to, have sent them cattle,

numbers of which were daily embarking for

the islands. In like manner, and with the

same indifference, did they hear of the misery

of the British legion, and of the mortality
amongst them, which a little medicine would

in great measure have stopped. But although

they had medicine at Angostura, they would

not take the pains to forward it to Maturin :

fancying they did sufficient by addressing their

bombastic proclamation to those “ generous
strangers," they would use no exertion to
administer to their common necessities, much
less to their comforts .

In all cases they are equally neglectful and

inert : exciting the pity and contempt of all

who are near them. Arismendi, it is true,

was industriously active in his preparations

for the march to Caraccas ; but to this he

was stimulated by personal and selfish consi-

derations. Had he however, been allowed

to put his mad scheme into execution, he

would, I am persuaded, have retired rather
faster than he advanced .

The inhabitants of Venezuela consist of

whites, descendants of the Spaniards ; people

of colour from whites, and blacks originally
 149

from Africa ; Indians, the first possessors ofthe

country ; and Samboes, or coloured people of

the plains, a race originally between the
Indians and settlers. The Independent army

is composed principally of blacks , Samboes,

and coloured people ; any of whom may

become officers. There are some Indians

under arms, but comparatively few ; as they

not only deserted, but even fled to the moun-
tains, and defended themselves against the

levies made amongst them ; till at length the

Congress was obliged to pass an act exempt-

ing them from service against their incli-
nations.

The Patriot force is kept up by the blacks :

who, when Bolivar promised them freedom

from slavery, deserted in numbers from their

Spanish masters, but would , by all accounts,

be glad now to return ; also by Samboes,
a people naturally fond of a roaming life, and
prospect of plunder ; some few Indians, and

pressed Creoles of all colours.

Desertion is very frequent amongst them ;

as an instance of which I need only mention

that, when the British legion marched from
Maturin on a route to Santa Clara on the

Oronoko, at a village called Santa Barbara,

the new levied Creoles (who omitted no op-
 150

portunity of absenting themselves without

leave) were placed in the square of that place

with a guard of the British round them ; and

one or two arrested deserters were punished

with the cat of nine tails by order of Aris-
mendi, who had accompanied them so far on
his return to Angostura .

It is impossible to conceive a more motley

sight than that presented by a Creole force ;

which usually consists of men and lads of all
ages and colours : some naked, others with

merely a shirt, or pair of drawers ; one or

two wearing old military jackets, perhaps

without pantaloons ; some bareheaded, whilst

others have straw hats or hairy caps. Those

who are armed with muskets, have their car-

touches strapped round their middle ; but

a considerable number have no arms beyond

pikes loosely fixed to rough short sticks.

They are without discipline, and generally

march in Indian files. A very common dress

amongst them is also a blanket, with a hole

in the centre, through which they put the

head ; and Paez's cavalry have these blankets

dyed red.
Neither officers nor men receive a farthing
of pay ; merely their ration of beef : all the

rewards for their services being promised

 151

when Caraccas is taken, and the independence

gained.
Arms, ammunition , clothing, accoutrements,

and saddlery, have been furnished the Pa-

triots either from England, or from the West

Indies, but for very little have they yet paid.

Many things with which they were supplied

from England were, for the service of such a
country, perfectly useless . Now, it would be

presumed, that, did they seriously consider

payment hereafter, or calculate upon having

the means, they would not take from those

who furnished them without directions, ar-

ticles of no utility, for which an enormous

charge is made. But they appear, on the con-
trary, eagerly to grasp at what they can, and
to leave to chance the future settlement of

accounts : or, in the words of an old adage,

66
all is fish that comes into their net."

The soldiers ' clothing is issued to officers

when they visit Angostura, as also to those

troops who do duty there : in the latter case,

with no attention to its fitting them. The con-
sequence is, they look, if possible, worse with

than without it. Bolivar's guard of honour

(Samboes) between thirty and forty in num-

ber, who accompanied himto Angostura, were

instantly clothed with dresses brought out

1
 152

by Colonel Hippesley. The officers put a

strap on the shoulder by way of distinction ..
1
They have amongst t- them the military
order of " Libertador ," established by General

Bolivar ; the distinguishing mark of which is

a piece of yellow ribbon, suspended from the

breast, but without any medallion . This order

can be awarded either by the President or

Vice President.

In no country is there a greater laxity of

morals than in South America. The people
bathe together without distinction of sex ;

and the decency in this respect observed

by the better orders, is undeserving the name,

as they merely (even at Angostura) move

a few yards distant from each other. The
most disgustingly indecent conversation is

carried on, and permitted, before women, in

which the latter even join ; and there is a

Patriot song constantly sung by children ,

male or female, grown up girls and women,

without regard to place or company :-the

words of which are not only in many parts

grossly indelicate, but the chorus of it is the

very height of obscenity.

There is no distinction between mistresses

and married women : each indiscriminately

mixing together. Neither is the company of

 153

women, whose characters are notoriously bad,

at all shunned, (of which I could mention

several examples) ; but they are as well re-

ceived, even at balls, or parties of any descrip-

tion, as though they were without blemish.

Infidelity to the marriage bed is considered

a mere bagatelle.

The natives of all descriptions are much

addicted to theft : so much so, that it is always

necessary to keep the strictest eye upon what

you have. When parties have been given
by foreigners, they have generally found their

silver spoons, forks, & c. reduced in number ;

and on one occasion , after a ball given by an

English merchant at Angostura, a Patriot

Colonel was detected by a servant in the act
of carrying away a bottle of brandy, with

which he had already descended the stairs.

The military who can afford to dress,

may wear what uniforms they please ; pro-

vided they do not put on epaulettes, to which

their rank does not entitle them. Civilians

mostly wear white linen jackets and panta-

loons. The women observe no medium in

their dress ; being either indecently slovenly,

or ridiculously finely clad. The veils worn

by the ladies in Spain, are here superseded

by straw bonnets. When at balls, they wear

 154

wreaths of artificial flowers on the head, and

are otherwise tastefully attired.

The appellations of Don and Donna are ob-

solete amongst the Independents ; and ciuda-

dano or ciudadana (citizen) is substituted in
their place .

The country is generally unhealthy, and

has a particular effect upon Europeans : as

may be judged from what I have myself

suffered. And although I had some years

previously been in the West Indies, and

might be supposed to be in a degree seasoned

to a tropical climate, I had the flux repeatedly,

dysentery, inward fever, and violent ague ;

the disease I have before described, called
malditas, and the itch ; which latter you can

scarcely avoid catching, for at least two out of

three of the natives have it. Although there
are few countries possessing so many medicinal

plants as this, there are few people who make

so little use of medicine. Castor oil , which

they can themselves prepare, they use as a

purgative ; and as a remedy for almost all

other complaints, lemonade, which they take

hot ; from the idea that, to cause free perspi
ration is the sure way of cure. The ague

rages more or less in every part ; and for this,

lemonade is their constant remedy, which, it

 155

may naturally be supposed, frequently fails

of the desired effect.

The deep rivers of South America abound

with noxious fish ; for which reason the na-

tives in swimming make a great splashing in

order to drive them away. The Oronoko is

swarming with alligators, some of which are

very large. There is also in this, as in most

other rivers , a small flat fish called “ the

Caribe," the bite of which is venomous to a

degree, and frequently attended with serious

consequences. The electric eel is also to be

found, but more particularly in the rivers ap-

proaching to New Granada ; where Colonel

Sucré informed me he had seen many mules

and cattle, when crossing, sink from the effects

of their electricity. In short, bathing in the

deep rivers is attended with much danger.

Prior to my quitting Angostura, Bolivar

repaired to the Congress, preceded by a band

of music ; his entry to the hall being an-

nounced by a discharge of artillery . He

here recapitulated the particulars of his march

to Santa Fé, and the capture of the place ;

and then shewed cause against the continua-

tion of Arismendi in the office of Vice Presi-

dent. After which he retired, leaving them

to their deliberations ; and returned to the

 156

Government House, attended as before by

the band.

On his withdrawing, long speeches were

made by Mr. Zea and a Doctor Alsulo ; this

latter rendering himself conspicuous by being

vociferous in the praises of Bolivar ; when,

(during his absence, and in the affair of the
dismissal of Zea, ) he had not only opposed

him , but vilified his character and motives.

Being, however, blest with the gift of speech,

(of which blessing he availed himself on every

occasion that presented itself ! ) it was no
doubt considered by Bolivar as politic to be
on terms with him, and his court to Alsulo

was generally remarked .

The " Soberano Congreso" (Sovereign Con-

gress as they are styled ,) then availed them-

selves of Bolivar's suggestions ; dismissed Aris-

mendi, and appointed Roscio ; voted the

union of Venezuela and New Granada, under

the title of the Republic of Columbia, and

moreover declared their intention of erecting
a city to be called BOLIVAR ; the site ofwhich

should be determined by the General Con-

gress of Columbia to assemble in 1821 .
Thus did these supple legislators not only

annul their antecedent proceedings, but load

the object of their former abuse with the

 157

most fulsome praise ; and would doubtless, in

his absence, if instigated by another daring
and ambitious man, adhere to the precedent

they had established, and undo their present

doings.

An Englishman of very considerable talent,

then at Angostura, represented them as

" wretches too cold -blooded to draw the

sword for their country's cause, and placed

by Bolivar in the Congress, because they were

the only persons at hand he could appoint. "

On the 23d of December, 1819, I left An-

gostura in a polacre called the Industry, hav-

ing on board eighty-three head of cattle, and

bound for Barbadoes. Never did I feel more

light of heart than when about to leave a

country, service, and people, whom I so much
detested : nor, as I descended the river, did
46
I cast one longing, lingering look be-

hind."

Little, however, did I imagine that I should

so soon be undeceived with respect to the

Spaniards and their situation in that country ;

for having no information on the subject, be-

yond the reports of the Independents, I could

not then possibly know the truth ; and al-

though judging by their exaggerations of

themselves, I naturally concluded the Spanish
 158

distress was overrated, still I was impressed

with an idea of a rapid decline in their power

and ascendancy in that part of South Ame-
rica.

As usual with vessels going from the Oro-

noko to the Islands, we had sufficient provi-

sions for a calculated voyage of eight or ten

days ; but as the captain of this polacre

was much reduced, (by his dealings with the
Independents, from whom he had expe-

rienced the most infamous treatment,) our

accommodations in this respect were very

indifferent.

The vessel had two sets of papers, viz.

Patriot and Danish ; the latter imperfect, and

intended merely in case of necessity. She

had been purchased at Margarita from Brion,

being a Spanish prize, taken thence to St.

Thomas, sold and rebought in that harbour,

by which she became entitled to a Danish

register ; but which the captain had not in

his possession .
The current of the Oronoko ran at this

time about four knots and a half to the

hour ; but at certain seasons it has been repre-

sented to me as descending at double that

rate ; at which time no vessels can go up.

Its banks are skirted by thick woods, which

 159

prevent your seeing beyond one or two hun-

dred yards from the water's edge, and rarely

even that.

Its immediate neighbourhood is inhabited

by many tribes of Indians ; and those called

the Bravo Indians of the Oronoko, occupying

a part considerably higher up than Angos-

tura, nearer to the river Apure, are much
dreaded, and said to be cannibals to this day :

boats ascending go well armed in conse-

quence of them, and carefully avoid their
banks. The other tribes are peaceable and

harmless, and all speak languages peculiar to

themselves.

Between Angostura and Old Guayana

are the missions, or settlements of Indians

converted to Christianity by Spanish priests,

who established themselves amongst them.

Since the revolution these poor creatures have

undergone extreme misery, suffering from

disease and scarcity of food ; and the late

pest at Angostura being communicated to

them, swept off great numbers, and drove

the survivors from their habitations to the

mountains. These missions have been ceded

by the Republican Government to various

persons for purposes of cultivation ; but their
 160

progress is slow, owing to the want of hands

to work them .

Innumerable small rivers empty themselves

into the Oronoko ; amongst , which is the
Cariny, said to possess the best water in South
America, and the stream of which presents

a striking contrast to that of its receiver ;

being clear, and apparently of a fine black

colour, while the other is of a clay cast. Ves-

sels when passing it, get as much of its water

as they can .

The swarms of musquitoes with which you

are troubled, when sailing in the Oronoko,
are a constant annoyance, and destroy all
possibility of repose . They are far- famed for

the length of their fang, and venom of their

sting. It is impossible to descend to the

cabin, as it is always full of them. You are,

therefore, obliged to remain on deck, exposed

to the daily sun and nightly dew ; and even

there you can hardly obtain one moment's

rest. Independently of this torment, I had

daily a severe fit of the ague .

We passed Old Guayana and Barancas,

and on the fourth day arrived at the village
of Sancho Pan, a short time previously oc-
cupied by a numerous body of Indians, the
 161

greater part of whom the pest had destroyed .

The place was quite deserted , except by

myriads of our old enemies the musquitoes.

Here we cut grass for the cattle . It may
not be amiss to contradict a generally re-

ceived opinion that musquitoes will not ap-

proach a body of cattle. This I proved both

here, and in the interior, to be an erroneous

idea ; as I have found little or no difference

from their proximity .

In two days from Sancho Pan we reached

Bird Island, upon which there are one or two

trees . It is so called, from there being con-

stantly flocks of birds hovering over it be-

ing near the mouth of the river, the tide ebbs
and flows.

Through the carelessness of the pilot, we

ran on shore, and, at low tide, were in no
more than two feet and a half of water,

though the vessel required ten to float her.

In this situation we remained two days ; but

at length got off with infinite labour, an-

chored in deep water, and proceeded to cut

grass.

