Page images
PDF
EPUB

Fåte, får, fåll, fât; mẻ, mêt; plne or pine, pln; nò, nôt; õō as in good ;

The strait by which it communicates with the Baltic is only about 1,200 ft. wide. The waters, like those of the Frische Haff, are fresh, and from similar causes. (See FRISCHE HAFF.) The narrow strip or bank of land which separates this Haff from the Baltic, is called the Kurische Nehrung.

KURLAND. See KOORLAND.

KUTAÏYEH OF KOOTAÏAH, koo-ti'-yah, (Cotyæ'ium,) a t. of Asiatic Turkey, the cap. of the prov. of Natolia or Anatoli. Lat. 39° 25′ N., Lon. 30° 15′ E. Pop. estimated at 50,000. (B.)

LAALAND, lau'-lånd, or LOL'-LAND, a fertile island belonging to Denmark, situated in the Baltic, between 54° 38′ and 54° 58′ N. Lat., and 10° 57' and 11° 52′ E. Lon. It is about 36 m. in length, and 18 m. in its greatest breadth. Area, 460 sq. m. Pop. about 45,000. (P. C.)

LAB-RA-DOR', a vast peninsula in the E. part of British America; bounded N. by Hudson's Strait, E. by the Atlantic, S. by the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Cahada, and W. by Hudson's Bay. It extends from about the 50th to near the 63d degree of N. Lat., and from the 56th to near the 79th of W. Lon. Its extreme length, from E. S. E. to W. N. W., is about 1,100 m.; its greatest breadth, from E. to W., 900 m. Labrador is commonly described as one of the most dreary and naked regions of the globe, exhibiting scarcely anything but rocks destitute of vegetation. But though this be its appearance when seen from the coast, on penetrating into the interior the surface is found to be thickly covered with pines, birches, and poplars, while various sorts of delicious berries are said to abound. No country is better supplied with water; streams, as well as ponds and lakes, are extremely numerous. The native inhabitants of Labrador are limited chiefly, if not entirely, to the Esquimaux. The Moravian missionaries, who formed their first settlement among them in 1752, are said to have exercised a very beneficial influence upon these degraded people, improving both their moral and physical condition. The coast of Labrador was discovered in 1496, by Sebastian Cabot (as is supposed), and was afterwards named TERRA LABRADOR or "cultivable land," to distinguish it from Greenland.

LAC-CA-DIVES or the LACCADIVE ISLANDS (called by the natives Lakaradeevh), a group of islets in the Indian Ocean, about 75 m. W. of the coast of Malabar, between 10° and 12° N. Lat., and 72° and 74° 30' E. Lon.

LACK-A-WAN-NÇCK or LACK-A-WAN-NA, a small r. of Pa., which flows into the Susquehanna, on the left. Nearly the whole course is within Luzerne co. On its banks are extensive mines of anthracite coal.

LADAKH, lå`-dåk', a considerable country in the S. central part of Asia, between Cashmere and Thibet. Its length, from N. to S., is above 200 m.; its average breadth, 150 m. (M.) The inhabitants belong to the same race as the Thibetans. They are a very industrious and frugal people, and well acquainted with the arts of civilized life. They are said to possess extraordinary skill in agriculture, overcoming,

ou, as in our; th, as in thin; TH, as in this ; N, nearly like ng. to a great extent, by industry, art, and the disadvantages of a mountainous country and naturally unproductive soil. Ladakh is usually considered as belonging to the empire of China, but, according to McCulloch, it never formed a part of the possessions of that power, though it was for a time a sort of tributary to the Mogul emperor. It afterwards became subject to Runjeet Singh, but, since his death, there is reason to believe that the country has recovered its former independence. The religion of Ladakh is similar to that of Thibet, Boodhism being the prevailing belief, though Mahometanism is said to have made great progress of late. The government, as regards the people, is despotic, but the rajah has very little real power, being controlled by the lamas or priests, by whom he is occasionally deposed. Leh'là, (or Leï) là'-e, the capital of Ladakh, is the centre of an active commerce, which is carried on between the other countries of Asia. It is said to contain 1,000 houses (P. C.). Lat. about 33° 50′ N., Lon. 78° 20′ E.

