506 
ing that his cruelty and imprudence had 
spirited up and embodied an invincible 
enemy, had recourse to stratagems and 
negociations, with as little success : his 
perfidy and cruelty being fresh in their 
memories. Hisimpolicyin burning the city 
was also evident, as the inhabitants had 
now nothing to lose but theirlives, which 
he had rendered valueless, except for 
revenge. Bribes, threats, menaces, had 
no effect. After four months inactivity, 
sickness, want of provisions, and per- 
petual watching, the yellow or epidemic 
fevér raging also among his ranks, with 
unabated virulence, during the rainy 
months, and carrying off from fifteen to 
twenty men a day, he determined to 
cut a passage on the southern side of 
the island, about eighteen English miles 
in length. He began, and continued this 
herculean task for the space often days, 
incessantly labouring day and night, 
until he found himself at the foot ofa 
high mountain between Parawatchee 
and Juan Grugo, at the head of four 
thousand men, attacked on every side by 
an infuriated mob, that kept galling the 
workmen. This rabble force Morillo,in the 
morning, seemed to despise, and ordered 
the pioneers to continue working at the 
road; but finding the action getting 
hotter towards noon, he had to muster 
every soldier to oppose ‘them, which 
he effected with the loss of about 
two hundred, being nearly equal on 
both sides. The poor Creole natives 
had no arms nor ammunition, but 
what they took from their. enemies, 
amounting to about seven hundred 
muskets; and having little discipline, 
but what they learned, a few!months be- 
fore, from a few French refugees, then in 
the island, belonging to the dismembered 
army of Napoleon: the use of a firelock 
being unknown, and prohibited to them 
by the Spanish laws. General Morillo 
had to contend with savages half naked; 
but savages enthusiastic, vindictive, and 
brave; for on the following afternoon 
- they assembled to the number of seven 
thousand, including women and boys, 
and began a fierce attack, which lasted 
until midnight, when the Spaniards be- 
gan to give way. The women mingled 
in the affray, with long knives, and such 
weapons as they could find. A French 
officer (General Pino’s brother) gives 
the following account of that midnight 
‘of horrors :—“Apollyon, the prince of 
devils, could hardly imagine any thing 
more horrible than this night’s engage- 
ment presented to the affrighted spec- 
tator: a dark dismal night, the fright- 
Conduct and Defeat of General Morillo at Margarita. 
[Jan. 1, 
ful savage yells of the assailants, the 
shrieks of the wounded, and groans of 
the dying, joimed to the tumble of such 
of the Spaniards as fell into their hands, 
and were hurried to the brink of a 
frightful precipice, called the Valley of 
Sculls and Bones, and thence precipi- 
tated into this frightful gulf, within 
about fifteen yards of the. scene of ac- 
tion!” This lasted until four the next 
morning, when Morillo rallied his men, 
and formed about two miles from the 
scene of action, leaving the victorious 
Creoles in quiet possession of the valley. 
As neither party seemed disposed to 
renew the attack, he thought it prudent 
to decamp about twelve in the forenoon, 
leaving about six hundred of his unfor- 
tunate companions behind to perpetuate 
his disgrace, and whose bleached bones 
are piled up, as a melancholy trophy to 
the victors. He was now pursued to 
the very walls of the fortresses, by the 
victorious foe he so lately despised. 
He now, but too late, thought proper 
to abandon a spot, where the hand of 
God and man seemed combined to 
punish his perfidy; carrying with him 
less than three thousand half-famished 
soldiers, the remnant of seven thousand 
chosen men who accompanied him from 
Old Spain; and leaving the fortresses 
and guns to the victorious Creoles. 
They, very prudently, spiked and de- 
stroyed the guns, demolished the forti- 
fications, and determined to run the 
chance of a protracted warfare, in pre- 
ference to confining themselves to the 
town. Morillo embarked for the Spa- 
nish Main; on which stage he acted his 
tragical part, unequalled by any barba- 
rian of ancient or modern history. 
Description of the Island of Margarita. 
Margarita is a beautiful fertile island, 
clothed in eternal verdure, and presents 
to the eye of the approaching beholder 
a second Eden; but is very partially 
cultivated, owing to the events of the 
late struggles for liberty, and, hitherto, 
the insecurity of property, added to the 
indolence habitual to the natives, who 
are more addicted to feasting, dancing, 
carousals, and music, than to habits of 
industry: as eight or ten days’ labour 
will suffice to produce the year’s neces- 
saries. 
Society and Manners.—The people, 
like the Old Spaniards, are frugal, tem- 
perate, and abstemious; addicted to 
card-playing and cock-fighting. As the 
greater part are mulattoes or people of 
colour, their religion may be said to be 
a commixture of Romish and heathenish 
mummery, 
