into conversation with him, and expressed great happiness that the war, which had raged some short time before between England and Spain, was at an end. "I have had reason," said he, “to regret that differences should so often arise between nations. I had two brothers in the naval service, and the manner of their death will give you one instance of the sorrow that war oftentimes spreads through a whole family, and how infinitely happier we should be, could every one be persuaded to love his fellow-creatures. Each of them commanded a vessel, and, for a whole night, they fought before Cadiz, each supposing the other to be an enemy. The battle was so terrible that both vessels were sunk nearly at the same time. A very small part of the crews was saved, and my two brothers had the misfortune to recognize each other before they expired." It may here be mentioned, also, that Philips saw, almost at his first landing, how ingenious men are in devising new modes of defence in warfare. The castle of Antonio is built on the extremity of a hill, and its approach is guarded by a strong and thorny plant, called opuntia, which, by its formidable prickles, as well as its strong growth, forms an excellent barrier. They are also careful to keep those dangerous reptiles, the crocodiles, in the ditches of their fortified places.

But nothing surprised Philips more than the time the natives passed in the small river

Manzanares, which flows into the sea at Cumana, after skirting as has been mentioned, its southand western sides, A little experience however, convinced him, that in a country where the heat is so intense, the means of bathing, which the river gave them, was the greatest luxury. The children might be said to pass a great part of their lives in the water; and even the women, from the lowest to the highest rank knew how to swim. Indeed, so much do the people delight in it, that one of the first ques tions they ask each other in the morning, is whether the water is cooler than it was the evening before, just as, amongst us the weather is talked of. Every evening whilst he remained at Cumana, he visited a very respectable family, and their mode of receiving their friends will undoubtedly astonish the reader, as much as at first, it astonished Philips, Chairs were placed in the river, the men and women were clothed in a light dress, and the family and strangers sat there for some hours smoking segars, and chatting upon ordinary events. Sometimes however, the company were put to flight by the dolphins which now and then ascended the river, spouting water, and gambolling, in such a manner as to send them away.

It was during one of these evening parties, that Philips obtained some account of the Earthquake of 1766, from an old gentleman who was one of the sufferers on that melancholy occasion.

For fifteen months previous, no rain had fallen, so that the ground appeared quite parched by the drought. On the 21st of October, in that year, the ground opened and threw out quanti ties of hot water, and the whole of the houses were overturned. Happily however, only a small number perished who had fled to the Churches; for the great majority had, on the first alarm, rushed into the street, where they were safe. For fourteen months, the shocks were repeated every hour, and during all this period, the inhabitants encamped in the streets and when the Earthquakes recurred only once a month, they began to rebuild their houses.Is it possible, said Philips that people who know not but the next shock may render all their la bour useless, and perhaps destroy themselves, could think of building new habitations—yes, answered his informant, and it is a remarkable proof of the Almighty's Goodness, in enabling us to bear whatever His wisdom judges necessary. I have been in Quito he continued, on the Western coast of our continent, where the shocks of Earthquakes are much more frequently felt than with us, and so accustomed are the natives to them, that they do not even think of rising from their beds at night, though the approach of an Earthquake is always announced by an under-ground hollow noise, something like the rumbling of a heavy waggon, over rough pavement. They have often told me, that they

were not more alarmed at hearing the thunder roll beneath their feet, than Europeans are at hearing it in the clouds, so soon does confidence spring up in the human breast, and we learn to bear with fortitude the evil that is unavoidable, But the Earthquake which this gentleman described, was not to be compared with that which destroyed Caraccas, in 1812, and which Philips afterwards heard related in another company; Caraccas is the Capital Town of a province of the same name, belonging to Spain, and going by sea, is about sixty leagues from Cumna. The twenty-sixth of March, the day on which it happened, was Holy Thursday, and a great part of the people was collected in Churches; at four o'clock the first shock was felt, and it was sufficiently violent to ring the bells of the Churches-a tremendous noise succeeded, and the ground began to heave like a wave of the sea, and to be pushed upwards, as it were from below. The consequences were dreadful the town was entirely overthrown; between nine and teu thousand people were buried under the ruins of the houses and the Churches. This number however, did not include those who died afterwards from their wounds. Of these nearly two-thousand were dug out of the ruins-never said the person who related the catastrophe, was pity more affectingly shewed. Implements for digging and clearing away the ruins were entirely wanting,

and the people were obliged to use their bare hands. The wounded were laid on the banks

they found no shelter, Beds, linen, medicine under the ruins, even

of the river Guayra, but except under the trees. and food, were buried water was scarce, for the falling in of the earth had checked the springs which supplied the city, and it became necessary to send for it to the river. What a scene of desolation was witnessed in the night of that day; the thick cloud of dust which had darkened the air, had then settled on the ground; no shock was felt, and never was a night more calm. The moon was nearly, full, and it shone brightly upon the earth, which was covered with the dead, and heaped with ruins. Parents were seen carrying their children in their arms, whom they hoped to recall to life, and the people pressed along the streets, each seeking a relative or a friend.But how were such numbers of dead disposed of said Philips. I recollect that during the great plague of London, the Magistrates were at last obliged to have the dead interred without distinction. That said his informant was impossible from the number; Officers therefore were appointed to burn them, and for this purpose, piles of wood were collected in the neighbour hood of the ruins, on which the bodies were laid, and the whole set fire to.-Happy Ireland, thought Philips, as the gentleman concluded his account, how gratefully should we thank the