164 Account of the late Earthquake 



conversation with an image of the Virgin, or some privi- 

 leged saini *. Others gaily drowned their sorrow in rum ; 

 and all appeared much less grieved at the event, than thef 

 would have been at the loss of a process whieh affected 

 their rank as nobles, or deprived them of their precedence 

 in a public company or at a religious procession. 



It is too true, that human beings, naturally superstitious 

 and ungrateful, never so cordially respect their deities or 

 their kmgs when they are beneficent as when they are 

 severe : the more rigorous they are, the more just and 

 equitable are they esteemed. Such is the lot of mankind ! 

 they forget benefits ; and governors, in order to acquire 

 the homage which is due to them, must be feared : grati- 

 tude and love are senlinienis too delicate to be common 

 among mankind. 



Good Friday is without doubt the most imposing of the 

 Catholic holidays : it is that which ought to inspire the 

 most pious reflections; but at the Caraccas, as m many 

 other places, on this occasion, the women are occupied 

 with their dross, more anxious perhaps to appear amiable in 

 the sight of men than to worship the supreme Being: they 

 think of nothing but amusenient, and they almost forget 

 that Being who docs not manifest himself openly. But 

 scarcely had they experienced the earthquake, when they 

 said it was the thunder of Heaven sent to punish the crimes 

 of mortals: their elegant clothes were immediately laid 

 aside; those who had it in their power changed them for 

 coarse garments, by way of showing their penitence: sack- 

 cloth, cords, and chains, were substituted for elegant fa- 

 shions and seductive head-dresses. The ladies now sub- 

 jected themselves to monastic discipline, and beat without 

 remorse their bosoms, but a short time before adorned with 

 the most costly jeu'els : many of the gentlemen at the same 

 time forgot their gallantrv for fanaticism ; and, in order to 

 appease the anger of Heaven, they w-alked niaht and day 

 in processions, the body entirely uncovered with the ex- 

 ception of a large girdle, barefooted and with long beards, 

 a cord around their necks to which was frequently attached 

 a large stone, and on their shoulders they sometimes car- 

 ried a wooden cross 100 or J 50 pounds in weight. 



In the city and throughout tlie country there were pro- 

 cessions day and night; every mountain was transformed 

 into a Calvary, vi^here the people dying with hunger im- 



* The divine Being among the Spaniards seems to be absolutely un- 

 known; they never speak of him; it is the Virgin and the Saints wlio re- 

 ceive Skll their homage. 



plored 



