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against the English government, has performed. These stipulations however lately declared in his Year's Resi- were not fulfilled, not from any delusion dence in America," (which the pressure or deceit on the part of Colonel G. but, of other articles alone has prevented us as it appears, from Don Mendez having from noticing)" England is my Coun- excited hopes which could not be realitry, and to England I shall return: Ized, and also having guaranteed the like it best, and shall always like it best."

performance of conditions the fulfilment of which has since proved impracticable. Mr. Hackett, frustrated in all his hopes and prospects, after encountering perils of no common magnitude, has once more returned to his native country; and, while he cherishes the same ardent wishfor the success of the South American, Patriots, (whose ultimate independence. we consider as certain) he has published his interesting work, as a warning example to those who may at the present moment be preparing to engage in a similar speculation.

The public are greatly obliged to Mr. Fearon for the large mass of important information which he has collected, and for the plain and manly way in which it is communicated. Though a very short time only has elapsed since the publica-es tion of his work, such is the interest it has excited, that a second edition was announced while we were preparing the present article for the press.

Narrative of the Expedition, which sailed from England in 1817, to join the South American Patriots; comprising every particular connected with its formation, history, and fate; with observations and authentic information elucidating the real character of the contest, mode of warfare, state of the armies, &c. By James Hackett, First Lieutenant of the late Venezuela Artillery Brigade, 8vo. 5s. 6d. Murray, London, 1818.

So various and so contradictory have been the statements, circulated at different times, relative to the affairs of the South American Patriots, that we gladly hail the appearance of a publication, possessing something like authenticity. And such is Mr. Hackett's Narrative.

Five distinct corps embarked at nearly of war in South America, occupied by the the same period, for that part of the seat Independent General Bolivar.

1st. A Brigade of Artillery, under the command of Colonel J. A. Gilmore, con sisting of five light six-pounders, and one five-and-half-inch howitzer, ten officers and about eighty non-commissioned officers and men. This corps embarked on board the Britannia, a fine ship of about four hun dred tons burden, commanded by Captain Sharpe, with a crew of twenty-one able and well-conducted scamen. An immense quantity of every description of military stores had been stowed on board this vessel, comprising arms, ammunition, clothfor enabling the brigade to enter upon acing, waggons, and in fact every requisite tive service immediately on arriving at its place of destination.

J

viduals who had accepted commissions in of the other corps were likewise in every this ill-fated expedition. The equipments respect extensive and complete, and the uniforms remarkably rich and costly, more especially in the regiment commanded by Colonel Wilson, one of whose officers inform me that his outfit amounted to upwards of two hundred guineas.

The uniforms and equipments of the The auspicious termination of the late officers were extremely rich, very similar war having compelled our author to resign to those of the British Artillery, and prothe hopes he had entertained of procu-vided altogether at the expense of the indiring a commission in the military service of his own country, he was led in September 1817 to turn his attention towards the contest in South America, as presenting a fertile field for honourable enterprize. He accordingly was introduced to Colonel Gilmore, who had been appointed by Don Mendez (the agent in London for the republic of Venezuela) to the command of an intended Artillery Brigade; and by whom he was nominated to a first lieutenancy in his own corps, with a positive assurance that certain conditions would be faithfully

Venezuelan Hussars) under the command 2. A corps of Hussars (called the First of Colonel Hippesley, consisting of about thirty officers, and one hundred and sixty non.commissioned officers and men; uniform dark green faced with red. This corps embarked on board the Emerald, a

3d. A regiment of cavalry (called the Red Hussars) under the command of Colonel Wilson, consisting of about twenty officers, and one hundred non-commissioned officers and men. Uniform-full-dress, red and gold; undress, blue and gold. This corps proceeded in the Prince, a vessel of about four hundred tons burden, commanded by Captain Nightingale.

extremely critical; and while they were concerting what measures should be adopted, they were suddenly ordered by the Swedish Governor to quit this island, before the end of the ensuing week, in consequence of the injudicious and unsuccessful (not to say piratical) attempt of some of Mr. Hackett's fellow-adventurers to cut out a Spanish Polacre from Marygott Bay.

We have not room to follow our author through his affecting details of the 4th. A rifle corps (named the First Venemiseries endured by himself and many zuelan Rifle Regiment) commanded by Colonel Campbell, consisting of about thirty-seven officers, and nearly two hundred non-commissioned officers and men. Uniform similar to that of the Rifle Brigade in the British service. This corps embarked on board the Dowson, Captain Dormor, a fine ship about the size of the

Britannia.

of his comrades, in endeavouring to procure a passage to Europe. Suffice it to remark that, having obtained a passage to the English Island of St. Kitts, and having failed in their application to the Governor for a passage to Europe, they were humanely received by Captain Waland some others to work their way home ker of the Hornby, who allowed Mr. H. as common seamen, and throughout the voyage treated them with the utmost

5th. A corps of Lancers, under the command of Colonel Skeene, comprising in officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates, about two hundred and twenty men; who embarked on board the uufor-kindness. tanate ship Indian, and the whole of whom together with the crew perished miserably at sea, being wrecked on the island of Ushant, shortly after their departure from England.

