TAKING OF PUERTO CABELLO. 335 



prisoners at Puerto Cabello, by means of 

 the treachery of the officer on guard, ob- 

 tained possession of the fort. General 

 (then Colonel) Simon Bolivar, who com- 

 manded in the town, considering it im- 

 possible to attempt to storm the fort, 

 without risking the destruction of the 

 town, embarked with his officers for La 

 Guayra. 



The possession of Puerto Cabello was of 

 much consequence to the royalists, as be- 

 sides obtaining there a considerable quan- 

 tity of ammunition, of which they were 

 much in want, they were enabled to open 

 a communication by sea with Coro and 

 Puerto Rico, from whence their army re- 

 ceived supplies in a much shorter time 

 than by land. 



Miranda, who was unable in the slightest 

 degree to rely upon the people of Caraccas, 



