Improvements in the sewerage, footpaths, &c., have been effected within a recent period. Cheese of a superior quality is made in the neighbourhood; and the town has long been noted for a sort of cake that bears its

name.

1

of the trees planted are barren; the produce of the rest is said to be about 10 lbs. each annually. The produce may be about 100,000 lbs. of nutmegs, and 30,000 lbs. mace. These islands are divided into a number of parks or plantations, each with a certain number of slaves. The people consist mostly of Papuan negroes, Chinese, and Dutch. Sago forms the chief vegetable food, but the cocoa also contributes a part: the seas abound with fish. The imports are various provisions for the Europeans, piece-goods, cutlery, and iron, from Batavia; sago, salted deer, &c., from Ceram; pearls, birds' nests, tortoiseshell, and slaves, for the Chinese and Dutch merchants from Arooe. The chief export is nutmegs. The seat of government is at Banda Neira, which is fortified, and has a good harbour. A Portuguese, named Antonio Abreus, discovered these islands in 1512. In 1524 the Portuguese, in 1599 the Dutch, and in 1810 the English, successively possessed themselves of them. In 1814 they returned under the dominion of the Dutch. (Crawfurd's Indian Archipelago, p. 508. &c.; Hamilton's E. I. Gazetteer, p. 78, 79.)

BANDON, a river of Ireland, anciently called Glasheen, has its source in the Carberry mountains, 9 or 10 m. W. Bantry. From Dunmanway, where its main branches unite, it flows nearly W. to Bandon; it then winds N.E. to Innis-Shannon, whence it pursues a S.E. course to the sea, with which it unites a little below Kinsale, built on its æstuary. Its course is wholly in the co. Cork. It is described by Spencer, as

"The pleasant Bandon crown'd by many a wood." But most part of the timber that ornamented the country in the days of Elizabeth has been cut down, and its place is but very indifferently supplied by modern plantations.

Subsequent to the Municipal Reform Act the limits of the bor. have been extended, for the purposes of local government, so as to include the whole town of Banbury, and the suburbs of Neithrop, Calthorpe, and Waterloo, which are continuations of it; the former at the N.W. end; the latter on the opposite bank of the river, which flows N. and S., along the E. side of the town, with the canal running nearly parallel to it. It was originally incorporated under a charter in 1st of Mary, granted expressly for the whole parish; but the bor. came subsequently to be restricted to a part only of the town. Another charter was obtained in 6th James I.; and a third in 4th Geo. I., which was the governing charter: under it, the corporation consisted of a mayor, 12 aldermen, 6 capital burgesses, and 30 assistants. It was a close, self-elective body, with no freemen, and filled up vacancies for life, either from residents or non-residents. They possessed the exclusive privilege of returning I mem. to the H. of C.; but this, of course, they were deprived of by the Reform Act, which opened the franchise to 107. house-holders resident within the limits of the par., which contains 3,150 acres. Registered electors, in 1838, 371. The revenue of the corporation (independent of church trusts) consists of tenements, chief rents, as lords of the manor, and tolls of fairs and cattle-market; in all about 1251. a year. A court of sessions is held twice a year. There is also a court of record, which had fallen into disuse, but has recently been revived and made effective. The lighting, paving, and police, are BANDON, OF BANDONBRIDGE, an inl. town of Ireland, managed by commissioners, of whom the corporation co. Cork, prov. Munster, on the Bandon, 14 m. S. W. form a portion. It is the central town of a union of Cork. It was founded in the beginning of the reign. 33 parishes, and has a union workhouse. There is a of James I., and having obtained a charter from that chalybeate spring near the town; and on Crouch Hill, monarch, conferring several valuable privileges, it in1 m. W. of it, is a circular entrenchment, the site of creased so rapidly in population and wealth, that, on the an encampment of the parliamentary army in 1645, un-breaking out of the war of 1641, it maintained four comder Sir William Waller. The living is a vicarage, in the panies of foot and a corps of volunteers; and was the prinpatronage of the Bishop of Oxtord." cipal garrison of the English in these parts. On Cromwell's approach, in 1649, it declared for the parl., and in the war of 1688 the inhab. expelled the troops of James II., and declared for the Prince of Orange. Pop. (1821) 10,179; (1831) 12,617. It is situated on the declivities of the hills on each side the river, which blend into a richly wooded valley, and consists of three parts, distinguished by the estates on which they are built; the old town being on that of the Duke of Devonshire, the Irish town on that of the Earl of Shannon, and the western portion on those of the Earls of Bandon and Cork. It is watched, and lighted with gas, under the General Municipal Police Act. It has two parish churches, a Rom. Cath. chapel and convent, a meeting-house for Presbyterians, and two for Methodists; a classical school, endowed by the Duke of Devonshire; a school for general instruction, on the foundation of Erasmus Smith, and several others maintained by private contributions or by religious associations. It has also an infirmary, fever hospital, and dispensary; three public libraries, and two readingrooms. Assemblies and concerts are held in a suite of apartments attached to one of the hotels. Large bar. racks are built on the hill over the town, and the constabulary have here a station.