The pilot had left us, and we intended to

cross the bar, if possible, the next day ; but,

at night, it blew a hurricane, when we parted

from our cable, and again drove on shore, to

M
 162

our utter dismay. The wind, however, for-

tunately subsided, and the tide rising, we
again got off. Early the following morning,
when about to weigh anchor, our only boat
drifted from the vessel ; the captain imme-

diately offered a reward to any man who

would jump overboard after it. A Portuguese
sailor instantly volunteered, but had scarcely
been two minutes in the water, when, in sight

of us all, the unfortunate man was seized by

an alligator, and dragged under, to rise no

more !-After so distressing a sight, it may

naturally be supposed the boat was suffered

to go without further effort to save it.

The part of the river we had now to pass

is the most dangerous, and most requires

pilot ; but as there is almost constantly so

heavy a swell, the open boats of those men

would not live there : consequently, they
would be unable to return . Several vessels

have been wrecked in this part ; and in such

an event, there is little chance of saving the

lives of the crew. In case of our striking,

we had not even a boat to send out an an-

chor to heave off, and should most probably

have perished. Our alarm and anxiety may

therefore be easily imagined , particularly as

we were not able to cross the bar that day,

 163

and were obliged to anchor for the night ; the

weather, too, being squally and unsettled.

The following day, however, we stood to
sea, to our great comfort. There is not, even

at high tide, more than two fathoms of water

on the bar, and the wind being then tempes-

tuous, occasioned a terrific swell. We had

now given up all idea of reaching Barbadoes,

owing to want of provisions for ourselves,

and grass for the cattle ; but endeavoured to

make Tobago. We found ourselves, the next

morning, on the coast of Trinidad, with the

wind and current against us, and the vessel's

sails and rigging being exceedingly bad, we

were unable to gain upon the wind, but drove

to leeward.

It was then determined to put about, and

run through the passage called the Serpent's

Tongue, between Trinidad and the American

Main , into the Gulf of Paria, and endeavour

there to beat up to the Port of Spain. This

was accordingly attempted ; but, towards

evening, the weather being bad , in trying to

anchor at a part of Trinidad called Punto de

Cacao, through the stupidity of the mate,

who let go the anchor before the vessel's

progress was sufficiently checked, we lost our

other anchor and cable. Nothing now re-

M 2
 164

mained but the kedger, which was however

too small to hold on ; we drifted therefore in-

to the channel, and were obliged to make sail.

The succeeding day, we found ourselves

close upon the main land ; and made useless

efforts to weather a rock well known in this

passage, called the Soldier. On every tack

we lost way , and were in hourly expectation

of striking on this horrible coast, which, to

avoid, we were under the necessity of pass-

ing to leeward of the rock, by the entrance

to the river Guarapiche, over to the coast of
Gueria. Nothing but necessity would have
induced the captain to adopt such a course,
as the coast of Gueria was known to be fre-

quently the station of Spanish gun - boats.

Such was the shattered state of the po-

lacre's sails, that we could make nothing on

the wind, and were in a most distressed situa-

tion, having neither grass for the poor ani-

mals, nor food for ourselves beyond salt-fish,
which latter, for want of fuel, we were obliged

to eat raw, every stick we could find for that

purpose having been consumed ! -We saw

no boats, and had no harbour under our lee

to which we could go for assistance.

In this state, with five out of ten of the

crew sick, we were on the night of the 6th of

0
 165

of January, 1820, standing from the shore,

?
when, at about half past nine o'clock, we

perceived a boat in the vessel's wake ; and ,

from the rapidity with which it approached,
had no doubt of its being a Spanish gun-boat.

We hailed asking, as usual, if the boat was

coming to us ? and were answered, " We want

ว
that ship ;" and they almost immediately

were alongside, and five -and- twenty armed

men on board.

The first order, given by the captain of the

boat, was, to kill every body ; when I was im-

mediately knocked down, and a cloak I wore

taken from me. They then proceeded to

bind our sailors, when I addressed myself in

Spanish to their commander, -told him we
could make no resistance, that the vessel was

consequently his, and begged he would harm

nobody. He then inquired respecting the

number of cattle, of the crew, & c.; and up-

on receiving answers to his several questions,

which convinced him of the security of his

prize, he ordered our sailors to be unbound,

and assured us of our safety ; inquiring, how-

ever, for all Creoles, and desiring them in-
stantly to be brought before him.

We had but three on board, viz. the super-

cargo, and two men of colour, who had in-

 166

stantly descended, and were waiting, with

trembling anxiety below, to know their fate.

Now that they were ordered before this man,

I fully expected to see them butchered on

the spot. The poor creatures apprehended

the same also, for they approached with up-
lifted hands, and begged for mercy. The

captain, however, only questioned them ; and

perceiving their fear, pledged himself to in-

jure no one.
This captain was a coloured Creole of

South America, a native of Angostura . All

his men were likewise Creoles of the coun-

try, and were volunteers in the Spanish gun-

boats. Their leader could neither read nor

write, but owed his present command to his

personal bravery. He was naturally of a

humane character, and, as I afterwards

learned, more so than any of the others,

many of whom are men of the most sangui-

nary dispositions. He behaved towards us

with as much humanity and kindness as we

could expect from one in his situation.

On the first night of our capture, he slept

with his party on deck, while we occupied

the cabin, from which the sea -air had driven

all the musquitoes. The slightest search not

having been made, we found means to throw

 167

overboard the Patriot flag, retaining only the

Danish.

There was no one amongst us who had so

much cause of alarm as myself; for had it been

discovered that I was a military man, and

had borne arms against the Spaniards, I had

very little mercy to expect ; at least, so I

firmly believed, having heard from the Pa-
triots such horrible accounts of the massacre

of those who had been engaged in acts of

hostility to Spain.

I had by me, very imprudently, not only

papers which would shew who I was, but, at

the time of capture, wore a pair of military

pantaloons and a stock. It being, however,

dark, I had hoped they had not been noticed .

-Having immediately descended, I put on
others, and hid the former under some sails
in the cabin, there being no opportunity of

throwing them overboard.

The moon rising in the middle of the night,

I arose, assured myself of being unobserved,

and took from my papers all those of a dan-

gerous nature ; but on ascending the deck,

for the purpose of destroying them, found too

many persons on the watch, and, therefore,

put them in my pocket, to take the chance of

a future opportunity .
 168

The following morning, our new com-

mander gave us an excellent breakfast of

biscuit, turtle, and fruits, which, to persons

who had fared latterly as we had , was highly

acceptable . Finding he made no semblance

of descending for the purpose of examina-

tion, I fancied it would be deferred till our
arrival at Cumana, whither he notified his in-
tention to take us, and had pulled off my

coat and waistcoat, to undergo the operation

of shaving, when he suddenly came down to

the cabin , and began a general search, taking

from every one his money, papers, and such

of their clothes as he thought proper for him-
self and men .

All the lockers, and every part of the cabin ,

were examined ; by which means my mili-

tary pantaloons and stock were discovered,

and he conceiving my air, perhaps, more mar-

tial than that of the rest, immediately taxed

me with being an officer, and declared he had

noticed the stock the preceding evening on

my neck. This, however, I resolutely de-

nied, and asserted the suspicious articles to

belong to one of the sailors.

All might now have passed off well, had

not my coat and waistcoat unfortunately been
off my back. These he took up, and, to my
 169

utter consternation , found in the pocket my

concealed papers . He then reiterated his

former assertions , which I now perceived it

would avail me nothing longer to deny : con-

sequently, I acknowledged the fact, upon

which he gave me the assurance that I should
inevitably lose my head !
These papers consisted of letters addressed

to me, as captain of the British legion , (all

of which proved my anxiety to leave the

Independent cause,) my passport from the
military governor of Angostura, and a letter

of introduction for me to Lord Cochrane,

from a person of distinction in England,

which I had guarded , in case I should by

hazard have fallen in with his lordship . This

letter was sealed with black sealing- wax, and

the contents were of course unknown to me.

The other papers now taken, although

proving the capacity in which I acted among

the Patriots, shewed also I was about to leave

them , and were so far in my favour : one,

however, adverted to some occurrence when

we attacked Cumana, which, though in ridi-

cule of our then commanders, established the

fact of my having been there ; and I was

justly apprehensive that the murder of the
 170

Spanish captain and men might be revenged

by a retaliation upon myself.
These alarming considerations caused me

unspeakable uneasiness ; but the impression

likely to be made by the letter to Lord Coch-

rane troubled me infinitely more than the

rest, and I resolved at all risks to get it into
my possession. Our captor had tied the pa-

pers in a silk-handkerchief, making a particu-

lar knot : he then left them in a corner of

the cabin, and threatened with death who-

ever should touch them ; but considering I

was sure to die if I observed his injunction, I

determined to hazard my life by disregard-

ing it.
I have before stated he could neither read

nor write ; consequently, if I substituted a

letter with a black seal for that of Lord

Cochrane, he was not likely to discover the

fraud . Accordingly I got a sheet of paper,

and wrote whatever first suggested itself, (of

course, in my own favour,) signed the name
of a person not existing, and addressed it to

some one in England, as if to be delivered

by myself. The letter written, I then sought

the sealing-wax, knowing I had, a few days

previously, possessed a small piece of black
 171

wax, but which I now sought in vain . I was

almost despairing of success, when I disco-

vered it in a corner of my waistcoat- pocket,

and in such quantity only as to answer the

present purpose.

The letter being sealed, I proceeded, with

fear and trembling , to open the handkerchief,

looking every instant behind with anxious

dread, fearing the consequences of detection .

However, I withdrew unobserved the subject
of alarm , and succeeded in substituting my

recent composition, nor was the imposition

detected . On reading this letter to Lord

Cochrane, I perceived the full extent of my

danger, had it remained in their hands, and

felt truly thankful to heaven that I had been

enabled to recover it.

The letter was stated to be intended as " an

introduction to his lordship of an aspirant to

military reputation, and a firm friend of South

American Independence, who," the writer

doubted not, " would, prior to presenting him-
self before him, establish a title to his lord-

ship's patronage and protection, by his previous

conduct in the cause of liberty," and contained
much more of such a tenor. Now, what
would have been the inference drawn from

such a letter by the Spaniards ? Why doubt-

 172

less that I had undergone a schooling in

Venezuela, and was then proceeding to join

his lordship in Chili ; and I feel quite con-

fident that had the authorities found such

a letter in my possession , it would instantly

have decided my fate . Thus would an in-
strument, dictated by the warmest heart that
ever was implanted in the breast of a human

being, and intended to do good, (which is

the uniform effort of its distinguished writer)

have been diametrically opposite in its ef-

fects, and attended with consequences, the

bare suspicion of which would have caused

the most poignant sorrow to its author. I
lost no time in destroying it, and felt relieved
of an inconceivable weight .

We were taken to a Spanish post on the

Main, called Carupinar : from which , in clear

weather, Margarita is perceptible. Here we

were not disembarked , and remained only

one day. I found no alteration in the con-
duct of the commander towards myself, al-

though he knew I had been an officer ; on the

contrary, I was treated with much kindness

by him and his sailors. He shewed us his

instructions from the commandant of gun-

boats, which contained the strongest injunc-

tion to treat with respect all persons captured .

 173

This, however, I understood afterwards, few

of them attend to .

From Carupinar we proceeded to Cuma-

na, sailing round Margarita, without one of
Brion's vessels being on the look out, to pre-

vent their enemy passing with the prizes

within sight of their harbours. On reaching

the Gulph of Cariaco , we were again , from the

vessel's ragged sails, unable to make way

upon the wind, and were driven nearly half

way to Barcelona. Gun-boats were sent from

Cumana, and we were by them towed into

the bay of Santa Fé ; made fast to the shore,

and the sails repaired .

Here we were visited by the chief com-

mandant of gun- boats, a man who had greatly

distinguished himself on many occasions : his

name, Guerrero, signifying, in Spanish, War-

rior. He behaved to us with much affability,

and removed me and our supercargo to his

own vessel, a very beautiful felucca ; in which

we proceeded to Cumana, and where we were

treated with much attention, sharing with him
his cabin .

Prior to being sent on shore at this place,

I was sworn and examined touching all I

knew respecting the Patriots, as was every

sailor of the polacre. This commandant as-

 174

sured me I should be permitted to return

.

to England , and should not be imprisoned ;

which assurance gave me much comfort- as
he said there was a wide difference between

one taken in arms, and one who, like myself,

had seen my error, and had forsaken the In-

dependents.
On the 13th of January I disembarked,

and was taken by Guerrero to the Governor

(General Cires) who received me very po-

litely, and expressed his surprise that so many

British should have been made the dupes of
such wretches, as he termed the Patriots. He

promised me the kindest possible treatment,

and placed me in the house of relations of his

own, where nothing could exceed their friend-

ly reception and subsequent attention, and

where my every want was anticipated.

I here underwent another examination, be-

ing previously sworn ; and was questioned by

the Governor in every possible way, and all

I knew of the Independents was thus elicited .

They were unacquainted with the death of

their countrymen , taken before the place, but

which of course they suspected ; and on de-

manding it of me, not daring to avow the

truth, dreading the consequences to myself,

I pretended to be ignorant of their fate.
 175

It was here I heard of the manner in which

poor Lieutenant Lyans had been killed with

his own sword , and saw the soldier who com-

mitted the act ; which not only the Governor

expressed himself highly to have regretted,

but also every officer with whom I conversed .

All did justice to the bravery displayed by

our troops, but expressed their astonishment

at the plan of operation followed . They

ceased to wonder, when I informed them

Urdaneta was its author, as they had before

supposed that General English was entrusted

with the conduct of the attack.

I now perceived that, had we succeeded at

Agua Santa, its capture would have been

useless ; as the principal fort, San Antonio,

would in five minutes have levelled it with

the ground. The place, upon the whole, is

strong, and is not likely to be reduced by

troops, without the service of a battering

train. As for the Patriots, who have attacked

it seven or eight different times without suc-

cess, they may repeat their efforts as many

more, but with no probability of a different

issue.

