SUCCESS OF BOLIVAR. 371 



On the 2d of November, the Spaniards 

 evacuated Pampatar. The island of Marga- 

 rita being thus in complete possession of the 

 patriots, General Arismendi sailed, to form 

 a junction with the force in Barcelona. 

 Bolivar also, who, after his defeat at Ocu- 

 mare, had returned to Aux Cayes, sailed 

 from thence with fresh reinforcements for 

 Margarita, where he landed in December 



1816, and issued a proclamation for con- 

 voking the general congress of Venezuela; 

 he then went to Barcelona, where he or- 

 ganized a provincial government. 



At Barcelona, in February and March 



1817, Bolivar was attacked by the royalist 

 generals Real and Morales, whom, however, 

 he succeeded in repulsing with great loss. 

 Morillo himself, who had advanced with 

 four thousand men, was also driven back ; 

 and on his retreat was defeated by the pa- 

 triot general Paez, in a battle fought near 



2 B 2 



