19 



not volcanic, have been formed by being raised 

 up, as if through crevices.) In the vallies of 

 Aragua, situate between Caraccas and the town 

 of San Felipe, the commotions were very weak : 

 and La Victoria, Maracay,and Valencia, scarcely 

 suffered at all, notwithstanding their proximity to 

 the capital. At Valecillo, a few leagues from 

 Valencia, the earth, opening, threw out such an 

 immense quantity of water, that it formed a 

 new torrent. The same phenomenon took place 

 near Porto-Cabello*. On the other hand, the lake 

 of Maracaybo diminished sensibly. At Coro no 

 commotion was felt, though the town is situate 

 upon the coast, between other towns which suf- 

 fered from the earthquake^." Fishermen, who 

 had passed the day of the 26th of March in the 

 island of Orchila, thirty leagues North-East of 

 La Guayra, felt no shock. These differences, 

 in the direction and propagation of the shock, 

 are probably owing to the peculiar arrangement 

 of the stony strata. 



Having thus traced the effects of the earth- 

 quake to the West of Caraccas, as far as the 



* It is asserted, that in the mountains of Aroa, the ground, 

 immediately after the great shocks, was found covered with 

 a very fine and white earth, which appeared to have been 

 projected through crevices. 



f Apuntamientos sobre las principales Circumstancias del 

 Terremoto de Caracas, por Don Manuel Palacio Faxardo. MS. 