These several corps sailed from England at nearly the same time, with the intention of acting conjointly on arriving in South America, and having previous to their departure appointed the islands of Saint Bartholomew and Saint Thomas, as places of general rendezvous, for the purpose of ascertaining the state of affairs on the Spanish Main, and determining the point at which it would be most judicious the disembarkation should take place.

We shall not follow our author through the journal of his voyage, which contains several amusing particulars, but shall take up his narrative at the Swedish Island of St. Bartholomew, where he arrived on the 24th Dec. 1817, after a voyage of twenty-two days.

At this Island, which (Mr. H. states) may be considered as a place of general rendezvous for smugglers of every description, the Swedes received the adventurers with great kindness and hospitality. Several weeks, however, elapsed without their being able to procure any authentic intelligence from the main, and the reports they received were of the most unfavourable kind. Their situation was

During Mr. Hackett's residence in the West Indies, he collected numerous particulars, relative to the state of the Pataiot Army in Venezuela, whose condition seems to have been deplorable in We extract the following the extreme. passages for the information of our readers.

The patriot forces were reduced to a state of the greatest poverty, totally devoid of discipline, and not one-fourth provided with proper military armas, the remainder being compelled to resort to bludgeons, knives, and such other weapons as they found most readily procurable.

In clothing they were still more destitute and deficient, in most instances merely consisting of fragments of coarse cloth wrapt round their bodies, and pieces of the raw buffalo bide laced over their feet as a substitute for shoes, which when hardened by the sun's heat, they again render pliant by immersion in the first stream at which they chance to arrive.

A blanket, with a hole cut in the middle, let over the head, and tightened round the body by a buffalo thong, has been frequently the dress of the officers; and one of them who witnessed the fact, assured me, that such was actually the uniform of a British Colonel (R--) who was at that time in the Independent service. Whilst these gentlemen thus described the patriot habi. liments, they commented in the strongest

language on the impolicy and imprudence of proceeding to serve in conjunction with an army barefooted and in rags, provided with such splendid uniforms as we had been obliged to procure; and ridiculed the strange contrast which our dresses and those of the Patriots would exhibit in the field, observing, that such clothes would be alone sufficient to excite the jealousy of the natives, to whose eagerness for their possession, we would almost inevitably become a sacrifice.*

wounded are in like manner put to the sword.

The following instance of vindictive cru. elty on the royalist side, was related to me by an officer who was present in the engagement in which the transaction origi. hated. In this action, a young Freuch officer, in the service of the Independents, had his arm severed from his shoulder by a sabre cut and being unable to sustain himself from loss of blood, he sunk to the ground. His distinguished bravery had however previously been observed by his companions, who succeeded in bearing him off the field, from whence they conveyed him into the woods, and sheltered him in a negro but: where having applied such balsams as could be procured, they departed. The armies retired to other parts of the country, and the officer was fast recovering from the effects of his wound, when General Morillo, advancing upon the same route, discovered his retreat, and had him instantly put to death.

The Independent armies march in hordes, without order or discipline; their baggage consisting of little more than the scanty covering on their backs. They are totally destitute of tents, and in their encampments observe neither regularity nor system. The commanding officers are generally mounted, and likewise such of the others as are able to provide themselves with horses or mules, the latter of which are in great plenty. The exterminating principle upon which the war is carried on Such was the barbarous system pursued between the contending parties, render their campaigns bloody and destructive; by the belligerent parties; although I must desolation marks the progress of those hos-in justice observe, that I have always untile bands, to whose inveterate enmities derstood the exercise of these cruelties orithe innocent and unoffending inhabitants ginated with the Royalists, and were subare equally the victims, with those actually sequently resorted to by the Independents on principles of retaliation. Hence the sysopposed to them in military strife. In ac tion the independents display much bra-neral law, and has now, it is to be feared, tem became reciprocal; passed into a gevery and determination, and frequently become unalterable. prove successful, notwithstanding their want of discipline, deficiency of arms, and undergo during their campaigns, from the The sufferings which the Independents disorderly manner of attack and defence. difficulty of procuring food, are most seUnhappily the work of death terminates not with the battle, for on whatsoever side vic-dried corn, which they carry loose in their vere; mules' flesh, wild fruits, and some tory rests, the events which immediately succeed those sanguinary struggles are such as must cast an indelible stain upon the Spanish American Revolution.

