a deep impression on our minds, and we unhesitatingly determined on relinquishing every previous idea of joining the Independent armies. In this moment of perplexity and trouble, I could scarcely refrain from accusing myself of rashness and precipitancy, in having placed such implicit faith in the alluring expectations which had been so widely and confidently circulated in England, by the South Amecan active partisans; but on cool reflection, I felt, that I was rather the victim of deceit, than the dupe of my own folly and want of prudence. At the period of my departure from England, the tide of popular feeling ran strongly in favour of the patriot cause; and the black and sanguinary character of the warfare, and other derogatory circumstances, were either unknown, slightly glanced at, or enforced by authorities which I, perhaps too readily, considered undeserving particular attention. My own personal situation, and prejudice in favour of the colonists, likewise tended to weaken the strength of those arguments which were opposed to the South American pro

ject; but they now recurred most forcibly to my mind, with unavailing regret at having permitted them to possess so little influence and authority.

It was extremely difficult to procure information sufficiently authentic to authorize any positive opinion of the existing state of parties on the Spanish Main, or probable consequences of the present revolutionary contest; but those persons whose intelligence or local knowledge best qualified them to arrive at just conclusions on this interesting subject, appeared generally to consider the contest as one which would be far from terminated by the defeat of the royalists, and separation of the mother country. In numerical force the Independents are infinitely superior to their opponents; poverty, defective arms, and want of discipline, however, have heretofore paralyzed their exertions, and disabled them from combating with the actual strength they possess; but these circumstances, although they may protract the war, can scarcely render its termination in favour of the Patriots more doubtful,

At present the original or Indian natives, and the South American Spaniards, have united their exertions for the subversion of the royalist power; but it is only a mutual feeling of hostility against a common enemy, which has induced these two distinct classes to join their interests, and suspend the sentiments of jealous enmity with which they are animated against each other; and it is generally apprehended, that should their combined strength succeed in the present struggle, the contest will immediately assume another character, and South America become the seat of hostility between its white and black population.

The power and influence of the latter are even already sufficiently great to enable them to reach the highest military rank, and the system of slavery now scarcely exists; the Royalists and Independents having long since proclaimed a very general manumission, in the hope of securing from these people a more cordial and effective support. The adoption of this act of policy, I understood, originated in the Royalists granting freedom to such slaves as would

act in support of the established government. This circumstance, and the progress of the war have naturally tended to strengthen and give confidence to the coloured inhabitants, and it may not perhaps be too much to anticipate an ultimate result, similar to that which has taken place in the island of St. Domingo.

Shortly after our communication with the ex-patriot officers, we met with a person of the name of Hudson, who had been for several years in the service of the Independents, which he abandoned, as he informed us, in consequence of the non-fulfilment of engagements entered into with him by Bolivar. most mysterious, and was, as will be hereafter seen, no very estimable character; but his evidence was important as corroborating the accounts we had previously received.

This man appeared a

Mr. Hudson had, on many occasions, witnessed the hardships and distress encountered by the foreign officers attached to the patriot standard; and uniformly found them disgusted with the causé, and

anxious to embrace the earliest opportunity of abandoning it; and, as exemplifying his statement in this particular, he informed us that on a recent occasion he was present in the Oroonoco, when four foreign officers entreated in the most supplicating terms, the master of a vessel then trading on the river, to permit them to embark; offering him at the moment whatever they possessed, and, on their arrival at any of the West India Islands, such further compensation as he might demand; but the extreme hazard of discovery, and almost certain consequent destruction, deterred the master from acceding to their request.

To enter minutely into all the particulars with which we were made acquainted by Mr. H., would prove merely a repetition of what has been already stated; but as this gentleman performed a very conspicuous part in many of the ensuing events connected with the expedition, his appearance in the Journal will again become necessary. For the present, however, I shall refer to the proceedings on board the other vessels, and to some occurrences at Grenada, which