181 
SARTHttUAKE IN VENEZUELA, 
tile eartliquake had spared. The whole was 
'he "'^''h a most noisome stench. The thunderiiifi, ot 
The thundermgot 
HHjC'^^ant falling mountains ; tlie sky overcast with a 
’‘ftstif F ; and the crash of the tailing b-iildmgs ; gave 
liavl^=ible horror to the scene. This dreadtul calamity 
fciljiJ'’ ^fiased, the whole island exhibited a scene of dc- 
f'ew of die houses which had not been swal- 
klaij'’ 
Verl'^' ot tlie Houses wiueu uau 
Wai), !^P tvere left standing; and whatever giew on the 
%is 1°*'® shared in the universal ruin. Ihese cultivated 
Hen"?® tiow converted into large pools ot water, which, 
*tit|a il^tid up hy the sun, left so many plains ot barien 
^hli, greater part ot the rivers had, dunng the 
ttia, been choiiked by the tailing in ot die delaclied 
Ht 
liiid it w’lIS not until soiue tuiic uitci 
t tK ^^^^tintalas j 
W ?y made themselves new channels. Ihe. mounUiins 
“I been more particularly exposed lo the torcc 
Ui-dtii tremendous shock; and it was coiijcctuied, 
Hek *®.P'''ticipal scat of the concussion was among them. 
Watd ? 'he inhabitants as were saved, sought shelter on 
IW(j hie ships in the harbour, and remained tlicre above 
Hillih'omhs, the sliocks coniinulng during that uiterviU 
’tile or less violence every day. 
11 
^®'h of March, 1812, between four and five, p. m. 
i^'as visited by one ot those tremendous eaith- 
'"hiich from time to time ruin whole provinces, 
minute and fifteen seconds the earth was coit- 
Hts m-ery clirection, and nearly twenty thousand per- 
s 'ton • '“"‘"■’s. The towns of Caraccas, La Guayra, 
Merida, and Santcllpe, were totally destroyed. 
>sidL ‘hmo, Valencia, i.a Vittoria, and others, sutlered 
S, a 'i’his catastrophe happened on Holy llmrs- 
h'eftv,,"fy when every Christian ciiurcli peculiarly com- 
? ''erv sullcriiigs of our blessed lleJeemer, and at 
■ hf when the people were crowding mto me 
Cl!/® attend ihe processions which are usual m Ito- 
^ Sid . Countries, and to see the representation of 
vlQin. i_ 1 , ri ' nn t:iu''h 
UARTliCiUAKl'l IN VENEZUKLA. 
of 
AA»W ■* — j: 
'lOn 'o 'he cross. Troops are placed on such 
“ at the entrance of the churches, to follow the 
'ut led 