LAD-O-GA, a L. of Russia, the largest collection of fresh water in Europe, is situated between 59° 52′ and 61° 46′ N. Lat., and 29° 50′ and 32° 55′ E. Lon. It is about 130 m. in length, and 75 m. in its greatest breadth. The area is estimated at 6,300 sq. m. It has several islands, chiefly towards the N. extremity, and is so full of rocks and quicksands that it is ill adapted to the purposes of navigation.

LAD-RONES (Sp. pron. låd-ro'-nis) or the LAD-RONE ISLANDS, called also the MARIANNE ISLANDS, a group in the N. Pacific, situated between 13° and 20° 30 N. Lat., and 144° 40′ and 146° 20′ E. Lon. The principal island, Guajan, gwå-jån', (Sp. pron. gwå-Hân',) called also Guam, gwåm, is about 80 m. in circumference, and contained, in 1816, a pop. of 5,389. (P. C.) The aboriginal inhabitants of the Ladrones, who, in the middle of the 17th century, are said to have amounted to 150,000, seem to have become almost extinct on some of the islands. From the extensive ruins found on Tinian (tee-ne-ån') and Rotta, it appears evident that these islands were once inhabited by a people well acquainted with the arts of civilization. The Ladrones were discovered by Magellan, in 1521, and called Las Islas de los Ladrones, i. e. the "islands of the thieves," from the thievish disposition of the natives. They were also named the MARIANA ISLANDS, in honour of the queen of Philip IV. of Spain.

LA FAYETTE, laf-à-yett', a co. in the N. part of Miss., intersected by the Tallahatchie r. Pop. 6,531. Co. seat, Oxford.

LA FAYETTE, a parish in the S. part of La., bordering on the Gulf of Mexico. Pop. 7,841. Seat of justice, Vermillionville.

LA FAYETTE, a co. forming the S. S. W. extremity of Ark. Pop 2,200. Seat of justice, La Fayette c. h.

LA FAYETTE, a co. in the W. part of Mo., S. of, and bordering on the r. Missouri. Pop. 6,815. Co. t. Lexington.

LA FOURCHE, laf-oorsh', a bayou in La., which detaches itself from the right side of the Mississippi, and, after a course of more than 90 m., falls into the Gulf of Mexico, near the E. extremity of Timbalier Bay.

Fåte, får, fåll, fât; m3, m't; p'ne or pine, pin; nò, nôt; õõ, as in good;

LA FOURCHE INTERIOR, a parish in the S. part of La., intersected by the above r. Pop. 7,303. Seat of justice, Thibadauxville.

LA GRANGE, lah-granj, a co. near the N. E. extremity of Ind., berdering on Mich. Pop. 3,664. Co. t. Lima.

LA GUAYRA, lå-gwi/-rå, the port of Caraccas, an important commercial t. of the rep. of Venezuela, in S. America. Lat. 10° 36′ N., Lon. 67° 7′ W. Pop. near 4,000. (B.)

LAGUNA, lå-goo/-nå, the cap. of Teneriffe, has an inland situation in the N. E. part of the island, about 6 m. W. N. W. of Santa Cruz. Pop. estimated at 8,000. (B.)

LA HAYE. See HAGUE.

[ocr errors]

