58 SANTA MARTHA. 



bearing the commission of colonel in the 

 army. He made us the usual compliment- 

 ary" offers of all assistance in his power, and 

 consented that, although there existed an 

 embargo on all vessels, the Jane should 

 anchor and proceed again to sea without 

 detention. He also allowed an English 

 schooner to depart that had been detained 

 three weeks, and in all probability would 

 have remained as much longer had we not 

 made our appearance. 



The town presented the most deplorable 

 scenes of ruin and destruction. The In- 

 dians, who had kept possession of the 

 place for three weeks until General Mon- 

 tilla came down and retook it, had com- 

 mitted every species of wanton mischief, 

 and literally torn the place to pieces. The 

 population, which formerly amounted to 

 eight thousand, is now reduced to a few 