BANCA, an island of the E. or Indian archipelago, first or W. division, lying off the N. E. coast of Sumat. a, between lat. 1° 30 and 30 8 S., long. 105° 9′, 106° 51' E.; length N.W. to S.E. 135 m., average breadth 35 m. Its most remarkable feature is its mines of tin, a mineral found in its common state of oxide, in the alluvial soil between the primary granitic mountains and a range of red iron-stone, of inferior elevation, in its N. W. quarter, but which is also prevalent in other parts. In 1813 the produce of tin amounted to 2,083 tons, and in 1836 there were shipped from Java 47,739 peculs, or 2,834 tons of tin, wholly from Banca. The produce of the Cornwall mines being at present (1839) about 4,500 tons, the importance of those of Banca is obvious. The inhab. are principally of two races, one residing on the shores, the other in the interior, with Malays and Chinese: the latter are the workers of the mines. Previously to 1812 this isl. belonged to the sultan of Palembang, in Sumatra; it was then ceded to the E. 1. Company; and in 1816 was transferred to the Dutch. (Hamilton's E. I. Gazetteer, i. 129, &c.)

BANCALLAN, a town at the W. end of the island of Madura, E. archipelago; lat. 7° 2′ S., long. 1120 45 E. It is large and populous, contains the residence of the sultan of the island, and a fort close to the palace. Its environs are pleasant, having good roads, interspersed with country seats and pleasure grounds. (Hamilton's E. I. Gaz. vol. i.)

BANDA, an inl. town of Hindostan, prov. Allahabad, cap. of the distr. of S. Bundlecund, on the right bank of the Cane river, 80 m. W. Allahabad; lat. 25° 50′ N., long. 80° 20′ E. A few years ago it was a mere village, but has now become a considerable town; its cotton has of late years obtained a superiority over that of Jaloun in the European market.

BANDA, or NUTMEG ISLANDS, a group of 12 small islands, belonging to the third or E. division of the E. archipelago (see the art.), belonging to the Dutch; the principal, Banda Neira, lying in 4° 30° S. lat., and 1300 E. long., 120 m. E.S.E. Amboyna. Lantoir, the largest of the islands, is only 8 m. long, and 5 broad. Only six of them are inhabited. Pop. about 6,000, most of whom are slaves. These isles are all high, and of volcanic origin; one of them, Goonung Api, contains a volcano, 2,000 feet above the sea, which is continually emitting smoke, and sometimes flame. Climate injurious to strangers: the W. monsoon brings rain and storms in December, and earthquakes occur from October to April. The soil is chiefly a rich black mould. Four of the larger and central islands are almost entirely appropriated to the growth of nutmegs; their growth in the other islands being prohibited. The nutmeg-tree grows to the size of the pear-tree; it yields fruit from the 12th to the 20th year, and perishes at 24 years old. About 2-3ds

