20 



snowy mountains of Santa Marta, and the table 

 land of Santa Fe de Bogota, we will proceed to 

 consider their action on the country East of the 

 capital. The commotions were very violent be- 

 yond Caurimare, in the valley of Capaya, where 

 they extended as far as the meridian of Cape 

 Codera: but it is extremely remarkable, that 

 they were very feeble on the coasts of Nueva- 

 Barcelona, Cumana, and Paria ; though these 

 coasts are the continuation of the shore of La 

 Guayra, and formerly known to have been often 

 agitated by subterraneous commotions. Admit- 

 ting, that the destruction of the four towns of 

 Caraccas, La Guayra, San Felipe, and Merida, 

 may be attributed to a volcanic focus placed 

 under or near the island of St. Vincent, it may 

 be conceived, that the motion might have been 

 propagated from North- East to North-West * 

 in a line passing through the islands of Los 

 Hermanos, near Blanquilla, without touching 

 the coasts of Araya, Cumana, and Nueva Barce- 

 lona. This propagation of the shock might even 

 have taken place, without the intermediate points 

 at the surface of the Globe, the Hermanos 

 Islands for instance, having felt any commo- 

 tion. This phenomenon is frequently remarked 

 at Peru and Mexico, in earthquakes which have 



* Nearly in a line directed South, 64° West. 



