IN OTHER DISTRICTS. 



141 



On the other hand, the Lake of Maracaybo underwent 

 considerable diminution. At Coro no commotion 

 was felt, although the town was situated on the coast 

 between other towns which suffered. The fishermen 

 who had passed the day of the 26th March in the 

 island of Orchila, 130 miles N.E. of La Guayra, 

 were not sensible of any shock." 



Towards the east of Caraccas the commotions 

 were very violent, especially beyond Caurimare, in 

 the valley of Capaya, and as far as the meridian of 

 Cape Codera, while they were very feeble on the 

 coasts of New-Barcelona, Cumana, and Paria, though 

 these shores are known to have been formerly shaken 

 by volcanic vapours. 



Fifteen or eighteen hours after the great catas- 

 trophe the ground ceased to be agitated ; but* subse- 

 quently to the 27th the tremblings recommenced, 

 and were accompanied with very loud subterranean 

 noises. Frequently not less than fifteen oscillations 

 were felt in one day. On the 5th April there was 

 an earthquake almost as severe as that of the 12th 

 March. The surface was in continuous undulation 

 during several hours, large masses of earth fell in 

 the mountains, and enormous rocks were detached 

 from the Silla. 



While violent agitations were experienced in the 

 valley of the Mississippi, in the island of St. Vincent, 

 and in the province of Venezuela, a subterranean 

 noise, resembling an explosion of artillery, was 

 heard at Caraccas, at Calabozo, and on the banks of 

 the Rio Apure, over the space of four thousand 

 square leagues. This sound began at two in the 

 morning of the 30th April, and was as loud on the 

 coast as at fhe distance of eighty leagues. It was 

 everywhere taken for the firing of guns. On the 

 same day a great eruption of the volcano of the 

 island of St. Vincent took place. This mountain 

 had not ejected lava since 1718, and hardly any 

 smoke was issuing from it, when in May, 1811, fre- 



