40 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



wiih regard to this terrible con- 

 vulsion of nature, which seems 

 almost to have rivalled the earth- 

 quake that laid Lisbon in ruins 

 more than half a century ago. 



Extract of a letter from Tho- 

 mas Molini, esq. dated Caraccas, 

 March 29, 1812, to his brother, in 

 London : — " The dreadful catas- 

 trophe that took place in this city 

 on Thursday last, my pen is not 

 able to describe : you will, without 

 doubt, receive the dreadful details 

 from other quarters. 



" My only motive for writing, 

 is to allay your apprehensions rela- 

 tive to my perton, and I hope you 

 will receive this letter as soon as 

 the shocking account reaches Eng- 

 land. 



" On the day above mentioned, 

 at about seven minutes past four in 

 the afternoon, we experienced one 

 of the most drcadiul earthquakes 

 you can imagine. In less than 

 three minutes one quarter of the 

 town was laid in ruins, and tiie re- 

 maining three-fourths of the houses 

 rendered totally uninhabitable. 

 The number of lives lost is not yet 

 ascertained, but the most moderate 

 accounts estimate it at 5,000 souls. 



" Similar accounts have reached 

 us from La Guayra, and various 

 other quarters : what is the extent 

 of the evil in the interior we do not 

 yet know. I fear the calamity has 

 been general throughout the con- 

 tinent. 



" P. S. general Miranda is well, 

 and was out of town when the 

 dreadful event happened." 



Extract of a letter from captain 

 Cuthbert, of the sh'p Highlander, 

 dated La Guayra, April 1, 1812: 



"Since my anival here, one of 

 the greatest calamities has occurred 

 at tliis place that ever happened in 



any country. On the 26th ult. 

 whilst on board, I heard a most 

 dreadful report of an earthquake : 

 it lasted as nearly as my recollection 

 will serve, about two minutes, I 

 soon learnt that the town of La 

 Guayra was laid in ruins, and that 

 numbers of the inhabitants were 

 killed and buried in them. The 

 city of Caraccas, I understand, has 

 experienced a still worse fate, and 

 has been totally abandoned by the 

 unfortunate inhabitants. The rocks 

 and mountains were rent asunder ; 

 and it is impossible for pen to de- 

 scribe the devastation occasioned 

 by this horrible explosion. The 

 cargo which I was to have taken 

 on board has shared the fate of 

 nearly all the goods in the city, 

 and has been swallowed up in the 

 general ruin. When the shock 

 was first felt on board, every per- 

 son was impressed with the feeling 

 that the ship was beating to pieces 

 on the rocks. On my going on 

 shore, the most awful and afflict- 

 ing scenepresented itself; hundreds 

 of the suffering inhabitants were 

 seen mixed with heaps of ruins, 

 and many of them still yet alive 

 with their heads out, imploring 

 assistance from their fellowcitizens, 

 who, instead of affording them aid, 

 were throwing themselves prostrate 

 before images, beatingtheir breasts, 

 and imploring for themselves the 

 protection of their saints. When 

 the alarm had in some degree sub- 

 sided, the bodies of the dead were 

 sought for. I regret I have not 

 been able to ascertain the extent of 

 the loss which this haple.'S city has 

 sustained." 



An account of the total value of 

 the forged notes presented at the 

 Bank of England for payment, 

 and refused, Tioin being forged, 



for 



