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the Sun. Venus will be an evening-ftar for the month. On the 1ft. her elongation from the Sun will be 42o 28', and on the 28th 45° 38'. As feen through a telescope, her gib→ bous appearance, which on the 1ft of the month will be the fame with that of the Moon when the is within 223 degrees of her last quarter, by the end of the month will have increafed fo as to refemble the Moon about fifteen hours before the arrives at her last quadrature. Notwithstanding this conftant diminution of illumination as it respects her disk, her luftre will be conftantly increafing on account of her rapid approach to the earth enlarging her apparent diameter. On the 18th the comes into conjunction with thee of the Fishes, of the fourth magnitude, when their difference of latitude will be 22 minutes, the ftar being to the north. Mars may ftill be feen in the morning. Through the month he will rapidly increase in his apparent magnitude, his gibbous appearance and distance from the Earth conRantly decreasing. On the evening of the 1ft he rifes at eleven o'clock, and on the evening of the 28th at 39 minutes paft nine. Jupiter may be feen every favourable evening in the weft, foon after fun-set, but with fome difficulty towards the end of the month on account of his then being within a few degrees of his conjunction with the Sun. Saturn will be up in the mornings feveral hours before fun-rife. On the 1ft the difference of longitude of this planet and the Scorpion's heart, a ftar of the first magnitude, will be 4° 32', and of latitude 6° 31′, and on the 28th the difference of longitude will be 3° 22′, and of latitude 6° 36'. It must be obferved that in both cafes the itar is more advanced in longitude, and to the fouth of the planet. The Georgium Sidus will be ftill a morning. ftar. On the morning of the ift he rifes at eighteen minutes before one; on the evening of the 14th at 47 minutes paft eleven; and on the evening of the 28th at 53 minutes past ten. His nearest approach to the a, in the fouth fcale of the balance this month will be on the 13th, when their difference of longitude will be 2° 45′, and of latitude feven minutes. During this month that very remarkable star, the B in the constellation of Perfeus, otherwife named Medufa's head, may be obferved feveral times to increase and decrease in brightness. At its full fplendour it is a bright star of the fecond magnitude, nearly equal to the a in the fame constellation; but in the fpace of about four hours it gradually decreases to a star of the fourth maguitude, and afterwards in the fame fpace of time as gradually recovers its light, which it retains about two days and a half, and then begins to lofe its light, and afterwards to recover it, as before. The times of its least brightness which will be vi-, sible to Great Britain are the following: the 1st, at six, evening; the 13th, at a quarter past five, morning; the 16th, at a quarter past two, morning; the 18th, at eleven, night, and the 21st, at half past feven, evening. If four hours be fubtracted from the above times it will show the beginning of the decrease of the star's light; but if four hours be added, the fum will be the time of the end of the phenomenon. Bot of all the variable stars whose period of light is known, there is none whofe brightness at one time is fo strikingly contrasted with its brightnefs at another time, as that very remarkable star in the Whale's neck, named by Bayer. It is fometimes fo bright as to furpafs either the aur B in the faine constellation, which are stars of the second magnitude, and at other times it is as faint as a telefcopie star of the tenth magnitude. It is now (Jan.) equal in brightness to the of the Fishes, of the third magnitude, and is expected to arrive at its greatest lustre in the month of March.

Errata in the Astronomical Anticipations for January,-Line 10, for "2 minutes" read 21 minutes Ditto, for "more than” read more north than, Line 11, for "54 minutes" read *874 minutes.

To Correspondents

We had determined to print the Answers to CoMMON SENSE on the subject of Popular Remedies in our Supplement, but, on examination, they proved fo few in Number that wa shall prefer to give them place among other correspondence in an early Magazine.

The Purchasers of the Monthly Magazine have long paid it the compliment of considering it as the cheapest work extant, and the Poprietor having been gratified at having it viewed in that light, it becomes a very painful duty to him to be under the necessity of giving notice of an unavoidable advance in its price.

When, however, it is stated that Paper has risen within the last twelve months upwards of 20 per cent, and that all the expences attending the production of such a work have risen in a similar ratio within the last three years, it may be conceived that the public at large will be satisfied of the reasonableness and we cessity of the advance of this, and the other principal Magazines, from ONE SHILLING and Sippence to TWO SHILLINGS.

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MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

No. 182.]

MARCH 1, 1809.

[2 of VOL. 27.

"As long as thofe who write are ambitious of making Converts, and of giving to their Opinions, a Maximum of "Influence and Celebrity, the most extenfively circulated Mifcellany will repay with the greateû Effect the Curiality of those who read either for Amusement or Inftruction." JOHNSON.

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

For the Monthly Magazine.
An ACCOUNT of the SUFFERINGS of the
CREW of TWO SCHOONERS, part of the
SQUADRON of GENERAL

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MIRANDA, which were taken by Two SPANISHI GUARDA-COSTAS, in June, 1806; written by ONE of the SUFFERERS who made, his escape.

The world knows little of the extraordinary. expedition of General Miranda, to the Spanish Main, in 1806; but it will be remembered that he arrived in the Gulf of, "Mexico with an armed Brig, and two Schooners, and that in a rencontre with two Guarda-Costas, the Schooners were both taken. We are now enabled to lay before our readers, the particulars of the treatment their crews met with from the Spaniards, The trials tend also to throw seme light on the expedition itself.]