LAHN, låån, a r. of Germany, flowing into the Rhine, near Coblentz. LAHORE, la-hore', a prov., or rather kingdom, in the N. W. part of Hindostan, lying between 29° 30' and 34° 40′ N. Lat., and 71° and 78° E. Lon. This territory was till recently governed by Runjeet Singh, who was completely independent of the British government, and the most powerful of all the native princes of India. His kingdom is geographically divided into two parts: 1st, the PUNJAUB (or Panj-âb), i. e. the five rivers," so named from its lying among the five great arms of the Indus; viz., the Sind or Indus Proper, the Jhylum or Behul (Anc. Hydas/pes), the Chenaub or Chenâb (Anc. Acesi'nes), the Ravee (Anc. Hydrao'tes), and the Sutledge (Anc.Hysu/drus), which takes the name of Gharra (Anc. Hyph'asis), after having received the Beeas, which appears to have been considered by the ancients as the upper portion of the Hyphasis: 2d, KOHISTAN (ko-his-tan'), i. e. the "hill country." The Seiks, now the ruling power in this part of the world, first appeared as a sect of Hindoo religionists, about the middle of the 15th century; but, stung by persecution from the Mahometans, they turned their thoughts to warlike pursuits, and afterwards became a nation of formidable soldiers. Steel, from being an especial object of attention, was finally converted into one of their gods. Their supreme divinity was denominated by them "All Steel." Owing, however, to their continual dissensions, they were unable to make head against a powerful enemy, until the early part of the present century, when Runjeet Singh, having subdued the other Seik chieftains, established an independent kingdom, which he ruled with great energy and wisdom. He maintained an army of 80,000 men, of whom 50,000 were cavalry, disciplined according to the European system. (P. C.) But since his death, which occurred in 1839, no successor adequate to the task of government seems to have appeared, and it is not improbable that this territory will, at no distant period, be incorporated with the other British dominions of India.

LAHORE, the cap. of the above kingdom, situated on the Ravee, in the midst of a fertile and well-cultivated plain. This city is one of high antiquity, and was the residence of the first Mahometan conquerors of Hindostan, before they succeeded in establishing themselves in the central parts of the peninsula. Though greatly fallen from its ancient splendour, it is still a large and populous town, but nearly all the

ou, as in our; th, as in thin; TH, as in this; N, nearly like ng. noble or interesting buildings appear to have been the work of a former age. The magnificent mosque erected by Aurungzebe has been converted into a powder magazine. The private dwellings present, for the most part, but a mean appearance. Lat. 31° 30′ N., Lon. 74° 20′ E. Pop. estimated from 80,000 to 100,000. (B.)

LAHSA OF LACHSA, låн'-så, or Håj'-ar, a prov. of Arabia, extending along the W. shore of the Persian Gulf. That part immediately along the coast, is sometimes called BAHREIN (bah-rane').

LAIBACH. See LAYBACH.

LAKE, a co. near the N. E. extremity of Ohio, bordering on L. Erie. Pop. 13,719. Co. t. Painesville.

LAKE (Aishcum), a co. in the W. part of Mich.

LAKE, a co. forming the N. W. extremity of Ind., and bordering on L. Michigan. Pop. 1,468.

LAKE, a co. forming the N. E. extremity of Ill., and bordering on L. Michigan. Pop. 2,634.

LALAND. See LAALAND.

LAMEGO, lå-ma-go, a t. of Portugal, in the prov. of Beira, cap. of a comarca of the same name, situated 2 or 3 m. from the S. bank of the Douro. Lat. 41° 13′ N., Lon. 7° 43′ W. Pop. about 9,000. (B.)

LA-MOILE', a Co. in the N. part of Vt., intersected by a r. of the same name, which flows into L. Champlain. Pop. 10,475. Co. t. Hyde Park. LANAY, lå-ni', or RANAY, one of the smaller of the Sandwich Islands, near 21° N. Lat., and intersected by the 157th meridian of W. Lon. It is near 20 m. long and 10 broad. Pop. 2,000.

LAN-ARK, a manufacturing t. of Scotland, cap. of Lanarkshire, situated 1 m. from the right bank of the Clyde, and 30 m. W. S. W. of Edinburgh. Pop. 4,831.

LAN-ARK-SHIRE or CLYDES-DALE, an inland co. in the southern part of Scotland, intersected by the r. Clyde. Pop. 426,972.

LANC-A-SHIRE, or the COUNTY OF LANCASTER, a co. in the N. W. part of England, bordering on the sea. Pop. 1,667,054.

LANC-AS-TER, a seaport t. of England, the cap. of the above co., on the r. Lune, about 6 m. from its entrance into Lancaster Bay, and 46 m. N. by E. of Liverpool. It is situated at the termination of the Lancaster and Preston junction-railway, while the Lancaster Canal, which connects Kendal and Liverpool, skirts the town. Over the Lune there is a noble aqueduct-bridge, of five arches, erected at a cost of 48,000l. sterling. Pop. 13,531.

LANCASTER, a co. in the S. E. part of Pa., bordering on Md. and the r. Susquehanna. Pop. 84,203.

