ROYALIST VICTORY. 363 



Morales and Boves ; but they were at last 

 defeated by a superior royalist force at 

 Urica, on the 5th of December 1814, in 

 which engagement Boves was slain. Rivas 

 was taken prisoner and shot, and his 

 head was sent to Caraccas, where it was 

 publicly exhibited. Bermudes embarked 

 with some troops for the island of La 

 Margarita. 



In the mean time the Spanish govern- 

 ment, averting itself from every idea of 

 conciliation, and determined, if possible, to 

 rivet its yoke by force upon the colonies, 

 fitted out an expedition at Cadiz, consist- 

 ing of ten thousand men, under the com- 

 mand of General Morillo, which sailed in 

 fifty transports, convoyed by two frigates. 

 One of the frigates was lost at Margarita, 

 the rest of the vessels arrived safe ; and 

 having left about two thousand men to 

 garrison the towns on the coast of Vene- 