The engagement is scarcely ended, when an indiscriminate massacre of the prisoners takes place; nor is the slaughter only confined to the captives, the field also undergoes an inspection, when the helpless

There is serious reason to apprehend that the truth of this observation has been recently but too fatally exemplified on the banks of the Oroonoco, in the massacre of several British officers, who were proceeding to join the Independent armies. As, however, this melancholy event has not received perfect confirmation, I shall merely observe, that the occurrence was fully credited at St. Kitt's previous to my departure from that island; and I have, since my return, heard from officers more recently arrived that it was universally reported that our unfortunate countrymen had been assassinated by a party of the Patriots themselves, for the purpose of gaining possession of their bag. gage.

pockets, frequently constituting the whole

of their subsistence: and we were confi

dently assured, that the army, under Genersl Bolivar has even often been for days together dependent for support, solely upon the latter description of provisions and wathem, in consequence of the utter exhauster. Pay was now totally unknown to tion of their resources; and, however successful they might eventually be, there existed no probability whatever, that they would even then possess the means of affording pecuniary compensation to those who may have participated in the struggle.

Lest the preceding narrative should appear exaggerated, our author confirms it by the following extract of a letter from Trinidad, written by an officer who had preceded him in order to embark in the service of the Patriots.

Trinidad, Dec. 18th, 1817. "On our arrival at Margaritta, we were struck with the desolate appearance of the place, which is wretched and barren beyond description,

the earth totally parched, not having any bread, fish, and execrable rum aud water, rain for the last eight months. The Roy-(there was not a bottle of wine in the island). alists had been there about a month previ- The table was set out under a shed at ons to our arrival, and had destroyed every the back of the remains of a bouse; they thing in their progress through the island. never in general are able to muster a plate There was not a single house with an between two; if not, a saucer or earthen entire roof, and but two or three with bare pan answers the purpose. We were at no walls, the rest had been totally destroyed, loss for knives and forks as they generally together with every human being they dis- make use of their fingers in preference. covered. Women and infants shared the The General appeared to be a bold detersame indiscriminate fate; and many by the mined character, well suited for a captain severest tortures. The priests were cut to of banditti; the rest appeared equally well pieces at the altars, to which they had fled qualified to hold their subordinate situafor protection, and the churches stript of tions; nor could they be distinguished from every thing valuable. The convents were such a gang by any other means than the in like manner destroyed, and such of the want of the luxuries, or even necessaries nuns as were reserved from slaughter, were which those gentry usually posses. We carried away with them as victims of their understood at Margaritta, that the Indebrutality. In several places the remains pendents had lost the whole of Venezuela, of carnage were distinguishable by the and that Bolivar was in the Orooroco. bleached bones of the sufferers. Some few Some few, who, I believe, have no other miserable wretches who had by a timely resource, still continued resolved to join flight to the mountains escaped slaughter, the cause-others determined to return to were observed nearly starved, and half na- England; and we, therefore, agreed to ked, sitting amongst the ruins of their for- make this island, which would, of course, mer bouses. In every occurrence a total enable each party to follow their own inwant of system in the leaders was evident; clinations." each merely made the cause a pretext or cloak for his own private views: there are no laws or regulations to bind them, or even to control their inclinations, each possess ing absolute arbitrary power, without a sentiment of honour, justice, or humanity. An instance of this was related to me by a black ruffian who is the interpreter to General Arismendi: be said, that a few days before we arrived, the General sent for one of the Royalists who had been taken prisoner, and amused himself by thrusting his sword into various parts of his body; the black, who longed to have his share of blood, at length lopped off the poor fellow's head, and appeared to take the most savage pleasure in reflecting on the jump which the headless carcase gave before it fell to the ground.

"The ship, called the Two Friends, arrived about three weeks previous to us, on the same unlucky errand. She left England with about 100 passengers, all except thirty quitted her at Saint Thomas's; these thirty were in the most miserable condition, having been under the necessity of selling their clothes and every valuable to pro ure food, being only allowed a bit each per day, (about five pence) which would not purchase three ounces of bad bread. Meat is totally out of the question, there not being any cattle whatever on the island; their fish is however tolerably good, but extremely dear,

****] dined several times with the General, (be is second in command to Bolivar ;) there were usually several of the chief officers at able. The dinner always consisted of

|

In their voyage home, the vessel touched at the island of Fayal, one of the Azores; and as every information relative to these comparatively unknown islands, cannot but be gratifying, we shall conclude our notice of Mr. Hackett's volume with his account of Horta, the capital city of that island.

