d his triumph. Two days later he re-established the
republic and proclaimed himself Dictator as well as liberator.

There were now two Dictators in Venezuela, Marino in the east and
Bolivar in the west, but the Spaniards were by no means conquered.
Bolivar published another decree on the 6th of September, that all
Americans who were even suspected of being Royalists were traitors to
their country, and should be treated as such. Ten days later twelve
thousand men arrived from Spain, and Bolivar, who had been besieging
Puerto Cabello, was forced to retire. This encouraged the Royalists, who
got the llaneros of the Orinoco on their side by promises of freedom to
kill and plunder in the cause of the king, and threats of punishing by
death all who disregarded the call to arms.

Bolivar was captain-general, but he shared his power with Marino, the
rights of both resting on force alone. To put an end to this, an
assembly of notables was convened at Caracas, to whom he resigned his
office, and then accepted it again at their request. But the Patriots,
even when united, were as yet unable to stand before the Spanish army,
and very shortly afterwards their flag was only visible on the island
of Margarita. Bolivar again took refuge in New Granada, where he was
elected captain-general, and entitled Liberator and Illustrious
Pacificator. He, however, quarrelled with the Governor of Carthagena,
and was forced to fly to Jamaica, saying before his departure that
Carthagena preferred her own destruction to obedience to the federal
government.

In 1815, after the great peace, Marshal Morillo came out with 10,600 men
selected from the army that had fought against Napoleon. He was to
reduce the whole of the Main from Spanish Guiana to Darien, dealing
first with Margarita. In the course of a year he did this, committing
such atrocities as made his name a byword over the whole of South
America. In the siege of Carthagena, which lasted about three months,
the Patriots suffered greatly, hundreds dying of starvation; but at
last, on the 6th of December, 1815, it was captured. An amnesty was
proclaimed, but in spite of that four hundred old men, women, and
children who surrendered were all killed, while most of the stronger men
who survived managed to escape.

The remnant of the Patriots was now scattered over the country as
guerillas, and while Morillo was subduing New Granada a fresh signal for
a general revolt was given. The Royalist Gove