Cumana is a large town, built upon a sandy

foundation , in consequence of which it can-

not be paved. There are several good streets

L
 176

and houses, but the number of its present in-

habitants is very few, as there have been con-

siderable emigrations. It is supplied with

Indian corn and Cassava bread from Cariaco,

and with flour from without. Meat is rarely

to be had, as the Patriots occupy the direct

passage from the plains ; but there are not

many places where fish is so abundant. Upon

this latter, the people principally subsist .

Were Brion a determined character, with

so considerable a squadron as he had, the

place might easily be reduced by blockade,

as all supplies to it are brought, whether from

Cariaco or the exterior, by water.

During my stay at Cumana, I was witness

to a representation called by the Spaniards

" Nacimiento de Dios," or the Birth of Christ.

This performance lasted three hours and a

half, and consisted of puppets representing

scriptural characters, exceedingly well ma-

naged. Much joking and irrelevant matter

was introduced, and in a manner savouring

but little of religious feeling ; for instance, a
black figure was pursued by the devil in the

form of an alligator, the chace exciting much

mirth ; the black was at length protected by

an angel descending from above, who keeps

down the devil with his foot . The former has
 177

then his turn, and capers about his vanquish-

ed foe, making the most ridiculous observa-

tions upon him, and urging the angel to anni-

hilate him in toto. This, however, is not

done ; and the devil and black afterwards play

at hide and seek, till the latter makes his
escape. During this scene the audience in-

dulge in the most immoderate laughter, and

any thing in the world prevails, but the solem-

nity to be expected from the name of the re-

presentation. The Governor and all persons

of respectability in the town were present,

and the crowd was very great.

I was shortly informed by General Cires of

his intention to send me to La Guayra. On

this occasion he promised to write to General

Morillo in my favour, and at the same time
expressed his sorrow that I should have had

my clothes taken from me by the captain of

the gun- boat ; which however he could not,

he said, order to be restored, as it was his

legal plunder. He then begged my accept-

ance of a few dollars, to answer any want

that might present itself. It was not only

this General who treated me thus differently

to what I had expected, but from every officer

in the place I received the greatest politeness,

particularly from Colonel Carbonel, of the
N
 178

Spanish Veteran Battalion, who purchased a

hat for me, and begged, if I had hereafter oc-

casion for his good offices, to command them.

The other prisoners were treated equally

well ; and the supercargo, a native of the

place, was sent to his family then residing at

Cumana, and was perfectly at liberty like any

other inhabitant. This, however, I afterwards

learned he ill repaid, by deserting from his

friends to the insurgents .

On the evening of the 21st of January, I

left Cumana in a gun-boat, the captain of

which received the strongest injunctions to

treat me with every possible attention and

respect, which he failed not to observe. The

following morning we landed at the Moro of

Barcelona, to prepare breakfast ; and whilst

here, were visited by some gun- boats from

La Guayra, escorting Colonel Tovar, com-

mander of the regiment of Navarre, and his

suite to Cumana. He was proceeding to take

upon himself the government of that place,

vice General Cires, who had obtained leave
of absence.

It is utterly impossible that any words of

mine can convey an idea of this gentleman's
kindness to me. Being as usual attacked

with a violent fit of the ague, he detained the

 179.

boat till it was past ; in the meantime, both

himself and attendants administering what-

ever they considered would be of service .

He sent from his own stock, for my use on

the passage, wine, and other things he had

with him ; and took leave of me with the

liveliest expressions of interest for my fate :

promising, immediately on his arrival at Cu-
mana, to write to General Morillo, which I

afterwards learned he did , and in the hand-

somest terms .

It may well be imagined that the opinion

which I had formerly entertained of the Spa-

niards in South America, was very mate-

rially changed ; and that I could not fail per-

ceiving they had been grossly misrepresented

by the Independents, who denied their pos-

sessing one spark of humane and generous
feeling ; and always accused them of mur-

dering whoever they captured, whether civi-

lians or military, Creoles or foreigners . My

own treatment, and that of those with whom

I was taken, proved the falsehood of these

charges, to the circulation of which they are

instigated by motives of policy ; for the more

tyrannical and barbarous they pourtray the

Spaniards, the greater is the sympathy and
consideration excited for themselves.
N 2
 180

About a day's sail to windward of La

Guayra, we entered a small bay occupied by

fishermen ; at a short distance from which,
over a small mountain, stands a little village.

I went there in company with the captain of

the boat, and was particularly struck with
the apparent comfort of the inhabitants ; so
different to what I had observed amongst the

Patriots. Here they were well dressed ; the

interior of their cottages presented a neatness

to which I had long been a stranger, and

they possessed utensils of every kind neces-

sary for them . It was impossible not to ob-

serve the contrast. We procured abundance

of oranges, gratuitously given, and with much

goodwill .
We arrived at La Guayra on the morning

of the 26th of January, having had rather a

long passage. Here I witnessed a scene of

bustle, created by commerce, which was to

me quite novel. The bay was crowded with

vessels, and the mole covered with articles of

merchandize just landed, and others in readi-

ness to be shipped ; the sight of which but ill

accorded with the Patriot reports of the mi-

sery, state of starvation, and stagnation of

trade amongst the Spaniards.
I was taken to the house of the Comman-
 181

dant, who, however, I did not see ; but to my

astonishment and terror, was from thence

conducted a prisoner to the main guard , and

placed in confinement. After the very gene-

rous treatment I had experienced at Cumana,

I was at a loss to account for this reverse, and
racked my imagination to find grounds for it.

At one time I was disposed to impute it to an

order of the General in Chief, Morillo ; who,

it was not improbable, had already seen my

papers, and perhaps determined on my death ;

then again I hoped it was only a temporary

imprisonment till his pleasure should be

known. I was in short divided between hope

and fear, but the latter greatly predominated.

I had heard at Cumana, both from the

Spaniards and Creoles, a character of Gene-

ral Morillo, quite opposite to that given him

by the Independents. He was represented

to me as a man of humane feelings, who was

ever ready to extend mercy ; and who had,

by his conciliatory manners and conduct,

made converts of great numbers of the origi-

nal advocates of the revolution . They all in-

deed expressed their regret that the entire

body, under his command, was not animated

with his sentiments, and actuated by his ex-

ample. These expressions of respect for Ge-
 182

neral Morillo, coming even from the natives

of the country, caused me the greatest sur-

prise ; as I had, both in England and in the

Patriot territory, been led to regard him as a

fiend in human shape.

At La Guayra I was visited by English and

American merchants, and the above character

of the Spanish Commander was confirmed

by them. These gentlemen behaved to me

with much kindness, and one offered to be-

come responsible for me to any amount, if

the Commandant would consent to my being

a prisoner at large. This was however refused ,

and a more than ordinary watch kept over me

from that time ; the Commandant fearing, no
doubt, from the interest excited for me, that

some attempt might be made to effect my

escape .

Meanwhile my anxiety may be better con-

ceived than described ; for I well knew that,

on both sides, prisoners were put to death :

and although, when captured, I was not in

arms, still there was incontrovertible proof of
my having been so. I received four reals

for my daily support, which is equal to one

shilling and eight-pence of English money ;
and whatever I stood in need of, was brought

me by one of the soldiers of the guard, who

of course made me pay more than its value.
1
 183

In that country there are two ways, one of

which is usually resorted to in putting their

prisoners to death . They are either massa-

cred in their prison, or sent to some place,

and despatched on the road. It may there-

fore be imagined , that, under the impression

of the probability of the former, my rest was

not the most undisturbed ; on the contrary,
the least noise would cause me to start up,

and images of death were constantly before

my eyes. In short, no one who has not been
in such a situation can form a due estimate

of the feelings it engenders.

The ague had left me, but I was now at-

tacked with the horrible disease I have before

describe , called malditas ; and my suffering

d
of body , as well as of mind , was almost into-
lerable . In this situation I remaine twelve
d
days , and was at the end of that time inform-

ed by the town adjutant , that there was an

order to send me to Caraccas .

No sooner was I made acquainted with

this determination , than my distempered

fancy immediately suggested that I was to

be murdered on the road ; and I left my pri-

son with the persuasion that I was going to

death. On my way to the house of the Com-
mandant, I met some of my English and
 184

American friends, who perceived my agita-

tion, and endeavoured to comfort me.

I was mounted on a mule, and set forward

escorted by an armed soldier, whose every

motion I narrowly watched , but whose coun-

tenance possessed nothing of the ferocity to

be expected in an executioner. I was at that
time unable to make use of my right hand,

so much was it inflamed ; and both legs and

feet were equally bad . It would therefore
have been impossible to make the least resist-
ance.

Caraccas is five leagues distant from La

Guayra, the road lying over an exceedingly

high mountain, on the summit of which the

clouds almost continually rest. The ascent,

though steep, is not difficult, as it is paved

with small stones, and kept in repair, there

being a constant thoroughfare of mules and

horses . The air strikes astonishingly cold as

one approaches the top, and the water is con-

stantly dripping from the trees, even though

there has been no rain for a considerable time.

There is a narrow valley on the left, and at

its extremity another mountain, and the sides

of both, as well as the ravine between, are

everywhere cultivated and interspersed with

cottages, some of which stand in the most
 185

extraordinary, and (as it should appear at first

sight) dangerous situations .

On the top of this mountain are a few

houses where travellers may procure refresh-

ments . The air is here cold in the extreme.

I had relaxed considerably from my state of

fear, as I perceived so many passers by, and

moreover observed a degree of ease and care-

lessness in the carriage of my conductor ;

which, had his intentions towards myself been

of the hostile nature I at first suspected,

would not, I imagined , have existed ; inde-

pendently of which we had maintained a very

friendly conversation, and he presented me

with a few segars .

Some of the first-rate riding- mules will go

from La Guayra to Caraccas in three hours

and a half, or four hours, but the time in

which it is ordinarily accomplished is about

six hours. We had set out at half past two,

consequently when we reached the top, even-

ing was approaching ; and, as I had no great

coat or cloak, the wonderful change of cli-

mate was such as to cause my teeth to chatter.

Before beginning to descend, there is an ex-

ceedingly fine view of the city below, which

has a beautiful effect, and it was some time
 186

since I had seen so large a place. We had

not descended far before it was quite dark ;

and the steepness of the mountain, and dark-

ness of the night, together with the cold and

pain I endured, rendered my journey one of

very great suffering,

We did not reach the city till past eight

o'clock, and my guard conducted me to the

house of the Captain- General, Don Ramon

Correa. Notwithstanding the lateness of the
hour, he was still in his office, and attended

by several military officers of rank, and im-

mediately gave orders for my admittance. I

perceived an elderly, respectable- looking man,

dressed in a military garb, and decorated with
several orders. He however received me with

much haughtiness ; and demanded, with some

severity, who I was which, by the by, he

knew very well before. On receiving my an-

swer, he inquired if I spoke French, and being

assured that I could, he began a conversa-

tion in that language, which I afterwards

learned he never neglected an opportunity of

doing. He shortly relaxed from his severity

of manners, and spoke with much affability,

offering me a seat by him, and proceeded to

inform me that General Morillo had desired
 187

I should be sent to his head-quarters, as he

wished to avail himself of what information

I possessed respecting the enemy.

He told me I should, the next day, have
medical assistance, to enable me to travel,

and then despatched his aide-de- camp with

me to the principal inn, where he ordered me

to be lodged and provided with what I wanted ,

at his own expense . This treatment was quite

unexpected, and I need not say most agree-

able ; as I naturally concluded that, were it

intended to put me to death, I should not be

thus differently circumstanced to other pri-

soners ; for the captain- general had informed

me that Colonel Urslar, whose capture I have

before mentioned, and a young officer of De-

vereux's Legion, were in close confinement at

Caraccas.

When I arrived at the inn, I there met

with two of my old sea- companions , I mean,

two pointers that had been the property of

an officer of the British legion, and had sailed

to South America in the Francis and Eliza.

On our attack upon Cumana, these dogs were

frightened, and had sought refuge in the town,

where they got into the hands of Captain Ro-

driguez, who was there at that time, and had

thence accompanied their new master to Ca-

 188

raccas. The poor animals knew and caressed

me . I was , at this inn , the object of general

curiosity, but was disrespectfully treated by

no one.

The following day I was inspected by a

surgeon, who reported me unfit to undertake

so long a journey, and urged the necessity

of my being at least ten days under his hands.

This, however, the Captain- General would

not permit, as he said General Morillo wished

to see me without delay, and that I must

consequently travel in the state I was. The

Captain- General was one of those men, who

would not for the world take upon himself to

neglect to act upon superior orders, under al-
most any consideration ; otherwise he would

never have sent me, in such a suffering condi-

tion, to undertake a journey of several days,

over mountains , and exposed to a tropical

sun . He was a Brigadier- General of the

Spanish army, and is said to have displayed

much bravery . He was placed by General

Morillo in the important post of Captain-

General of Caraccas, (formerly the first in

Venezuela) not so much on account of any

ability he possessed, as from the circumstance

of his being a conscientious good man, who

would administer justice impartially. He is

 189

a strict observer of the religious forms of the

Catholic Church, and confesses every four or

five days ; which, ridiculous as it may appear,

has gained him the appellation of " a saint "

from some ofthe lower orders . However, he

acts up to his religious principles, and is much

respected, not for his talent, but for his worth .
The city of Caraccas has been represented

to me to have been, before the great earth-

quake of 1812, a very beautiful place, and is

said to be now vastly inferior to what it then
was. It is, however, even at this time, a hand-

some city, and far surpassing any town in

South America which I have seen.