LANCASTER, a city of Pa., the cap. of the above co., is situated on a branch of the Susquehanna, in the midst of a fertile and highly cultivated country, about 62 m., in a straight line, W. of Philadelphia. Lat. 40° 2′ 30′ N., Lon. 76° 20′ 30′′ W. Pop. 8,417.

LANCASTER, a co. in the E. part of Va., at the mouth of the Rappahannock. Pop. 4,628. Seat of justice, Lancaster c. h.

Fate, får, fåll, fät; mẻ, met; plne or pine, pin; no, not; ōō as in good;

LANCASTER, a dist. on the N. border of S. C., E. of, and bordering on the Catawba r. Pop. 9,907. Seat of justice, Lancaster c. h.

LAN-CER-O-TA or LANZAROTE (Sp. pron. lån-thå-ro'-tà), one of the Canary Islands, intersected by the 29th parallel of N. Lat., and the meridian of 13° 40′ W. Lon. It is about 36 m. in length; its greatest breadth is about 12 m. Area, 32 sq. leagues. Pop. in 1835, 17,434. (P. C.)

LANCIANO, lån-che-a/-no, an archiepiscopal t. of Naples, in the prov. of Abruzzo Citra, 6 m. from the Adriatic. Its manufactures and commerce were during the middle ages far more extensive than at present; but it is still regarded as the principal commercial place in all Abruzzo. Lat. 42° 14' N., Lon. 14° 24' E. Pop. 9,000. (B.)

LANDAFF. See LLANDAFF.

LAN-DAU or lån/-dou, a strong fortress of Germany, in the Bavarian territory of the Rhine, celebrated in history for having sustained several memorable sieges. Lat. 49° 12' N., Lon. 8° 7' E. Pop. 6,000. (B.) LANDES, lånd, a dep. in the S. W. part of France, bordering on the Bay of Biscay. Pop. 284,918. (B.) Capital, Mont-de-Marsan.

LAN-DRY, ST., a parish in the S. W. central part of La. Pop. 15,233. Seat of justice, Opelousas.

LANDS-BERG (Ger. pron. lånts/-beRG), a manufacturing and commercial t. of Brandenburg, Prussia, on the Warthe or War/-ta, a tributary of the Netze, 38 m. N. E. of Frankfort on the Oder. Lat. 52° 44′ N, Lon. 15° 14′ E. Pop. 9,000. (B.)

LANDSCRONA, lånds/-kroo-nå, a strongly fortified t. of Sweden, in the prov.of Skåne (Skonen). Lat. 55° 52 N., Lon. 12° 51' E. Pop. estimated at above 4,000. (P. C.)

LAND'S END, a promontory in Cornwall, remarkable as being the most westerly point of land in England. Lat. 50° 4' N., Lon. 5° 42′ W. LANDSHUT, lands'-hoot, (Ger. pron. lånts/-hoot,) one of the prettiest and most agreeable towns in the kingdom of Bavaria, on the Iser, in the midst of a delightful country, 38 m. N. E. of Munich. Pop. 8,000. (B.)

LANGELAND, lång/-e-lånd, an i. of Denmark, situated in the Baltic, between Laaland and Fünen, and intersected by the 55th parallel of N. Lat., and the meridian of 10° 50′ E. Lon. Its length is 32 m.; its average breadth only about 2 m. Area, 80 sq. m. Pop. about 17,000. (M.)

LANGENSALZA, lång/-en-sålt/-så, a flourishing little t. of Prussia, cap. of a circle of the same name. Lat. 51° 7′ N., Lon. 10° 38′ E. Pop. 6,000. (B.)

LANGHOLM, lang/-um, a little t. of Scotland, in Dumfries-shire, 55 m. S. by E. of Edinburgh.

LANGRES, långr, (Anc. Andematu/num, afterwards Lin'gones), the largest t., though not the cap., of the French dep. of Upper Marne, 18 m. S. S. E. of Chaumont. This place was one of great importance under the Romans. Many antique remains have been found here. It contains several institutions for education, and a public library of 30,000 vols. (P. C.) Lat. 47° 52′ N., Lon. 5° 20' E. Pop. 6,191. (M.)

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »