276 M. Huraboldfs accoimt of the Earthquake 
New Granada from the branches of the high Sierra de Santa 
Martha as far as Santa Fe de Bogota and Honda, on the 
banks of the Magdalena, 180 leagues from Caraccas. It was 
every where more violent in the Cordilleras of gneiss and mica- 
slate, or immediately at their foot, than in the plains : and this 
difference was particularly striking in the savannahs of Varinas 
and Casanara. In the valleys of Aragua, situate between 
Caraccas and the town of San Felipe, the commotions were 
very weak : and La Victoria, Maracay, and Valentia, 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 diminish- 
ed sensibly. At Coro no commotion was felt, though the town 
is situated upon the coast, between other towns which suffered 
from the earthquake. 
“ Fifteen or eighteen hours after the great catastrophe, the 
ground remained tranquil. The night, as we have already ob- 
served, was fine and calm ; and the commotions did not recom- 
mence till after the 27th. They were then attended with a 
very loud and long continued subterranean noise. The in- 
habitants of Caraccas wandered into the country; but the 
villages and farms having suffered as much as the town, they 
could find no shelter tiU they were beyond the mountains of Los 
Teqiies, in the valleys of Aragua, and in the Llanos or Sa- 
vannahs. No less than fifteen oscillations were often felt in one 
day. On the 5th of April there was almost as violent an earth- 
quake, as that which overthrew the capital. During several 
hours the ground was in a state of perpetual undulation. Large 
masses of earth fell in the mountains ; and enormous rocks were 
detached from the Silla of Caraccas. It was even asserted and 
believed that the two domes of the Silla sunk fifty or sixty toises; 
but this assertion is founded on no measurement whatever. 
While violent commotions were felt at the same time in the 
valley of the Missisippi, in the island of St Vincent, and in the 
province of Venezuela, the inhabitants of Caraccas, of Calabozo, 
situated, in the midst of the steppes, and on the borders of the 
Bio Apura, in a space of 4000 square leagues, were terrified 