It is built at the declivity of the mountain

which separates it from La Guayra, and oc-

cupies a considerable extent of ground ; hav-

ing four or five streets of about a mile and

a quarter in length, running parallel to each

other, which are intersected by others. There

is a large square, called " la Plaza de las Ar-
mas," and several minor ones . The houses

(as in all South American towns) are white-

washed outside, and some of them tastefully

ornamented with carving work and paintings :

they do not exceed one story, as, owing to

the frequency of earthquakes, much danger

would attend their being built higher : but
 190

the space each house occupies below, makes

amends for the deficiency in height. There

is rather a noble cathedral, with a high
spire, which stood the shock that levelled so

many inferior buildings to the ground . Many

churches still remain in ruins, but several are
entire, and are handsome edifices.

The trade of Caraccas is very considerable,

as persons from other towns and distant parts

come there for the purchase of goods. The

shops make a good display in many streets,

and there is a constant ingress and egress of

mules, laden either with produce for embark-

ation, or with imported goods for internal con-

sumption. There are also, at this place, many
persons of very considerable property .

The climate of the town and neighbour-

hood of Caraccas is perhaps one of the most

delightful in the world ; being neither too hot

nor too cold, and forming a singular contrast

with that of La Guayra, though the distance

is so trifling. Arriving at Caraccas from the
latter place, strangers are always chilly, par-

ticularly in the morning and evening, at which

3
times the ordinary light clothing worn in that

country is insufficient : nor do you find it

possible to pass the night comfortably with-

out a blanket, in addition to sheets and coun-
 191

terpane : whereas, at La Guayra, the bare

sheet is scarcely to be borne.

In consequence of this coolness of the at-

mosphere, European as well as tropical fruits

and vegetables are grown , and the former ar-

rive at great perfection ; for instance, of vege

tables, there are potatoes , cabbages , carrots,

peas, French beans , cauliflowers, &c. & c.;

and of fruits, apples, apricots, and peaches.

In no other part of Venezuela is this the case,

except in this province . Articles of food are

exceedingly cheap , every thing being in the

greatest plenty , and, generally speaking, good .

Earthquakes are very frequent, and are
always felt with equal severity in every part

of La Guayra. The inhabitants, knowing

how subject the country is to them , would

prefer being frequently visited by them ; as, in

that case, they come with less force, and do

little or no injury. As soon as the hollow

rumbling sound, that precedes a shock, is
heard, every one runs to the street, and each
house is in an instant forsaken : nor do they

re- enter, until they are assured the earthquake

has entirely subsided .

A celebrated traveller in that country has

éxpressed an opinion that it is not improbable

that Caraccas may one day disappear ; and the
 192

valley, in which it stands, become a lake.

This idea seems to be supported by what

I have heard from persons who witnessed the
great calamity of 1812. At that time they

stated the surrounding mountains to have

been cleft, and water to have oozed from the

openings in considerable quantity :—to their

no small alarm. The natives are now so ac-

customed to this phenomenon , as apparently

not to entertain any dread of it beyond the

moment.

The streets of this city are wide and well-

paved, and every thing has an air of great

neatness . The houses are intolerably infested
with fleas, which is said to be owing to the

quantity of mud used in the composition of

their walls ; which principle of building, al-

though proved by experience to be highly

unadapted to a place where earthquakes are

so frequent, they obstinately persist in .

There are no amusements whatever in Ca-

raccas, beyond those which the inhabitants

have amongst themselves ; consequently, a

stranger, being unacquainted in the place,

must pass his time in a manner tediously mo-

notonous, for, when he has viewed the town,

his mode of recreation must entirely depend

upon himself. The people of Caraccas dress

 193

better than those in other parts of the Main

I have visited ; and the veils worn by the

ladies in Spain, and the Spanish mode of

dressing generally, continue to be adopted .

In the afternoon of the 10th of February,

I set off from Caraccas, mounted on a mule,

and accompanied by a soldier of the regi

ment of Castile, also mounted. The recep-

tion I had met with there, had materially

abated the apprehensions I had felt before ;

but there was still an uncertainty as to my

future fate, which rendered my situation far

from enviable. I knew not what conduct

would be observed towards me by General

Morillo ; and whether I should ultimately be

enlarged, was a question involved in much
doubt. It would also occasionally occur to

me, that I was probably treated in a manner

so distinguished, merely to influence me in
giving more copious information of the state

of the enemy, and that when the policy of

such treatment was useless, I might be put to

death . The result has proved how much I

wronged the Spaniards by these doubts of
their honour ; but their existence was not

unnatural in a person situated as I then

was.

The first night, we rested at a small village

Q
 194

four leagues from Caraccas, at the foot of a

range of mountains, which we were the next

day to pass over. The road to this place runs

by the side of a clear, shallow river ; and the

ground in this valley was every where plant-

ed, exhibiting a prospect of verdure . I found
my companion to be an old soldier, who had

served twenty -five years, and had borne a part

in the war in Spain. He was, for one in his
situation, possessed of considerable informa-
tion ; and his kind and attentive conduct to

me, proved that the trade of war had not de-

prived him ofthose feelings which do honour
to the heart.

The following morning we started at day-

break, having to pass fourteen leagues over

mountains. At the first rise of ground there

was nothing to occupy the attention, all be-

ing bleak and dreary ; but as we reached the

summit, we perceived cottages and some signs

of cultivation . A ravine on our right, and
the mountain's side from which it then di-

vided us, was everywhere in a state of use-

ful vegetation, and presented a delightful

view.

We shortly descended to a small but fruit-

ful valley, in which stands the village of San

Pedro. This we traversed, and again began
 195

to ascend. I was now about to witness one

of the most superb and enchanting scenes in

nature . Every part of this lofty range, from

San Pedro, presents a picture of the richest

fertility. At the mountain's top, there is the

most extensive and interesting view imagina-

ble ; and the whole presents one continued

and uninterrupted prospect of cultivation .

The valleys to the right and left, slopes of

the mountains, as well as the summits, are

planted ; and innumerable cottages, standing

in situations the most extraordinary, add a
pleasing diversity to the scene. The whole

is, in short, picturesque and beautiful beyond

conception.
I had received an account of these moun-

tains at Caraccas, which had considerably

raised my curiosity ; but far from being dis-

appointed, no idea I had previously formed

could do justice to the reality ; and I consi-

der it to this day the most splendid spectacle
which I have ever beheld .

Its productions are coffee, cocoa , sugar, in-

digo, cotton, and fruits and vegetables of all

kinds. Passing these mountains, we were

constantly met by droves of mules, laden

with produce, proceeding to Caraccas ; and

every thing had an appearance of confidence
0 2
 う

196

and the energy to which it gives rise. The

traveller here finds houses of refreshment at

each step .

The rays of the sun were scorching this

day ; and the pain I was in, from the constant

ascent and descent, considerably diminished

the pleasure of so interesting a journey. At

about the centre of the mountain stands a

small but neat church, where persons, from

some leagues around, attend divine worship .
At length, on approaching the descent, there

is a delightful view of a beautiful and verdant

valley, in which stand, at no great distance

from each other, three small towns, called

" Las Cucuisas," four leagues distant from

Victoria.

As the route continued through this val-

ley, we passed several thriving plantations,

upon which are some very respectable ha-

bitations, situated generally on romantic

spots ; but having advanced about a league

and a half, the road became less interesting,

till within the immediate vicinity of the town

of Victoria, which we reached late in the

evening.

Victoria is an exceedingly neat town , hav-

ing one principal street, of about a third of

a mile in length, from which minor streets

 197

branch to the right and left ; it has also a large

square and church. The houses are, as

usual, white, some of them of great respect-

ability, and there are also many shops. The

town is not fortified, and, at that time, had
no troops in it, but was under the control of

a magistrate called " Teniente de Justicia," or

Lieutenant of Justice, the appellation given

to the civil magistrates under the Spanish go-

vernment.

The country around Victoria is highly pro-

ductive, and well cultivated . Here I saw
fields of wheat and oats, which however fall

far short of their kind in Europe, the plants

being diminutive, and the ears considerably

smaller. The ground is everywhere fertile,

and yields abundantly articles of tropical

growth.

We departed, at six o'clock the following

morning, for Maracay ; and at about a mile

from Victoria crossed the small river of Ara-

gua, from which this fertile valley is named,

and over which General Morillo has caused

an exceedingly neat bridge to be built. It

is a mere purling stream, of no depth. We

then passed some high and commanding hills,

but which, after those we had previously

crossed, were undeserving the name of moun-
 198

tains. From the highest of these we had a

view ofthe town of San Mateo and the coun-

try around it, which latter did not materially

differ from that we had passed, but was viewed
by us with much curiosity, from the circum-
stance of extensive lands in this neighbour-

hood having formerly belonged to Bolivar.

Descending these hills, we past the house

which was Bolivar's country residence. It is

on the right of the road, and is built upon an
eminence, from which there is a most exten-
sive prospect. In the event of the advance

of the Independents to Caraccas, it would

become a military post of great consequence ,

as it completely commands the main road.

It is about a quarter of a mile distant from

San Mateo, and is now in a state of dilapida-

tion. The town is two leagues distant from

Victoria, is very small, and undeserving of

notice.

Two leagues from San Mateo stands the

town of Tumero, containing a square, in which

is its church, and of which the exterior is taste-

fully decorated with gilt-work and paint-

ings. The town possesses also some hand-

some houses. Four leagues distant from

Tumero is Maracay. The country between

these two towns produces a very consider-

J
 199

able quantity of cocoa, large groves of which

we passed. These groves are always sur-

rounded by high, bushy trees, the cocoa-tree
being so tender as to require every means to
be used to shelter it from the wind.

Maracay is considerably larger than Vic-

toria, though the former is far inferior in point

of beauty to the latter. It contains, however,

one of the finest churches in the province of

Caraccas, the interior of which was then un-

dergoing repair. No spot can possibly be

more productive than the ground around

Maracay ; particularly in fruit, considerable

quantities of which are sent to Caraccas. It

is famous for the growth of the sweet lime,

which, by many persons, is much esteemed .
The environs of this town are truly delight-

ful, and its cultivation is in the highest state

of perfection, presenting a blooming proof of

the richness of its soil.

On my arrival at this place, the exertion of

.
travelling and heat of the sun had so much
increased the disease with which I was afflict-

ed, that my situation was not only pitiable

but dangerous. The commandant, (Don

Christoval Zurita, ) perceiving the state to

which I was reduced , declared it impossible I

should proceed, as the consequences might be

 200

fatal, and said he was sure General Morillo

would not require it. This worthy man took

me into his own house, where I remained six

days ; during which time every attention that

humanity could dictate was shewn me, not

only by himself, but by his wife also . At
the end of that time I was forwarded in a lit-

ter, borne by four men.

During my stay in the house of the com-

mandant of Maracay, I was much amused

with a mocking- bird in his possession, which

certainly was more deserving of the name

than any I have previously or subsequently

met with. This bird was about the size of

the English blackbird . Its back and wings

were black, the latter striped with yellow ;
and the breast quite yellow, as were the legs
and feet. The eyes were light blue. It would

imitate dogs, pigs, goats, ducks and fowls, and

even the chattering of a monkey, an inmate

of the same house ; and would perch itself on
a chair and whistle most melodiously for a
considerable time. No sound it uttered was

half so musical as its whistle, when enraged.

This by the by was rather a misfortune to it ;

as the bird was frequently teazed , to provoke

the sound. It was very tame, but I never
heard it speak.
 201

A somewhat extraordinary affection , or dis-

ease, exists at Maracay and Tumero ; the fe-

male natives of these towns being subject to

large wens, which invariably extuberate on
the throat. This misfortune does not extend

to the men, but is confined to the women, and

it is said renders them short-lived . It is also,

I was informed, exclusively peculiar to those

towns, and the number afflicted with them is

truly astonishing.

From Maracay I proceeded to San Joachim,

distant eight leagues. At a short distance
from the former, there is a fine view of the
lake of Valencia, which is very extensive.

Its banks are richly cultivated, and the ground

is exceedingly fertile. This journey is, from

the beauty of the scenery, one of the most
agreeable in the valley of Aragua. San Joa-

chim is a very small town, and quite un-

worthy of notice.
From San Joachim to Valencia, an equal

distance with the journey of the preceding

day, there is nothing much deserving of at-

tention . The country begins visibly to de-

crease in fertility, and there is a great scarcity

of water on the road ; owing to which, few
cottages are to be met with. There is a small

village between these two places, in the neigh-

 202

bourhood of which stands the property that

formerly belonged to the Marquis de los

Toros ; who took an active part at the com-
mencement of the revolution, and who is now
settled in the island of Trinidad .

Valencia is a town of considerable extent,

containing several churches. The entrance

to it is by a newly erected stone bridge, for

which the inhabitants are indebted to Gene

ral Morillo. The town is very irregularly

built, the houses straggling from each other,

and the toute ensemble having a most aukward
appearance. Some of them are, however,

(taken by themselves) very elegant, and are

beautifully carved, and otherwise ornament-

ed. From its contiguity to Puerto Cabello,

being only twelve leagues distant, it enjoys a

very extensive trade, and is the place of resi-

dence of some wealthy merchants . The coun-
try around it falls far short of that of Caraccas,

Victoria, or Maracay ; notwithstanding which,

the town is equally well supplied with fruits

and vegetables . The morning and night air

is much cooler than further in the interior,

but infinitely less cold than at Caraccas.

