damsel of the region, still retired her head, scarcely concealed by a gauzy veil, the skirt of which flared in the air to the south-west. A brighter light above, and the shadows of the mountain upon the glassy waters followed, and presented a most sublime spectacle-still further adorned by the lofty Silla, which had now cast its veil of clouds away, and exposed its double summit to the admiring visitor.

Along the mountain foot a white vanishing line appearedit was the beating surf, not yet to be distinguished by the ear. No level space for human foot was visible between the steep declivity and unceasing surge. Drawing still nearer, the eye is engaged by a brighter steady white line on the sea verge; and behind, the appearance of a longer, higher range, of less distinctness-it is the long rampart that marks the port and the town of Laguayra, which seems stuck up against the face of the steep. Attracted to the right, a small promontory thrust into the sea, appears covered with Palmyra palms, which half conceal houses in the rear, on higher ground. It is Maquiteia, a handsome village about half a mile west of Laguayra. Before the eye is satisfied in contemplating this refreshing tropical picture, the objects appear more distinct and enlarged; but the face of the mountain between Maquiteia and Laguayra displays a dreary and desolate aspect, of dusky and grey shades; projecting rocks and broken red and yellow soil, sterile and destitute of verdure, as if the ocean had been pelting at it for ages, and left it alike bare of fruits and of vegetation. There are however, scattered on distant spots, three or four species of Cactus, imperceptible in the distance; and some Agaves or American Aloes, have seized upon some "coigns of vantage," and with giant arms hold places in their native soil.

The whole line of coast from Cape Codera is now displayed, and west of Maquiteia, about three miles, stands Cape Blanco, but with less altitude than made it formerly remarkable: it was sometimes spoken of as the west horn

of a bay, of which Codera was the east; but without any other than a remote similitude.

The Silla is now also more distinct, and the form of its summit, which has been named from a distant resemblance to a saddle, here gives its shape distinctly; the eastern summit being the highest, is said to resemble the fore part or pommel of a saddle, and the western or lowest summit compared to the cantle or hind part of the seat. The shore is no longer still nor silent, the roar of the beating surf is unceasing; and there appears a space between the surge and the mountain which presents a picture as minute, busy, and agitated as an anthill whose inmates are disturbed. Men and mules are the actors in this busy scene; a spacious causeway, the product of very great and judiciously applied labour, leads from the postern or Caracas gate to Maquiteia, and is also the high road to Caracas. As seen from the distance, it appears no broader than a ribbon, though it is, in many places, 60 and 100 feet broad, and is constructed about ten feet above the ordinary water line.

As the sun gained the south-west, the shadows of the Sierra slanted along the coast to the eastward, and left the horizon bright and clear, and, about two o'clock of the 18th, we came to anchor with 14 fathoms of cable out, in a posi tion about equidistant from Laguayra and Maquiteia, and a mile from the shore. The three fortifications behind the town, the works in front, and the village of Palms on our right, were now perfectly distinct, and proportionably interesting. The warmth of the glowing sun, the bright atmosphere, and the grove of palms, gave to me an Oriental resemblance; and all appeared to more advantage, except the battered aspect of the Sierra, on nearer approach. The recess, or scooped out space of the mountain, in the rear of the town, eastward, seemed more depressed, than when seen from the distance, and the principal fortress on the shoulder of the mountain had the appearance of a regu

lar work. I did not attempt to visit either, the ascent appearing to me rather difficult for goats. They appear less perpendicular on shore; but, for military purposes, their shot would not reach the anchorage, and could therefore be of no use, unless to batter an enemy in possession of the town, in the rear.