The Azores abound in beauties of the most diversified character; and as the Horuby sailed round the point and entered the roads of Horta, the prospect was peculiarly fine.

The town is built close to the shore, and, viewed from the harbour, has the appearance of considerable magnitude and im portance, owing principally to the great number of religious buildings conspicuous in every direction; and which, on first appearing before the little city, give it an air of architectural magnificence, of which, with the exception of the monasteries, churches, and a few private houses, a mere minute acquaintance proves it to be totally devoid.

t

Shortly after the Hornby entered the roads, the revenue officers, attended by a strong military guard, came on board; but, after examining our papers, and going through the usual forms, retired, leaving two officers in charge of the vessel, and granting us unrestricted permission to go ashore whenever we pleased. Of this indulgence we soon availed ourselves, accompanied by one of the officers for a guide. It was now fast approaching to

twilight, the evening serene, and the convent bells chiming with the most plaintive solemnity for vespers. Our conductor led us through the principal parts of the town, pointing out the various objects deserving attention, and describing the different religious orders to which the numerous monastic structures, &c. respectively belonged.

During our perambulations through this little city, the only interruption to the pla cid stillness of the evening was the tinkling of guitars, which proceeded from almost every house, and appeared to be the general pastime of the inhabitants. After abroad, night-fall the Portuguese seldom go the few we met were wrapped up in large blue cloaks; and walking with an air of the most solemn gravity, About ten o'clock we returned on board, but early on the ensuing morning again proceeded on shore. This being market-day, the peasantry were crowding in from all parts of the island with various articles of provi

The height of the houses seldom exceeds two stories, and they are principally built of a close blue granite or lime stone, with which the island abounds; it is capable of being worked to any degree of ornamental richness, and can be raised in blocks of considerable magnitude, presenting, whension, consisting of butter, eggs, poultry, wrought, a durable and bandsome appear- &c. which were to be had remarkably ance. The windows, which, at the time of cheap. The men exhibited much the apCaptain Cook's visit, were merely latticed, pearance of the hardy mountaineer, inured are now universally furnished with glass, to the fatigues of toilsome und laborious those of the second story have likewise trel-industry. Cleanliness, good order, and lis-work balconies generally attached to them, where the inhabitants usually resort to enjoy the mild and salubrious, evening temperature. The principal street, which runs nearly parallel with the shore, and extends throughout the whole length of the town, is irregular, in many parts narrow, roughly paved, and without footpaths,

Horta, although formerly a place of considerable strength, cannot at present be said to be well fortified, as the works have in many places been permitted to fall into decay. Its chief defence consists in three forts, two of which cover the principal landing-place at the south end of the town, and are strongly garrisoned: the other, situated at the northern extremity, appears of minor importance, and is less attended to. An old wall and rampart, nearly in a ruinous state, extends along the front of the town, ill calculated in its present coudition to afford protection, and without a gun mounted on any part.

The monasteries and convents partake principally of the Moorish style of architecture, and chiefly consist of a lofty and ornamental white front, terminating in the centre ja a curved line pediment, containing some emblematical religious device; a square tower at either side, with circularheaded windows, black quoins, cornices, belting courses, &c. and surmounted by Turkish or Arabic turrets. The rear presents nothing more than a plain building of rough masonry.

The Jesuits' college was originally a fine and graceful structure, but now partly in a state of dilapidation; such parts as still remain habitable have been converted into government offices and king's stores. This building is situated on an eminence, towards the north end of the town, and has an imposing appearance.

contentment seemed to characterize the women, whose peculiarity of dress, healthy appearance, and apparent artlessness of manners, give them an air of the most interesting rustic simplicity.

The inhabitants of Fayal, and the Azores in general, enjoy a life of the most social and domestic happiness, and are far superior both in elegance of manners and liberality of sentiment to the generality of Portuguese resident on the Continent of Europe. On proceeding a short distance into the interior, the scenery fully justified my prepossession on landing. The luxu riant evergreen Faya (from which the island is said to have derived its name) grows unheeded in almost every direction. The gardens possess a combined assemblage of Tropical and European trees; that of the American Consul (Mr. Dabney) was a perfect little paradise, presenting the interesting novelty of the orange and banaan, flourishing in the same soil, beside' the apple and other fruits of common English growth. The different compartments were enclosed by hedges of geranium bearing a full-blown scarlet blossom, in appearance particularly rich and beautiful.

Indepen

Should any of our readers be disposed to embark in the same cause which led our author into so many disasters, we would recommend his volume to their most serious consideration. dently of the information it communicates concerning the prospects which (apparently) inevitably await the British military adventurer to South America, it contains many valuable particulars relative to the state of West Indian Society and manners, which cannot fail to interest general readers.