498 



SPANISH AMERICA. 



greatest test of friendship at this time was 

 to be allowed one or two whiffs of a 

 comrade's pipe. 



Returning to the events of the war : — in 

 1817, nearly the whole of New Grenada was 

 in the possession of the Spaniards. Towards 

 the close of that year, Bolivar, having been 

 nominated supreme director of Venezuela, 

 established his head-quarters at Angostura. 

 On the 31st of December, he marched with 

 two thousand cavalry and two thousand five 

 hundred infantry; ascended the Orinoco, 

 was joined on his way by Generals Cedeno 

 and Paez, and in forty-two days he was 

 before the ramparts of Calabozo, three hun- 

 dred leagues from Angostura. 



Morillo was then at Calabozo ; but after 

 a battle, or rather three actions, fought on 

 the 12th, 13th, and 14th of February 1818, 

 was compelled to abandon the place. Bo- 

 livar pursued him, and defeating him again 

 on the 16th and 17th at Sombrero, Morillo 



