JUNTA SUPllEMA. 313 



ill the prison ; the troops of Lima were like- 

 wise allowed to pillage the city, and up- 

 wards of three hundred individuals were 

 murdered. 



In the year 1810, intelligence reached 

 Caraccas of the dispersion of the Central 

 Junta in Spain, and of the establishment 

 there of the Regency. It was then that the 

 inhabitants, becoming convinced that there 

 was no hope of reform or amelioration, (the 

 captain-general Emparan requiring a blind 

 submission to the orders of whatever go- 

 vernment was set up in Spain,) determined 

 to endeavour to obtain, by force of arms, 

 what was denied to their petitions. In this 

 attempt they were at first successful ; the 

 Spanish governing authorities were deposed, 

 and the municipality, in conjunction with 

 several individuals elected by the people, 

 assumed the reins of government, taking 

 the title of Junta Suprema : their acts, how- 