OWARDS the end of June, the ΤΟΝΑ Lieutenant-Governor of Caraccas, accompanied by four assistant officers or judges, together with an interpreter for ach officer, arrived at Porto Cavello, for the purpose of taking the examina tion of the prisoners. They assembled in the guard-house, within the walls of Castle St. Philip, in a large room fitted up for that purpose; in this room were placed five separate benches with desks;

at one of which was seated the lieutenant-governor, with an interpreter; at the other four, each of the other judges, with an interpreter also.

The ordinary appearance of the place, together with the undignified looks of the judges, could scarcely induce the prisoners to believe, that this was the tribanal before which they were to be tried fur, their lives. Nor were they a little sarprised, when they ascertained by the course of the proceedings, that they were to be compelled to give evidence, under ath, against themselves, and against each other; and upon this testimony alone they were to be convicted.

The judges being ready to proceed, eased five of the prisoners to be brought up in the first place. They were informed the charges exhibited against them, pir piracy, rebellion, and of murdering MONTHLY MAG. No, 182.

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one of his Catholic Majesty's subjects; they were then asked to describe the manner in which oaths are administered in their own country; which having done, they were requested to lay their hands upon the Bible and administer the paths in which they had been accustomed to to themselves, agreeably to the manner

swear.

buted, one to each judge, seated at his The five prisoners were thus distri and some little distance from each other. respective desk; all being in one room,

In the middle of the floor, lay a nuber of arms, and instruments of war, such as guns, rifles, axes, pistols, pikes, swords," and shovels; also, Miranda's colours, uniform clothes, and a number of his proclamations; all which were taken from on board of the schooners.

nation by their interpreters, who put the The judges commenced their examiquestions in English, and gave the auswers to the judges; they continned to examine them for the space of four or five hours, when they were returned to the prison and fire others brought up in their places. In this manner the examination proceeded for the space of two weeks before it ended.

tions and answers, put to one of the pri The following were the general quessoners, who has since regained his li berty.

Q. How old are you?

A. About twenty-two years.

2. Where was you born, and where de your parents reside?

A. 1 was born in the state of Massachusetts; my parents reside in New-York.

2. Why did you leave New-York?
A. To seek my fortune.

Q. Who engaged you to go on board of the
Leander?

A. Colonel Armstrong.

Q. Where was you engaged to go?

A. To Jacmel, and from there to other places, not disclosed to me at the time of the engagement.

Q. Did you know that you was coming

here?

A. No. Porto Cavelly was not mentioned. Q. Did Miranda also engage you to go on board of the Leander 2

A. 1 dia

A. I did not know there was such a person until the Leander had left the port of NewYork.

Q. In what capacity did you enter on board of the Leander?

A. As a printer.

Q. How came you to change that capacity, and accept of a military commission under Miranda?

A. From motives of personal convenience. 2. Was you not a lieutenant in a rifle regiment, under Miranda, as mentioned in this paper, (being him a list of officers.com. missiened by Miranda, and which was found in the possession of one of the officers.)

A. Yes, but did not know then that I was coming to this place.

Q. At what place did you stop on your voyage?

A. At St. Domingo, and the Island of Aruba.

2. Did you not go on shore at Aruba in uniform, in company with other officers, and did you not manœuvre there for the purpose of making an attack upon the Main ?

A. We manoeuvred there, for the purpose of making an attack upon some place, which Miranda had in view; but what place, many of his men did not know.

Q. Did you not come to the Main for the purpose of assisting Miranda in figh ing against this government, and in revolutionizing the country?

A. It was represented by Miranda, that no fighting would be necessary to effect the object, (whatever it was) he had in view.

Q. What was the real object of Miranda, in coming to the Main?

A. I do not know; but understood it was to better the condition of the Spanish people.

Q. Do you know the names of any persons here, who were expected would join Miranda?

A. I do not.

2. Were there any private signals made to you from the shore, by any persons residing

here?

A. I saw none.

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Q. Did not those persons who went on shore, go there for the purpose of distributing these proclamations?

A. No, they went for amusement.
Q. Is not that your regimental coat?
A. I do not know; it may be the coat that
I was obliged to wear.

2. Did you understand that Miranda fitted out his expedition by the consent of your. government?

A. No, he kept his object and operations concealed from the public. It was a private undertaking of his own.

2. Were not the principal persons who embarked in Miranda's expedition, bankrupts and broken merchants?

A. I was not acquainted with their circumstances; there might be some of this description.

A number of other questions were put, and answered, but being of a trifling nature, comparatively speaking, are not here inserted.

After they had finished examining the prisoner, he was then told by his judge, that if he would relate every thing he knew relating to the expedition, the names of those who were concerned in it, aud those that were expected would join Miranda, his chains should be taken off, and he set at liberty, and sent home to America. To which he answered, that he had disclosed all he knew of con

2. Was the Leander hoarded on her voy sequence, or particularly recollected. age by any English vessel?

A. Yes, the Cleopatra.

Q. Was there any private conversation between the commander and Miranda?

A. Yes, but what the purport of it was I do not know.

Q. Di Miranda go on board of her and stay several hours?

A. He-di, he stopped one night on board. 2. Was the Leander armed, and loaded with arms and war-like stores?

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The following were questions put to another prisoner, who has also effected his return home.

Q. What religion are you of?
A. The presbyterian persuasion.
Q. Where was you born and brought up?
A. In New-York.

Q. Who engaged you to embark in Miranda's expedition?

A. One John Fink, of New York, butcher. Q Did you know Miranda, in New-York? A. No, I did not know him until I was six days at sea.

2. Where was you engaged to go?

A. I was engaged to go, in the first place, to Alexandria, where I was to land, from thence I was to march to Washington, where 1 was to be equipped with a horse, saddle, and bridle, and in company with other per

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