On setting forward from Valencia, I was

able to mount again on my mule, though far

from being recovered , and arrived early in

 203

the morning at the small town of Tocuyito,

three leagues distant from Valencia, where I
remained to avoid the heat of the sun, and at

three in the afternoon again took horse for Ca-

lebobo, four leagues further. Having left Va-

lencia, the country, compared with the beauty

of the parts previously seen , appeared flat and

uninteresting. At a short distance from that

place are extensive plains, upon which great

numbers of cattle are seen grazing ; but the

further you retire from it, the more dreary and

uninteresting does the scenery become.
Calebobo consists of only three houses, dis-

tant from each other, on a large and barren

plain. It has, however, become famous by a

battle fought there some years ago, before the

arrival of Morillo, in which the Spaniards

were routed. We took up our quarters at the

house of the Teniente de Justicia, and were

not a little alarmed by the reports of travel-

lers from the town of Pao, (where General

Morillo had his head- quarters, ) of the bad-

ness of the roads, and frequency of robberies

by banditti infesting the mountains we had
to pass. This latter, our host informed us , had

always been the case, even long before the

revolution ; and that these robbers seldom

spared the lives of those who had the misfor-

 204

tune to fall into their power. We were also

recommended to provide ourselves with pro-

visions, as we should find nothing to eat on

the road.

After traversing the plain of Calebobo , we

began to ascend bleak and barren mountains,

having little wood on their sides, or summits,

but presenting a sad and cheerless prospect,

rendered the more striking by the contrast

with the lovely vale we had left behind. Oc-

casionally we arrived at a lonely hut, built of
straw, on the principle of those in the Patriot

territory. Upon such occasions I never failed

to express surprise that human beings should

thus establish themselves, apparently far from

the haunts of their fellow creatures ; and won-

dered whence they procured their food, as no

signs of cultivation were any where visible.

My companion (who had never travelled this

road before,) was equally astonished with

myself.

At Calebobo we had joined several other

persons going to Pao, who knew the road,

and who were equally glad of our company,

as our number afforded us mutual protection.

We found the declivities of the mountains in

many places so exceedingly rugged and dan-

gerous, as to call forth expressions of alarm ;

 205

but we were desired to restrain our complaints

till we had real cause for them, which would

shortly be the case ; and the difficulty of the

passage of a mountain , called " La Loma," was

represented to us by our fellow- travellers, and

the place itself pointed out.

Descending from a small mountain, we
crossed a narrow ravine of about thirty yards

in breadth, through which runs a clear stream,

and at its extremity is the foot of La Loma.

Its first rise is so exceedingly steep , and diffi-

access, that my mule made two useless
cult of access,

efforts to gain a firm footing on it, to my no

small danger ; the third attempt, however,

succeeded. On gaining the summit, in many
parts there is scarcely room for the animals

to stand, while the amazing depth on either

side renders it really terrific . Accidents very

frequently occur, but we fortunately passed

unhurt. To describe the descent is impossi-

ble. I expected at every step to break my

neck, but having at length reached the bot-
tom , I was wearied beyond measure, and con-
strained to halt for a short time.

From the top of La Loma nothing was

discernible, on either side, but the same parch-

ed and dreary mountains , destitute of the

 206

least vegetation ; and the waste and solitary

road, yet before us, seemed to me to hold out

a prospect of almost endless labour. Amongst

these mountains the sight was not cheered, as

in other parts, by flocks of parrots, or the

many party- coloured birds that abound ge-

nerally in these regions. None were to be

seen but buzzards, and Turkey buzzards, who

were on the look out for the poor animals

that fall exhausted from fatigue : carcases of

which we every now and then saw.

The Turkey buzzards, called by the Spa-

niards " zamoras," are very common in all

parts ofSouth America, (whether in the moun-

tains or on the plains,) and even in the wildest

parts seem to be little alarmed at the ap-

proach of man. They are mostly all black ;

but here I saw a species which I had not be-

fore observed, differing from the others by hav-

ing a mixture ofred feathers in the head. They

are the most ravenous birds I have ever met

with, and feed upon every species of refuse

and filth ; and are doubtless, in the neigh-

bourhood of towns, of much utility in clear-

ing away what might otherwise infect the air,
particularly in a country of which the inhabi-

tants are not very cleanly. I have seen the

 207

young in their nests, shortly after being

hatched ; in which state they are covered

with down, like young ducks .

We continued travelling without any va-

riation of scene till eight o'clock in the even-

ing, when we rested at a small cottage, up-

wards of four leagues distant from Pao. The

moon rising, we started at one o'clock, and

continued our journey in order to reach the

town before being exposed to the heat of the
sun. As we drew near the head- quarters of

the Spanish commander, MORILLO, I felt a

considerable increase of anxiety, and half-

dreaded the approaching interview.

Descending from the mountains, we enter-

ed a spacious and widely extended plain, en-

tirely surrounded by mountains. Consider-

able numbers of horses and cattle were feed-

ing upon apparently good pasture. The town

was hid from our view by a thick grove of

trees, and we had yet to travel a league be-

fore we could reach it. We arrived at half

past six o'clock in the morning, and were

soon directed to the house occupied by the

General, who had already risen .
All the officers of his staff came out to see

me, and I became the object of general cu-

riosity . No sooner had the aide- de- camp

 208

informed him of my arrival, than I was desired

to be shewn in ; and in proceeding to appear

before this celebrated man, in whose hands was

not only my future fate, but even my life it-

self, I was agitated by feelings unknown to

those who have never been in such a situation.

On my entrance, he immediately rose ;

presented me a seat ; apologized for his hav-

ing been the cause of my travelling in so bad

a state of health, which he assured me he was
ignorant of till it was too late ; said he had

received letters in my favour from General

Cires, Colonel Tovar, the Captain- General,

and the Commandants of La Guayra, Mara-

cay, and Valencia, which increased the good

opinion he had formed of me from the perusal

of my papers. He then told me I was from

that instant FREE, and begged I would remain

at his head- quarters as long as was agreeable

to myself, and join the officers of his staff at

his table.

A reception from General Morillo, so far

surpassing in kindness any thing of which I
could have formed an idea, was, it may be

supposed, highly gratifying, and relieved me

at once of a load of uneasiness that had

pressed heavily on my mind. The hope, too,

of again seeing my country, after the many
 209

dangerous situations in which I had been

placed, was indeed cheering . In short, so

great was my happiness to what it had been

only an hour before , that I could hardly con-

sider it a reality, and was at that moment in-

finitely recompensed for all I had endured in
South America.

The General entered into conversation re-

specting the Patriots, for whom he expressed

a most thorough contempt, and ridiculed their

threat of invading Caraccas, which, he said ,

he heartily wished they would undertake, as

it would give him an opportunity of getting

much nearer to them , than they would ever

yet permit him. He asked me if, in common
sense, it was to be supposed that an undisci-
plined , irregular rabble, like the force of the

Patriots, could reasonably be expected to

cope with the respectable troops I saw under
his command ?.

Against no one of the revolutionary leaders

did he express himself so strongly as against

Arismendi, who had so unworthily repaid the

obligations of life, and the restoration of pro-

3. perty, he had received from him . He laughed

heartily at that General's sending to England

for a superb uniform , with which he was to

enter Caraccas, and regretted that the sudden
P
 210

return of Bolivar had prevented the progress

of his plan ; as, in such an event, it would

have been most probable that he would have

received his deserts . He accused Arismendi

of being ignorant of the country through

which he was to pass, and of the force he

would have found to oppose him ; and asked,

if it were an easy task to deprive an enemy of

the positions they held in such mountains as
I had traversed ? That, even upon the suppo-

sition that he should be obliged to retire be-

yond Victoria, would an invading force find

it a matter of small difficulty to carry those

steep and difficult passes to Caraccas ? He,

however, defied their whole united strength,

much less a detached part of it, to overcome

his army.

General Morillo stated further, that he

placed the fullest reliance upon the inhabi-

tants of the whole province of Caraccas, who

were more numerous, wealthy, and respecta-

ble, than those of any other province on the

Main ; that he was convinced of the decided

preference they gave to the Spanish govern-

ment ; and that, although the whole world was
led to believe that the struggle, then pend-

ing, was that of the whole population of South

America against the Spaniards, it was, on the
 211

contrary, the efforts of a few ambitious men,

who unwarrantably stated, in their reports to

the world, that they were the majority of their

countrymen .

In support of this, he instanced Margarita.

When he retired from that island, he was ac-

companied by all the most respectable inha-

bitants, who had since settled themselves un-

der the Spanish dominion . Also Barcelona-

which place (when the Patriots captured it,

of which I was a witness, ) was deserted by

all its former occupants, who followed the

Spaniards. This he asserted was invariably

the case, and that when the Independents

were many years back obliged to evacuate

the many important places they then held-

even Caraccas itself their expulsion was as

much effected by the spirit manifested by the

natives themselves, as by the force of the

Spanish arms.
He observed upon the ridiculous reports

propagated abroad respecting his desperate

situation, and shewed me an extract from a

Demerara paper, in which he was said to have

arrived with the remnant of his force at Ha-

vannah, highly grateful for his deliverance

.
from the danger to which he had been ex-
posed on the Main !
P 2
 212

In speaking of the determination , express-

ed by the Congress at Angostura to erect a

66 Bolivar
city to be called ," he said he sup-

posed it would be built of straw, as he knew not

what else they had with which to construct it.

One of the officers of General Morillo's

staff, was a Scotchman, of the name of Ar-

buthnot, who had been in Spain since the age

of eight years, and had accompanied the re-
giment of Castile, (with which he had served

in the mother-country) to South America,

with the rank of Captain. I lodged during
my stay at Pao with this gentleman, accom-

panying him to breakfast and dine with the

General.

From Captain Arbuthnot I received in-

formation upon several subjects, which only

tended to confirm my own observations.

Amongst other things, he declared it was im-

possible that any one could have come to

South America, with intentions more pacific

towards the inhabitants than General Morillo ;
as an instance of which, he mentioned his

conduct towards Arismendi . He said the

General had been driven to adopt measures

of severity towards them, by their own brutal

treatment of all Spanish prisoners , who were

not only put to death, but that in a manner

 213

which the most ingenious cruelty could de-

vise !

In Margarita, he declared that women and

children took part in these diabolical acts of

barbarity, and seemed to derive pleasure from
the writhings of their wretched victims. He

instanced the massacre of a Spanish Captain,

at Norté, who was placed upon an ass in the

open square, whilst persons of both sexes and

of all ages, attacked him with knives, scissars ,

pins, firebrands, and in fact with whatever

presented themselves, that could answer their

horrible purpose. This so enraged General

Morillo , that he ordered neither age nor sex

to be spared .

Far be it from me to attempt to defend , or

palliate, this act of the Spanish commander ;

which perhaps consigned to death many who

were innocent of even the slightest act of hosti-

lity towards him or his followers ; but I have
recorded it as it was related to me. It cer-

tainly establishes the fact of this cruel man-

date not having been given without some pro-

vocation ; and that great irritation of feeling

was created by the knowledge of the hapless

fate of his countrymen , is not surprising .

Throughout my march to this place, I had

on my arrival in every town, been the object,
 214

of general attention ; but here the house in

which I was quartered, was beset with per-

sons whose eager curiosity to see the English

Captain was ridiculously amusing. Captain

Arbuthnot was constantly requested, under
some pretence, to draw me forth, in order to gra-

tify the numerous visitants ; and the proprietor

of the house was indebted to me for many

kind inquiries after his health , that would

doubtless not otherwise have been made.

Captain Arbuthnot is a young man much

esteemed, not only by General Morillo, but

by all the Spanish officers. He is of a good

family in Scotland, and the only Catholic in
it. The manner in which he became so, and

subsequently a Spanish officer, as related by

himself, is of so singular a nature, that I shall

perhaps be excused for repeating it. He

had a grandmother of that religious persua-

sion, who was, it seems, so well satisfied of the
truth of her creed, and of the consequences

(believed by that church) of differing from it,

that she resolved to make an effort to effect

the salvation of her grandson. She therefore

requested his father would permit him to

make her a visit of some length, to which he

reluctantly consented, knowing the rigour of

her religious sentiments. No sooner was the

 215

B boy (then eight years of age) in her hands,

than she instantly sent him privately to Spain,

and had him placed in a convent, to be edu-

cated for the church, and informed his father
he was dead !--which the latter (not suspect-

ing the cheat) had no reason to doubt.

At the breaking out of the revolution in

I
Spain, he had made considerable proficiency
in his studies, but had no relish for the profes-
sion of the church . He therefore took ad-

vantage of the times, and succeeded in get-

ting a commission in the regiment of Castile,
in which he had served ever since. He was

then a Captain ; and, prior to my quitting the

country, was promoted to be Lieutenant-

Colonel, the next rank in the Spanish service.

He had not, for a considerable time, heard

from his family, and is perhaps for ever sepa-

rated from them. He now speaks English

with a foreign accent, but understands and

writes it perfectly well .

The town of Pao is small. The houses are,

generally speaking, mere hovels, and the in-

habitants principally people of colour, who

have, however, proved themselves, on all oc-

casions, such staunch supporters of the King's

cause, that the place has been honoured by

the name of " the loyal town of Pao. " The
1
 216

square is extensive, and in it stands the church,

which, for such a place, is very large. The

heat in this town is excessive, and the incon-

venience arising from it is augmented by

the great quantity of dust that everywhere
abounds. The soil around it is barren, and

produces barely sufficient for the consumption

of its natives.

A short time prior to my arrival here,

eleven English soldiers, from the army of

Paez, had deserted, and with much difficulty

had made their way to Pao, where they were

well received and treated by General Mo-

rillo . With some of these men I had frequent

conversation, particularly with one who was

a sergeant- major amongst the Patriots, and

had formerly been a sergeant of the 31st regi-

ment. He informed me that all the British

soldiers, with whom he was acquainted, were

eagerly watching an opportunity to desert,

which, however, but rarely presented itself.

He represented them to be in a state of inde-

scribable wretchedness. Two, in addition to
the number who had effected their escape,

had started with them ; but had, he feared,

been overtaken or discovered ; as they were

all pursued by a detachment of Paez's ca-

valry, into whose hands they were prevented
 217

falling, by the kindness of the inhabitants,

who not only concealed them, but facilitated

their desertion in every way.

He said they had set out with the determi-

nation to effect their purpose or die in the at-

tempt, as death was preferable to the state of

suffering in which they had so long been .