The fortification on the margin of the sea, in front of the town, appears to have been originally a palanka thrown up to mask the main street, with which it runs parallel: the rampart now is a well constructed curtain of masonry, without bastions, but it has a curved outward segment of a circle, of which the diameter may be seventy yards, and the radius six or eight feet; not sufficient to enfilade either flank with ef fect. It is casemated, the masonry arched and bomb proof; the surf eternally beats its foundation and dashes the spray over the rampart, which is without embrasures. The casemates beneath, as may be presumed, are for ever dripping. It was in these horrible casemates, the gallant patriots of the revolution were incarcerated, while the Spaniards held the place; and it was also the prison, often the grave, of men of virtue, before the revolution. Melancholy, however just, has been the retaliation; had the deputy tyrants, who gave the example, been themselves the objects of retribution, humanity would have no cause to lament them; but experience appears not to have had any effect upon the Spanish chiefs; who, persuaded and careful that retaliation should not reach themselves, from the precautions always made to insure their own escape, felt no concern nor sympathy for their countrymen, involved in the consequences of their barbarity.

There were but a few guns mounted; a considerable number had been transferred upon other service. The work it. self appears to more advantage on inspection, though the only skill manifest is the workmanship of the masonry and the casemates. I had assimilated the appearance of Funchal in Madeira from its road with that of Laguayra, by which many

years ago I had been deceived in the external appearance ; but as Funchal proved to be very much worse on shore than it promised at the distance, I found myself, by the false association, again deceived; for Laguayra proved to be much better within than it appeared from without.

But I am rambling into a description of what is on shore before I have yet landed. Upon coming to anchor the two ships saluted, and were answered from the citadel. The numerous ships in the road hoisted their colours, and in the van we recognized with particular satisfaction the U. S. Corvette Cyane, captain Robert Spence, who while we were at Caracas did so much honour to his flag, his country, and himself, by his prompt, manly, eloquent, and effective repulse of the outrageous menaces put forth in a proclamation, by the Spanish general Morales; menaces which he dared not to realize thereafter.

The hour of our arrival, and the bustle incident to entering port from the sea, rendered it prudent for the ladies to defer going on shore that evening; but on the 19th in the morning betimes the custom-house barge was along-side, and Señora Bolivar and her family were conveyed on shore, and the other cabin passengers, whom she invited, accompanied her.

The landing at Laguayra has been held forth as unusually dangerous. Those who have had occasion to land at St. Helena or at Madras, would consider it as a matter of very little difficulty at the worst, and we landed without any inconvenience whatever. The mode of landing from boats in common, is upon a stairs, attached to the side of a long wharf, which is projected on piles 160 or 170 feet into the sea: the boatmen are skilful, they place the boat in such a position as to swing with the rising swell to the side of the stairs, and the passenger seizes the instant before the surf recedes to jump or step on shore. Some accidents have occurred, but more through inexperience in the boatmen, or want of self-possession in the passenger, than any other cause. We landed in

a manner such as I had seen practised in Sandy Cove, St. Helena, by the boats of some American whalers, one of a company who made a party of pleasure round that island in 1795, where I was detained three months. Upon approaching the beach, the boat was rowed in, stern foremost, so as that the coming surge should carry her in full swing upon the strand. It was executed with skill; the moment the boat touched ground the rowers cast their oars into the retiring surf, and held the boat to prevent her floating off. Before the surge could return, each boatman took a lady upon his arm, as a nurse would take a child, and placed her safe above the water line; the returning surge brought back the oars, and the boat floated off with the retiring wave.

The time surely cannot be remote when the citizens and proprietors of Caracas and its rich neighbourhood will perceive how much they are interested in forming a commodious and secure harbour at Laguayra. Nature, which has prepared so much in the rough for man to finish, has provided already one spacious mole in the little promontory of Maquiteia; the materials for another are on the spot; and a port capable of protecting a thousand sail of the line from the worst storms of the Caribbean sea, may be formed at a less expense of money than such a work could be executed so near a great city in any part of the globe.

Having landed, we had the gratification to find, very unexpectedly, several acquaintances and friends waiting to greet us, some of them from Caracas, fifteen miles distant. The respectable consul of the United States, R. K. Lowry, among the rest; he had already fixed it, that Elizabeth should, during her stay, reside with her townswoman, Mrs. Lowry, at Maquiteia, and such arrangements had been made for all our accommodation as left us nothing to wish for.

Commodore Daniels, untired by the civilities rendered us on board, received us at the water-gate, and conducted us to the quarters of the commandant, to whom he intro