Be 
2.40 
means with which he attempted the 
invasion of Caracas, without any 
secret co¥respondence with the ‘in- 
habitants, to caren tans him in his 
undertaking, much jess amy distinct 
or positive assurances of their aid 
and support in his enterprize. The 
sole ground of his hopes was the 
spirit of disaffection to the mo- 
ther country, supposed to prevail in 
the Spanish colonies, and desire to 
establish independent governments 
for, themselves. Being a natural 
born’ subject of the king of Spain, 
‘he was sure of being punish: ‘d asa 
traitor by any Spanish governor, 
into whose hands he fell: and as 
he had no commission from any 
“state fo make war on the Spanish 
settlements, his followers were lia- 
ble to be treated as pirates, if made 
prisoners. Such, however, was the 
juconsiderate enthusiasm and con- 
fidence of success, which animated 
these adventurers, that the dange 
of an ignominious death made no 
impression upon them, nor deterred. 
them in the least from pursuing their 
enterprize. 
Instcad of proceeding directly to 
his destination, Miranda stopped 
at St. Domingo, with views, it is 
said, of procuring assistance from 
that island, in which he was disap- 
pointed. ‘Thisdelay was extremely 
prejudicial to his enterprize, because 
it gave time to the governor of Ca- 
racas, who received from thence 
intelligence of his design, and of the 
forée with which he was accompani- 
ed, to fit out a squadron to prevent 
his landing. From St. Domingo he 
wert to the small island of Aruba, 
where he stopped to take in wag 
and was pursuing his voyage to the 
continent, when he was attacked by 
* April 7th. 
ANNUAL 'REC 
ESTER, 
a Spanish brig. of 20 guns and a 
schooner of 1¢ guns near Puerto 
Cabello.* - “An action ensued, in 
which he lost his two schooners, but 
escaped’ himself in the Leander to 
Grenada. Fifty. seven of his fol- 
lowers were taken in the schooners 
and carried to Puerto Cabello, where 
they were tried for piracy, ten of 
them condemned to death, and the 
rest, three boys excepted, to ten- 
years imprisonment in different for- 
tresses. . 
From Grenada Miranda repaired 
to Trinidad, and,nowise diseoncert- 
ed with his failure, began to prepare 
there for a second. expedition. A 
number of adventurers, attracted by 
the hope of plunder, crowded to his 
standard, and the captains of seve- 
ral British vessels on the coast ha- 
ving undertaken to protect his 
1806. 
landing, he set sail under their con-_ 
voy, and disembarked at Vela de 
Coro,+ Little , opposition — was 
made to him at that place,or at Coro, 
of which he took possession next 
day ; but the people of the country, 
instead of joining him, abandoned 
their habitations and fled at his ap 
proach. After attempting in vain 
to bring them back by promises 
and proclamatiens, and seeing no 
appearance of any moyements in his 
favour, he was compelled at length, 
from despair of succeeding in his 
enterprize, to reimbark for Aruba, 
from whence he returned to Trini- 
dad. The failure of this expedition 
is not, however, te be considered as 
a proof of the coldness and indif- 
erence of the Spanish Creoles to in- 
dependence, but rather as a conse. 
quence of their distrust of Miran. 
da, and bad opinion of the success 
of his enterprize. ; 
+ August 2d. 
~~ 
Tl Alia 
| 