They had been engaged for the Patriot ser-
vice by Colonel Urslar (then a prisoner),

against whom they all expressed great re-

sentment, not only to me, but also in their

formal declarations ; in which latter they re-

presented him to have recruited, equipped ,
and forwarded to South America, nearly eight
hundred men ; which declaration did him irre-

parable injury .
I was questioned by General Morillo as to
my knowledge of Colonel Urslar, and endea-

voured to make my answers as favourable as

possible for him ; but, unfortunately, they had

quite an opposite effect, and, with the accusa-

sation of the men above mentioned, no doubt

decided his fate. That unhappy man had, in

:
his declaration, (invariably taken from pri-
soners) very imprudently stated himself to be

an Englishman, and to have formerly been a

Captain in the Guards . This he had no doubt

done from the expectations of being better.

 218

treated and considered . Of the nature of his

declaration I could not be otherwise than ig-

norant, and had represented him to be, what
he really was, a German, and to have served

in the German legion . General Morillo's im-

mediate observations proved to me, that Co-

lonel Urslar had nothing to hope . I denied he

was the man who had sent out the corps of

eight hundred men, but explained the nature

of his engagement with General Elsom, by

whom he was as much deceived as I had been

by General English : both the latter men hav-

ing received from Bolivar, personally, their

authority to engage troops for the cause. This,

however, the General seemed not to be satis-

fied with, and perhaps suspected it was merely

stated by me from motives friendly to Urslar.

With respect to the English deserters, such

of them as wished, received , passports for the

Colonies or England ; and those who volun-

teered, remained in the Spanish service. Of

the latter, the number was three ; one of which

informed me he made such a choice, solely to

have the satisfaction of revenging himself on

the Patriots, for their treatment of him.

I remained at Pao eight days, during which

time I continued to receive from General

Morillo every possible kindness. He always

 219

placed me at his right hand at table, and was

scrupulous in his attention to me. He never

addressed me but as Captain : in short, had I

been recommended to him by his Sovereign,

he could not have displayed a more friendly

conduct.

General Morillo is apparently about forty-

five years of age. He is tall and stout ; has

a full face ; his eyes, hair, and whiskers, are

black ; his countenance generally is agreeable,
and his whole air exceedingly military. He
does not wear mustachios. There is an open-

ness and frankness in his manners highly

engaging, and he cannot disguise his feelings.

He is totally destitude of pride, and enters as

freely into conversation with an ensign as

with a general . I always saw him in good
humour, and his discourse at table was inva-

riably lively and interesting. He is witty,

and , on several occasions, played upon words

with much ingenuity. When any thing hap-

pens to discompose him, his paroxysms of

rage are, I was informed, very violent ; but

they shortly subside, and he is then ashamed

of having given way to them . He is not fond

of pomp and shew ; and will, whenever he

can, dispense with a guard at his door, which

was the case at Pao . When he removes from
 220

one place to another, he goes with few atten-

dants, and enters as privately as possible, in

order to escape the formalities with which he
would otherwise be received . He dresses

exceedingly well, and always wears two stars,

besides minor orders. He receives all who

wait upon him with much familiarity, and

listens attentively to the representations of
the most humble individuals ; while, in pass-

ing them in the town, I have heard him, on

several occasions, address them with much
condescension .

Never was a commander more beloved

than Morillo is by his officers and men. His

presence, under any circumstances, animates

and assures them. He is, in short, idolized

by them . The inhabitants, also, who are

subject to his jurisdiction, appear much to

respect him, and many of them expressed

themselves to me in terms the most affec-

tionate of General Morillo. Indeed , the cha-

racter he bears amongst them is the very re-

verse of what his adversaries represent.

He seemed to delight in the recapitulation

of the campaigns in Spain, and spoke very

highly of the British commanders and of the

British army generally. The regard he ex-

pressed for Lord Hill (in whose division he
 221

commanded a brigade) was unbounded. He

regretted that the " poor English" (his own

expression) had been practised upon by the

grossest fraud, and brought to endure mise-

ries under which they must ultimately sink ;

and declared the pain it gave him to meet

men in the field as enemies, with whom he

had so long fought asfriends ; but he observed ,

that they had sought him, not he them, and that

they must take the consequences :—he having

received orders from his government respect-

ing them (should they fall into his hands)

which it was his painful duty to obey.

It is not, perhaps, generally known, that

Morillo is one in whom the military talent
is inherent, he having owed his present ex-

alted rank to his own personal merit alone.

He began his military career as a private sol-
dier ; and was, at the commencement of the

revolution in Spain , only a sergeant of Ma-

rines . Being shortly, by his good conduct,

promoted to the rank of Alferes, (correspond-

ing with that of ensign in the British service, )

he assembled as many of the armed peasants,

& c. as he could collect, and invested Vigo.

Having in an action defeated the French

force at that place, and driven them into the

town, he summoned them to surrender. The
 222

French commandant refused so to do, solely

because he had heard there was not an officer

of sufficient rank with whom he could treat.

Upon this, Morillo invested himself with the

distinguishing marks of a Lieutenant- Colonel ,

and informed the Frenchman that Lieute-

nant-Colonel Morillo would receive his capi-

tulation, and the place was accordingly sur-
rendered.

On making known this conquest, and the

manner in which it was effected , to his go-

vernment, he received the warmest praises

for his conduct, and was authorized to retain
the rank he had assumed . He continued to

distinguish himself, and raised the regiment

of the Union, (now with him in South Ame-
rica, under the name of "the Regiment of

Valançay,") and subsequently commanded a

Spanish brigade in Lord Hill's division . He

was represented to the King as an officer of

the greatest merit, and was by him vested

with unlimited authority, to endeavour to ef-

fect the pacification of the revolted colony of

Venezuela.

As a proof of the truth of his assertion,

" that he placed the fullest reliance upon the

inhabitants, " it need only be mentioned, that

he rides about that wild country unarmed,
 223

and attended only by one or two of his staff,

equally unprovided with means of defence.

Were he, therefore, the detested tyrant his

opponents depict him, nothing would be

easier than to effect his destruction , nor

would the perpetrators be in much danger

of detection . His dispensing with a guard

is also a further proof of his confidence and

want of fear, and presents another means of

easily despatching him , were such a thing de-

sired. But I solemnly believe that the death

of General Morillo would be as much de-

plored by the greater part of the natives of

the country, under his government, as by his

compatriots themselves .

When I took leave of General Morillo , I

endeavoured to express my gratitude for the

generous treatment I had experienced, and

must confess that I almost felt regret at quit-

ting him. He expressed the best wishes for

the perfect recovery of my health, and for my

safe arrival in my native country, and begged

I would wait upon the Duke de San Carlos,

then ambassador at London , and give him

information respecting the proceedings in

that country -adding, " I require you to

speak no more than the truth . You have

seen both sides, and can form a correct opi--

 224

nion tell, therefore, the truth, and nothing

but the truth .”

I had a passport under the General's own

hand, in which I was ordered to be furnished

at each town with a baggage-horse, and to

be paid, for my subsistence, the same sum as

is received in lieu of a ration in kind by a

Spanish captain ; namely, three reals, equal to

about one shilling and three pence English.

With this sum (in a country so abundant, and

where every article of subsistence is so cheap

as in the province of Caraccas, ) I not only

could live exceedingly well on the road, but
also save out of it sufficient to purchase se-
gars, &c. But at many places the people
refused any recompense for what I had ob-
tained from them .

I retraced my steps over La Loma, again

traversed the plains of Calebobo, and arrived

at Valencia, where I staid a day to see the

town ; General Morillo having desired me to

travel at my leisure, and remain as long as I

thought proper in any of the towns. I was

here billetted, by the Alcalde, on a retired

captain of militia, named Spinosa , who had
the character of behaving very rudely to all

officers quartered in his house. On knocking

at the door, I was answered by a young girl
 225

from a window, who stated that her father was

not at home, nor could she open the door, being

locked in. It was nearly ten o'clock at night.
She said her father would shortly return , and
that I must wait at the door till he came .

This I accordingly did, and was soon asked

by the old gentleman what I did there. He

received the billet very ungraciously ; and,

finding something perhaps extraordinary in

my accent and dress, demanded who I was.

On being satisfied , he entered, leaving me

outside, till he had fastened his daughters in

another part of the house, and then suffered

me to enter. His manner continued equally

uncourteous, till I shewed him General Mo-

rillo's passport ; upon which he declared him-

self highly pleased at my being in his house,

and notified his intention to seat me at his

table, as I was to remain the following day.

The next morning he took me to all his

acquaintances, by whom I was kindly re-

ceived ; and, as he had promised, provided me

with repasts, which, however, were very frugal .

When about to depart, he brought me the bil-

let, and desired me to write in Spanish, on the

back, the following recommendation : —“ He

received me as an officer and gentleman,
treated me with the best in his house, nor
F
 226

had I occasion to spend any thing while with

him." His poor daughters were kept pri-

soners till I was gone. This man was after-

wards represented to me as a perfect Ori-

ginal.
At Valencia, so far from the inhabitants

seeming to apprehend that the Patriots could

put into execution their threat of marching to

Caraccas, they were repairing their churches

and many of their houses.

I continued my journey through San Joa-

chim , and arrived at Maracay, and again re-

mained in the house of my good friend the
commandant , who expressed his satisfaction
at my improved state of health . He was
already informed, by a letter from General

Morillo, of my departure from Pao, and con-

gratulated me on having obtained my liberty.
I remained with him two days, and then con-
tinued my march.

From Maracay I proceeded to Tumero,

where I remained the night. Here I visited
the unfortunate Colonel Urslar, who was a

prisoner in charge of the regiment of Valan-

çay. He was closely confined , but received

an allowance quite equal to procure him com-

fortable food. There was likewise a young

Irish officer of Devereux's legion confined

 227

with him, who, on his arrival at Juan Greigo

in Margarita, was put on board a small sloop,

with about thirty men, to be transported to

Pampatar ; which sloop, on her passage, was

captured by the Spaniards. He was, therefore,

a prisoner, without having set his foot on the

Patriot territory. The men had been placed

in the Spanish regiment of Burgos, where
they were well satisfied ; and this young man

expressed his determination to enter the ser-

vice, even in the capacity of a drummer, if

they would allow him. He represented him-
self to be eighteen years of age, to have just

left school prior to quitting Ireland , and tọ

have been sent by his father against his own
wish to South America.

The treatment Colonel Urslar had received

from the crew of the gun-boat that captured

him, was very different from mine . He was
immediately stripped naked, and bound down

to the boat, exposed in that condition to the

scorching rays of the sun. He was more-

over beaten , and otherwise ill -treated . On

arriving at Cumana, he was first examined

by the governor, and afterwards put in pri

son, where he remained five days, and was

at the end of that time, sent in irons to

La Guayra. The moment he reached La

Q 2
1

228

Guayra, his irons were struck off, and he

was properly clothed and conducted to Ca-

raccas, at which place, though kept a close

prisoner, he was furnished with a bed, and in

other respects considerately treated, receiv-

ing for his support six reals a day, which, for

that country, was a most liberal allowance .
He had been offered rank in the Spanish
.

service by the Captain General, which he re-

fused, not, as he informed me, from any per-

sonal objection to it, but from the fear that,

if it were known to his friends in England, it

might injure his character, as they all knew

he had embarked in the Independent cause.

He inveighed bitterly against the Patriots, for

the infamous deceptions they had practised

upon us all ; and expressed a desire that the

foreigners in their service could be made as

well acquainted with the situation of the Spa-

niards as we were, it being so very different
from what he had had the most distant con-

ception of.

It was heart-rending to see a man , who had

served so long in the British service, and who

was an excellent and gallant officer, in the

situation inwhich he was then placed- parti-

cularly as I felt assured there was little hope

of mercy for him. He had been informed of
 229

the declarations given against him by the de-

serters ; and had, indeed, been called upon,

by General Morillo's order, to answer them

in his own defence . But it was not likely

that any statement of his should have the

effect of counteracting the impression made

by the oaths of eleven men ; and the charge

of having enlisted and equipped 800 men

was thus almost insurmountable. Still he

relied upon the excellent character he daily

heard of General Morillo , and almost calcu-

lated upon his enlargement. Although I felt

no disposition entirely to destroy his hopes,

I advised him to be less sanguine, and left

him with feelings of great interest excited by

his hapless situation and prospect. I subse-

quently heard at Caraccas that he had been
shot.

At Tumero I was quartered in a house oc-

cupied by two old women and four younger
ones, sisters, every one of whom had a wen

on her throat : this, I have before mentioned,

was peculiar to this town and Maracay.

From Tumero I proceeded to Victoria, and

on the journey was overtaken by a coloured

Creole, going to Caraccas, with whom I enter-

ed into conversation . He expressed his senti-
ments very freely, which were all in favour of
 230

the Independents ; and declared himself to

be a great admirer of Bolivar, and some other

of his partizans whom he named. This man

asserted, that the non-success of the cause was

owing solely to their own want of unanimity ;

that each was too much guided by his own

private interests, to which the public good

was sacrificed ; and that, so long as every

one continued to be actuated by selfish con-

siderations , the expectations of establishing

their independence would assuredly be disap-

pointed.
From many of this man's observations , I

perceived he was better acquainted with the

Patriots, and their system of operation, than

those with whom I had generally conversed ;

and I endeavoured , therefore, to ascertain by

what means he had obtained his information .

