wMch destroyed the Town of Caraccas in 1812. 277 
on the 30th of April 1812, by a subterraneous noise, which re- 
sembled frequent discharges of the largest cannon. This noise 
began at two in the morning. It was accompanied by no 
shock ; and, what is very remarkable, it was as loud on the 
coast as at eighty leagues distance inland. It was every where 
believed to be transmitted through the air ; and was so far from 
being thought a subterraneous noise, that at Carraccas, as well 
as at Calabozo, preparations were made to put the place into a 
state of defence against an enemy, who seemed to be advancing 
with heavy artillery. Mr Palacio, crossing the Rio Apura 
near the junction of the Rio Nula, was told by the inhabitants 
that the ‘ firing of cannon'’ had been heard as distinctly at the 
western extremity of the province of Varinas, as at the port of 
La Guayra to the north of the chain of the coast. 
“ The day on which the inhabitants of Terra Firma were 
alarmed by a subterraneous noise, was that on which happened 
the eruption of the volcano in the island of St Vincent. This 
mountain, near live hundred toises high, had not thrown out 
any lava since the year 1718. Scarcely was any smoke perceiv- 
ed to issue from its top, when, in the month of May 1811, fre- 
quent shocks announced, that the volcanic fire was either re- 
kindled, or directed anew toward that part of the West Indies. 
The first eruption did not take place till the 27th of April 
1812, at noon. It was only an ejection of ashes, but attended 
with a tremendous noise. On the 30th, the lava passed the 
brink of the crater, and, after a course of four hours, reached 
the sea. The noise of the explosion ‘ resembled that of alter- 
nate discharges of very large cannon and of musketry ; and, 
what is well worthy of remark, it seemed much louder at sea, 
at a great distance from the island, than in sight of land, and 
near the burning volcano.’ 
“ The distance in a straight line from the volcano of St Vin- 
cent to the Rio Apura, near the mouth of the Nula, is 210 nautical 
leagues. The explosions were consequently heard at a distance 
equal to that between V esuvius and Paris. This phenomenon, con- 
nected with a great number of facts observed in the Cordilleras 
of the Andes, shows how much more extensive the subterra- 
nean sphere of activity of a volcano is, than we are disposed to 
admit from the small changes effected at the surface of the globe. 