He soon satisfied me, by stating that, some

time ago, he had been sent into the province

of Barinas by his master, and had there been

made prisoner by the Patriots, and placed in

their service in the capacity of a soldier ; that

he underwent considerable fatigue, and en-

dured hardships and privations to which he

had been unaccustomed in his master's house,

and had, in fact, just seized the opportunity

that presented itself of deserting to the Royal-
 231

ists, and had given every information respect-

ing the opposite party, of which he was pos-

sessed, to the Spanish General Morales at Ca-

leboso, and was then proceeding to rejoin his

former employer at Caraccas . At this reci-
4
tal, after his prior eulogium of the Indepen-
dents, I laughed heartily, and reminded him

of his preceding remarks. He said, it was

true that his conduct was blamable ; but that
the services of one man the less could make no

essential difference ; and that, in short, it was

useless for him to remain exposed to such

misery, to support a cause that was hopeless,

so long as it was opposed by so many of the

natives of the country .

In retracing my steps to Caraccas, I passed

a night at a house on the summit of the
beautiful mountains between Cucuisas and

San Pedro . The cold was extreme, infinitely

greater than in the town of Caraccas, and

was the more severely felt by me, as I was

destitute of proper covering to protect me
from it.

The following evening, the 9th of March,

1820, I reached the city, and was received by

the Captain- General with the most distin-

guished politeness, and invited by him to din-

ner before I departed for La Guayra. He

 1
232 *

desired me to stay at Caraccas so long as was

agreeable to myself, and again placed me

free of all expense at the inn .

At about half past nine o'clock, this night,

we felt a severe shock of an earthquake,

which caused the fall of several small houses.

The moment the rumbling noise, preceding

it, was heard, every one ran into the street,

but it was only momentary . The sensation I

felt, was, as if the house was lifted up and

put down again, while the eye- sight was for

the moment dimmed, as if by a shadow.

I remained at Caraccas five days, and then

proceeded to La Guayra, bearing orders from

the Captain- General to the commandant of

that place, for me to be provided with a pas-

sage to England if an opportunity presented ;

otherwise, to whichever of the West India

Islands I should prefer going. His Excellency

had desired I might not be sent in a vessel

under the Spanish flag, as I should then be in

danger of being captured by Independent pri-

vateers, which I earnestly wished to avoid .

At La Guayra I was greeted with the warm-

est congratulations by the English and Ameri-
can merchants, &c. at that time there. I re-

ceived a billet, as captain, upon an inhabitant

for the period I should remain; and continued

 233

during the whole time to be paid the allow-

ance of three reals a day.

In this journey, which I had made through

a great portion of the province of Caraccas,
having visited some of the most considerable

towns in Venezuela, I had constant opportu-

nities of conversing with the inhabitants, and

of judging of their sentiments- which I never

neglected doing. The result of these obser-

vations has been, a conviction that the greater

part of the natives of the country are averse

to Independence ; at least under its present
advocates. They were constantly designated
marauders and murderers, and their so often

repeated threat of marching to Caraccas, was

ridiculed .

The Patriots invariably reported , that, when

they undertook the conquest of the capital,

they should be joined, not only by the inhabi-
tants of the towns in the province of Carac-
cas, but by the Creole troops in Morillo's

service. This had been before boasted of by

them , when we attacked Barcelona and Cu-

mana ; but I make no doubt that they had

just as much grounds for such an assertion in

the one instance, as experience had proved

they had in the other. With respect to the

Creole troops being ready to join them, the

 234

conduct of those men, in the Royalist cause,

gives a direct contradiction to such an asser-

tion, and of which the action of La Cruz on

the plains was a specimen. At that place, a

body of Creoles was attacked by a very su-

perior force under the command of General

Paez ; the former made a desperate resistance,

and ultimately obliged the latter to retreat

with considerable loss. Every officer and ser-

geant of Morillo's Creoles was either killed

or wounded, and the survivors of this devoted

party were brought out of action by a private

soldier, who assumed the command.
Were the inhabitants generally disposed to

favour the Independents, as asserted by them,

the destruction of Morillo's force would not

be difficult. In the province of Caraccas all

the natives are armed, nor does any one travel
otherwise . Even to visit their plantations,

close to a town, they invariably wear their

swords ; and when undertaking a journey of
any extent, they carry with them, in addition

to swords, carbines or pistols ; consequently

they are already in a state to aid the Patriot

cause were they so inclined, and the whole

number of those thus armed, together with

the disposable Independent force, would form

a body too numerous for General Morillo to
 235

contend with. But I think, the circumstance

of the natives indiscriminately being per-

mitted to go armed, establishes indisputably

the fact of General Morillo's confidence in

them ; for, did the distrust and dissatisfaction

prevail which the Patriots so industriously

assert, it is not an unreasonable supposition,

that the Spanish chief would , for his own

safety, prohibit the use of arms.

In order to avail himself of the services of

as many of his men as possible, General

Morillo leaves very trifling garrisons in Puerto

Cabello, La Guayra, Caraccas, or Valencia.

How easy, therefore, it would be, for the two

former places at least (they being fortified

towns), to be seized and retained ! -but, so far

from there appearing to be any wish of this

kind, the inhabitants of these towns, not ex-

cepting those of the highest respectability,

are enrolled as militia, and on the least alarm

take arms for the Spaniards with great ala-

crity and zeal . An instance of this was given

when Brion appeared before La Guayra, a

short time prior to my arrival at Margarita.
I also witnessed the same feeling, when re-

ports were circulated, during my stay at La

Guayra, of the rising of the blacks in various
parts, particularly at Ocumare. The inha-
 236

bitants instantly turned out, and nightly form-

ed patrolling parties for the protection of the
town. There appears to be much discontent

among the blacks working at plantations, who

frequently seem disposed to rise ; but this is

asserted by many to be unconnected with any

feeling of friendship towards the Patriots.

That there are those, even in Caraccas, who

have favourable feelings towards the Indepen-

dents, is certain ; but that this number is very

inconsiderable, when compared with those

of opposite sentiments, is evident from the

non-existence of any co- operation with them .

They are men who are swayed solely by their

interests, and whose friendship therefore is

worthless. I was informed that, even men

of these sentiments, have, upon all occasions,

retired on the approach of the Patriots, and

many of them have settled in Caraccas and

the adjacent parts, to be out of reach of those

whose cause they wish to prosper.

The greater part of the inhabitants of that

country would undoubtedly be glad to see

themselves independent, * but not under the

* Many of the natives are impressed with a belief, that it

would not be possible for them to maintain their Indepen-
dence, even were they successful over the Spaniards ; owing
to the scanty population of their country. I was informed in
 237

system adopted by its present champions, for

whom there is a general feeling of hostility,

excited by their cruel and unjust conduct.

They have, themselves, done infinitely more

to destroy public confidence, than any thing

that the most forcible representations of their

opponents, could possibly have effected .

Many, who took an active part at the com-

mencement of the revolution , having become

disgusted with the line of conduct adopted by

the revolutionists, withdrew themselves from

the contest, and have subsequently accepted

the pardon offered by General Morillo, and

have become repossessed of their property,
and reconciled to the Spanish government.

The faith observed by the Royalist com-

mander, upon all such occasions, has made

him deservedly respected by the inhabitants ;

and I again repeat, and solemnly assert, that
I have seldom witnessed a more amicable feel-

ing towards any individual, than that which is

the Patriot territory, by General Sucré, that, prior to the revo-

lution, the whole population of Venezuela did not exceed one
million ofsouls. This statement has been confirmed by others
in the province of Caraccas ; and the last estimate I heard,
was made by a merchant of La Guayra, who said, allowing
for the diminution that must have since been caused by
the war, emigration, &c. & c . , he did not suppose they could
reckon, at the present time, above six hundred thousand.
 238

invariably expressed by the natives towards

General Morillo .

The desire for the establishment of peace, is

unfeigned . The horrible character of the war

which has, for ten years, been ravaging their

country ; the sanguinary conduct of the revo-

lutionary chiefs themselves ; and the constant

state of perturbation and of uncertainty, in

which they have so long lived- have rendered

the desire for tranquillity general . I have

often heard them speak, with great feeling, of

their flourishing situation prior to the war ;

and express their doubts whether the young-

est of them would live to see their country

again in such a state of prosperity.

I do not mean for a moment to assert that

the Spanish system of government was then,

or is now, unexceptionable ; but I do con-

ceive that the natives stand a better chance

ofenjoying happiness and prosperity under the

Spaniards (who are ready to concede to them

advantages of which they were before unpos-

sessed, and to relinquish measures that were

before offensive to them) than under the In-

dependents who have proved how utterly

ignorant they are of the import of the word

LIBERTY ; and how different is the practice

from the theory of it, in the example of such

 239

men. With them, there has been a constant

struggle for personal advancement , or personal

aggrandizement ; and for the attainment of

their own purposes, they have broken down

the barriers ofjustice, and violated every law,

human and divine.

The policy adopted by the Spaniards, to-

wards their colonies generally, was one found-

ed in palpable error . The illiberal preference

shewn to natives of the mother country, to

the prejudice of those of the new ; the impo-

litic restrictions on agriculture and commerce,

with a view of making the latter exclusively

beneficial to Spain ; and , above all , the state of

ignorance in which the people of South Ame-

rica were kept, by the laws prohibitory of in-

tercourse with persons of other nations- have
themselves frustrated their original purposes,
and, at length, brought down upon their au-

thors, the very evils they were blindly in-

tended to repel .

In becoming reconciled to the established

order of things , the natives are not actuated

by any feeling of objection to a government

constituted by themselves , were such properly

organized and founded : but they have learned,

from experience , that the men who have pro-

fessed so much ; who have raised their voices
 240

against the Spaniards, as advocates of despo-

tism, and enemies to liberty ; and who have
condemned their measures, as teeming with

injustice and danger to those under their

government- have conducted themselves in

such a manner, as really to excite the belief

that they have endeavoured to surpass, in acts

of mismanagement, those against whom they

have so bitterly inveighed .
The Independent government, forgetting

the original complaints against Spanish mon-

opoly, have established a system of this kind,

which they have not the sense to perceive
is highly injurious to trade. At Angostura

and elsewhere, the right of shipping cattle,

or selling rum , tobacco, and other articles,

even quarappo, (the ordinary drink of the

natives), is confined to whoever tenders the

highest price for such right ; consequently,

every other person is prohibited vending such

articles, without the sanction of him who

has purchased the authority, and with whose

terms they must previously comply. Thus,
in an act, regarding even the most trifling
commerce, have they improved upon a sys-

tem they before denounced.

Had the revolution been throughout con-

ducted upon principles founded upon justice

 241

and humanity, its conductors would doubt-

less have had the sanction and support of the

majority of their fellow- countrymen ; but

they have themselves destroyed their own
cause ; and
and the
the natives
natives appear rather to trust

to the favourable change likely to be effected

with the Spaniards, by the experience of the

impolicy of their former measures, than to

a desperate chance of amendment in their
condition , under the men I have before de-
scribed .

The Spaniards and natives are upon the best

possible terms. They mix indiscriminately

together, and the feeling of animosity, which
the Patriots assert to exist between them , is

no where perceptible. I must confess, that I

was one night at a public coffee- house at La

Guayra, much shocked at the indelicacy and

want of prudence of two young Spanish of-

ficers, who, in a conversation together, (suf-

ficiently loud to be overheard by those stand-

ing near), were making the most illiberal and

offensive remarks upon Creoles generally.

Such conduct was not only highly unwar-

rantable, but inconsiderate ; and would , I am

confident, if known to General Morillo, have

been most severely visited .

Observations will certainly be often made
R
 242

to foreigners, by the Spaniards upon the

Creoles, and by the Creoles upon the Spa-

niards, in which they respectively act the

part of critics on each other ; but, except in

the instance above mentioned, when in com-

pany together, I have always observed the

most perfect cordiality and unanimity to

prevail . It must be acknowledged that the

Creoles have infinitely greater reason to com-

plain of the Spaniards, than the latter of them ;

and that any critique upon the former, comes

with an ill grace ; as, whatever they are, and
however far behind other countries in civili-

zation, they are indebted for their little ad-

vancement to the Spaniards, upon whom their

present condition is far from an honourable
reflection .

With regard to the respective force of the

Spaniards and Patriots, the numbers have
doubtless been much exaggerated on both

sides. When I left Angostura, the latter as-

serted that they had at least ten thousand men

in Venezuela : which force they considered

equal to the capture of the province of Ca-

raccas. I have before bserved, how much,

upon all occasions, they multiply their own

advantages, and diminish those of their oppo-

nents ; and although I am convinced their

 243

army was far short of ten thousand men, yet

even that number (undisciplined and badly

armed, as it is) would be quite unable to con-

tend with Morillo's army.

The Spaniards declared the number of

men under General Morillo's command, to

be, (according to the latest returns of daily

rations issued) upwards of fifteen thousand :

all civilians, and the garrison of Carupinar,

Cumana, & c. & c . , being included in this num-

ber. This statement, I am convinced, is

equally overrated with the other ; but I be-

lieve General Morillo to have (independently

of the before-mentioned garrisons) a dispos-

able force of eight thousand men . Those of

his troops I saw, were admirably disciplined

and well appointed .

Never were finer regiments seen than those

of Valançay and Castile. The former was

twelve hundred strong, and performed the

military evolutions in the most superior man-

ner. This being Morillo's own regiment, it

is constantly kept completed, and great care

is taken of it. The other regiments are equal

to it in a knowledge of military exercise,

but not in numbers. I have seen, besides

these, parts of the regiments of Barbastro,

Burgos, and Navarre, the hussars of Ferdi-
R 2
 244

nand the Seventh, and Creole lancers ; all of

which are well clothed and appointed . Ge-

neral Morales commanded the advance at
Caleboso, whose force I did not see ; and Ge-

neral La Torres had with him a body of

Creoles, to annoy the Patriots on their road
to and from New Granada.

It may be asked, why the Spaniards, being

so superior in every respect to the Patriots,

do not march against, and annihilate them ?

Persons, unacquainted with the difficulties to

contend with in that country, would naturally

suppose this possible ; but the fact is, those

difficulties form the safeguard of the Inde-

pendents, who, being natives of the soil, are
better able to contend with, and overcome

them. Could Morillo succeed in bringing

them to a general action, the matter would

be very shortly decided, as the Patriots could

not possibly stand against such superiority of

discipline. This, however, they carefully

avoid ; always retiring if followed by Morillo,

who may pursue them on those vast plains

without much probability of overtaking them ,

but only thereby destroy his own men, who

are unable to contend with the hardships and

privations they must there encounter.

When he first arrived from Spain, Mo-

 245

rillo (being then unacquainted with the na-

ture of the climate,) lost the flower of his

army by a line of operation, which experience

has since proved to him to be ruinous ; and I

much question whether the largest and most

efficient body he could reasonably hope to

receive from Europe, would enable him to-

tally to annihilate the native force on the

plains. He might effectually protect that part

of the country worth retaining, but would oc-

casionally be subject to the predatory incur-

sions of men, who could exist where aliens

could not exist to oppose them, and the supply

of whose few wants is within their own reach.

The Spanish soldiers, though well clothed

and fed, are not paid . The officers receive

one- eighth of their pay only, and not even

that when actively employed . They are all,
equally with the natives, tired of the war, and
constantly express their desire to return to

their native country . Both officers and men

entertain the strongest feelings of enmity to-

wards the Independents, owing to the cruel-

ties they have exercised upon their country-

men who have fallen into their hands . Not-

withstanding their destitute situation, from

not receiving their pay, the soldiers behave in

the most unexceptionable manner, and in-

 246

stances of desertion are almost unknown

amongst them.

When by sickness or wounds they have

become disabled from following active ser-

vice, they are put into what they term " bas

companias consadas," or disabled companies ;

and are then employed on garrison duty only,

at Caraccas, Puerto Cabello, or La Guayra,

The men who compose these companies do not

receive the same good clothing and appoint-
ments, which are issued to effective men, but

those things only that they absolutely require.

Ifthey are so far disabled as to be unfit even

for this duty, they may remain in South Ame-

rica, and are provided in like manner with

the others ; but if they receive their discharge
upon their own application, no passage is

furnished them to Spain, but they must get

there as they can. I have seen some of these

poor creatures in great distress, and conceive

that their misery, and the existence of such

want of facility in the return to their country,
of men who have wasted their health and

strength in the cause of their king, reflects the

greatest dishonour on the Spaniards.

The inhabitants of the province of Caraccas

pay more attention to outward appearances

than those of less populous provinces ; but I
 247

cannot say I co
uld perceive any very material
difference as far as regards their moral cha-
racters . The same absence of propriety of

conduct exists , and strangers are as much

disgusted with the want of delicacy on the

part of the females . It is, however , but jus-

tice to acknowledge , that I have met with

exceptions to the latter observation , though

they are unfortunately rarely to be found .

The natives, (whether under the Spanish

or Patriot government,) are very uncleanly,

particularly in their houses, which they suffer

to remain unswept for several days together.

Neither is this slovenliness confined to the

lower orders for I have remarked it in the

houses of those in superior circumstances, who

even hold the first rank amongst the Creoles
of the country. The consequence is, that
buildings of the most respectable- looking ex-
teriors, present, in the interior, a slovenly and

comfortless appearance ; and this, doubtless,

is not a little the means of harbouring many

noxious insects. Scorpions are constantly seen

running up the walls, or along the ceiling ; and

in short are so numerous, that it is always pru

dent, before retiring to rest, to examine your
bed , to be assured of its being free from them.

The inhabitants have a most extraordinary

 248

custom of never dining in their rooms, but

invariably choose, for that purpose, an outer

passage, and which not unfrequently is very

objectionably situated . They have, however,
not the most distant idea of real comfort :

therefore to them the situation is immaterial.

They have another practice of keeping their

windows constantly closed, as though the ad-

mission of fresh air were disagreeable to them .
This custom renders their want of cleanliness

still more insupportable .

In every part of this country I have visited,

the practice of smoking segars is carried to

excess , and even extends to children . Little

girls begin this custom at the age of eight or

ten years, and ultimately so habituate them-

selves to it, as to be unable to leave it off. In

the larger towns, women of respectable fami-

lies forego this disgusting habit when in so-

ciety, but they almost all follow it in private.

It is very rarely that persons of either sex are

seen with good teeth : they are usually so much

decayed as to excite general observation .

This, I should imagine, is not unlikely to be

caused by excessive smoaking.

The few amusements they have in South

America are very unrefined, consisting chiefly

in tormenting bullocks, and in cock - fighting.

 1

249

They are expert in throwing a bullock by

the tail when at full gallop, his pursuers on

these occasions being on horseback. The

women seem to take as much delight in wit-

nessing this inhuman sport as the men. The

vice of gaming is very general . At Caraccas

and La Guayra, public gambling is prohibit-

ed, but it is notwithstanding followed at all

the coffee-houses .

No people behave better to their domestic

slaves, than those of the province of Caraccas .
This I also remarked some years ago at Ha-

vannah, and it is asserted to be the general

custom in Spanish colonies , which is cer-

tainly much to their credit, and from which "
West Indians would do well to take a lesson ,

as I have observed the slaves in some islands

treated more like beasts than human beings .

The province of Caraccas is highly pro-

ductive, and provisions are consequently very

cheap. Although flour is brought in abun-

dance from North America to Puerto Cabello

and La Guayra, and may, from those places,

be easily transported into the interior, yet
wheaten bread is rarely met with ; as the inha-

bitants seem to prefer that made of Indian

corn. Their principal beverage is a drink
called Guarappo, made of sugar- cane and In-
 250

dian corn, and which, when not too strong, ist

very agreeable. It is, however, intoxicating ;

and with this the natives frequently " steep

their senses in forgetfulness." A bottle of it

may be procured for the value of a halfpenny,

I remained at La Guayra nearly six weeks,
during which time I continued to receive
the most considerate attention from the autho-

rities and inhabitants. I met there an English

merchant from Curacoa, named Roche, who

purchased for me a sufficiency of clothes, and

behaved otherwise most kindly to me. By

this gentleman I was introduced to the most

respectable merchants and families of the

place, and thus passed my time as agreeably

as I could reasonably expect, in a place so
destitute of amusements.

La Guayra is built in a situation the most

extraordinary, being at the rise of lofty moun-

tains. On the immediate spot where it stands,

there is no level ground, consequently, when

proceeding from the mole, to almost any part

of the town, you must constantly ascend. A
small but clear river, falling from the moun-

tains amongst rocks, runs through it to the

sea. The town was so considerably injured
by the great earthquake of 1812 , that it is
now little better than a heap of ruins . Houses
 251

and storehouses let for an amazing rent, as

there is an extensive trade, and but little

room . In the market-square, which is small,
there is a monument erected to the memory.

of the unfortunate Spaniards, (and Creoles

who supported them, ) who were put to death

by the Patriots, when they possessed them-

selves of the place prior to the arrival of Mo-

rillo.* The bay is hardly deserving the name,

and appears to have been chosen as a port

solely from its vicinity to Caraccas . The

swell is great and almost incessant, and the

anchorage is so bad, that a vessel rarely visits

La Guayra without losing an anchor. The

landing is not only extremely disagreeable

but dangerous , owing to the swell that con-

stantly sets in . Boats are frequently upset ;

and goods landing, or being shipped, conti-
nually receive damage. The shores of the

coast contiguous to La Guayra, abound with

cocoa-nut trees, and a great quantity of oil

is made from their fruit.

On the 23d of April, 1820 , I sailed from La

* These ill-fated victims were eight hundred in number.

They were taken to a spot about a mile distant from the town ;
were there shot two by two, and the bodies then placed in a pile
and burned. A cross is also erected here to commemorate
their suffering .
 252

Guayra for St. Thomas in his Majesty's ship

Salisbury. In quitting this place, I did so

with feelings of great regret, excited by the
recollection of the humane treatment I had

received from men, whom I had before been

led to regard as pityless ruffians, but whose

generous conduct to me had proved them to

possess hearts warmed by the finest and best
impulses of humanity. During the whole

time I had been amongst them, I could not

charge my memory with having experienced,

at their hands, the slightest insult, or the most
trifling unnecessary severity. When in pri-

son, my guards exercised their duty with be--

coming consideration towards me. If I re-

quested the least indulgence, even of a private

soldier, it was, if possible, immediately grant-

ed, and in a manner that greatly enhanced its

value ; but if I was, from necessity, denied, the

refusal was invariably conveyed in terms that

proved the pain which such necessity created .

Worn down by sickness, I had received from

enemies, (who were not so from necessity, but

from my own choice, ) that friendly care, that

kind solicitude, that unasked support, which

had restored me to the enjoyment of the first

great blessing of life ; and which evinced, on

their part, a spirit of the most refined and disin-

 253

terested charity. I had in short experienced,

from the constituted authorities, from the mi-

litary, and from the inhabitants without any

exception, that generous attention, and mer-

ciful treatment, which the unfortunate should
never fail to command. It is not therefore
wonderful that I should feel regret on leaving

men to whom I was so much indebted ; for I

did then, (and I trust ever shall) entertain to-

wards them the liveliest sentiments of grati-

tude .

On arriving at St. Thomas, my situation

was one of great distress and hopelessness.

It was true, I was possessed of liberty ; but was

in danger, amid plenty, of feeling the want of

the common support of life. In a place where

I could have no claim upon the government,
V
being an alien to their country, where I
knew no one, and was without money, I had

little prospect beyond misery and want. If

the latter were relieved , it must be by the

charity ofstrangers ; to whose scrutiny, taunts,

or reproaches, I was equally exposed , and

whose assistance (if given at all ) must be

voluntary, as my spirit would not stoop to

beg.

In the state of mind likely to be created by

being thus circumstanced , I paced the streets

 254

of St. Thomas, looking mournfully around

me, and hoping to receive some providential

means of relief. I gazed on the buzy multi-
tude, occupied in the exercise of their daily
functions, and made a silent contrast between

my helpless situation and their's. Agitated by

feelings of bitter remorse, for having so incon-

siderately abandoned my native country, to

seek preferment in almost unknown regions ;

and, dwelling with all the force of anguish

upon the abject state to which such im-

prudence had reduced me, I fancied, at the

moment, there was not a wretch under hea-

ven half so destitute as myself !

The hand of providence, however, inter-

posed to snatch me from such a prospect

of impending misery . The officers of the

Salisbury, from whom I had received every

kindness on the passage, offered me an asy-

lum on board the ship, as long as she remain-

ed at St. Thomas ; and one, with whom I had

occasionally been in company at London,

favoured me with the loan of a sum of money,

to answer my immediate wants.

This relief, though highly acceptable, was

but temporary ; when my permanent rescue

was effected by the friendship of a native of

that country, against which, I had proceeded
 255

from England in arms. I had, at La Guayra,

been in the constant habit of dining at the

house of Don Esteven Escobar, a merchant

of high respectability, where I had frequently

met my present kind deliverer. This gentle-

man's name is Don Manuel Uhagon, of the

respectable mercantile firm of that name at

Bilboa, from which place he had been at-

tracted by curiosity to visit La Guayra, Ca-
raccas, and some of the West India Islands .

It was my happiness to meet with him at St.

Thomas's, and no sooner had his questions eli-

cited a statement of my hapless circumstances,

than he made a generous offer of his purse and
services, and in a manner the most delicate.

He was on the point of proceeding to Europe,

and invited me to accompany him, which in-

vitation I gladly accepted, and a passage to

Bordeaux was immediately secured for me.

This noble- minded young man was not ig-

norant of the adventurous spirit of enmity to

Spain, by the indulgence of which I had be-

come thus reduced ; but he is one who is

above those petty prejudices which unfortu-

nately divide persons of different nations, and

therefore looked upon me only as a fellow-

creature, who, by a mistaken zeal for a mis-
 256

taken cause, was placed in a situation of great

trial, from which, under similar circumstances,
he would hail the hand of deliverance. He

therefore acted up to the spirit of the divine

law,
" and did to another as he would ano-

ther should do to him. " I trust I fully ap-

preciate his motives, for they were, I am well

convinced, the most pure and disinterested.

We sailed from St. Thomas on the 15th of

May, heartily rejoiced at leaving that nest of

robbers. The island belongs to the Danes,

and is a place of resort for all the outcasts of

other islands, where every nefarious species

of commerce is tolerated, and where men of

the most desperate characters and fortunes

are assembled. It is openly acknowledged

that, without recourse to a system that would

almost everywhere else be scouted , St. Tho-

mas would soon dwindle into insignificance.

The island is barren, and utterly destitute of

water ; the rain -water is therefore caught in

tanks, and there being so many of the latter,

causes great swarms of musquitoes . The town
is built upon. three hills, the houses of which

are principally composed of wood . Nothing

is worthy of notice beyond the ruins of two

towers, formerly erected by the celebrated
 257

buccaneers. The port is one of the finest in

the West Indies, and is, in fact, the only re-
commendation of the island .

On our passage home, we spoke with many

vessels ; and the enquiry, on both sides, inva-

riably was, whether any Independent priva-

teers had been seen ?-for against their depre-
dations no merchant-ship is secure, as they

frequently take advantage of their unpro-

tected situations, without regard to the co-
lours under which they sail.
We arrived safe at Bordeaux , where I was

further provided by my generous friend with

the means of proceeding to my own coun-

try ; and travelling by land through Paris

to Boulogne, I there took shipping, and on

the 4th of August, 1820, had the happiness of
once more treading the soil of England.

THE END .

J. M'Creery, Tooks-Court,
Chancery Lane, London.
 ERRATA.
Page 52, 1.3, for were, read was.
94, 1. 24, for he, read the latter.
115, 1. 12, for decency sake, read decency's sake.
202, 1. 12, for toute ensemble, read tout ensemble.
246, 1.5, for bas, read las.