By charter dated in 1614, the municipal government is vested in a provost, 12 burgesses, and an unlimited number of freemen, elected at the hundred court by the general body of freemen, who also clect a common council of 12 out of their own body for life. The bor. sent 2 mem. to the Irish H. of C., and now sends one to the imperial H. of C. The franchise is vested in the burgesses resident within 7 m. and the 107. householders. The new electoral boundary comprises 439 acres. Constituency (1838), 293. General sessions of the peace for the W. riding of the co. are held here in October in the courthouse, a neat building, with a well-arranged bridewell. Petty sessions take place on Mondays, at which, through the courtesy of the corporation, the co. magistrates sit with the provost. Courts, holding pleas under 21., are held every three weeks for the manors of the Duke of Devonshire, the Earl of Bandon, and the Earl of Shannon. The woollen manufacture was carried on here to a considerable extent, and was succeeded by that of cotton: both are nearly extinct; but a manufacture of fine stuffs has been lately undertaken. Two distilleries paid duty, in 1836, on 107,395 gall. spirits; and in the same year duty was paid on 25,351 bush. malt. There are also several breweries and tan-yards, and 2 large flour-mills. As the Bandon is navigable for small craft to Collier's Quay, within 4 m. of the town, a small external traffic is carried on, by which grain, flour, and other produce, is sent out, and timber, coal, wine, and groceries, received in return; but the domestic consumption is chiefly supplied from Cork, to which much of the agricultural produce of the neighbourhood is sent by laud car

U

The

riage. Markets are held on Wednesdays and Satur-
days; and fairs on May 6, the Thursday before Easter-
day, Oct. 29, and Nov. 8. Branches of the Provincial
and Agricultural banks were opened in 1834.
post-office revenue was 7757, in 1830, and 1,2057. in 1836.
The town is on the mail-coach road from Cork to
Bantry. Three coaches and a car ply to Innis-Shannon,
on the road to Kinsale, six days a week, carrying an ag-
gregate average of 42 passengers each trip; a coach six
days in a week, and a mail car every day, to Dunman-
way, carrying 11 passengers; and a car to Timoleague, on
Courtmacherry Bay, every day, carrying 4 passengers.
BANERES, a town of Spain in Valencia, 28 m. N.N.W.
Alicant. Pop. 2,000. It has filatures of wool, distil-
leries, and paper mills.

m.

presbytery, and who, having betrayed that faith, rose to the archiepiscopal see of St. Andrews, was a native of Banff, his father being sheriff-clerk of the county. He was assassinated on Magus Muir, near St. Andrews, in 1679. James Macpherson, having followed the lawless and predatory life of a gipsy, was apprehended (1700), tried, and condemned to be hanged at Banff. While he was a votary of the muses, he was a proficient as a player on the violin; and when brought to the place of execu tion, he carried his instrument along with him, and played his own march, which had been composed by himself while in prison. This composition was published after his death, and has ever since been a favourite in Scotland. Burns wrote a new and improved version of the song, which is well known under the name of Macpherson's Lament, or Macpherson's Farewell. (Chambers's Edit. of Burns's Poetry, p. 100.)

BANFF, a marit. co. of Scotland, having N. the Moray Frith, S. and E. the co. of Aberdeen, and W. Elgin and Inverness. Its length from Ben Macdhu to Portsoy is The trade of Banff is inconsiderable, and not increasing. about 56 m., but its average breadth does not exceed 12 Its harbour, though it can boast of a low-water pier, conArea, 647 sq. m., or 414,080 acres. Along the coast structed in 1816, is not so ample, so convenient, or secure, the surface is pretty level, and the soil, consisting of a as that of Macduff, a borough or barony situated on the sandy loam, is in many places well cultivated, and pro- opposite side of the Doveron, at the distance of about a duces early and excellent crops. But with this ex-mile. The number of vessels, in 1836, belonging excluception, the surface is mostly rugged and mountainous, sively to Banff was 21, of which the tonnage was 1,535 tons. with a few valleys interspersed. Oats is the principal The exports consist chiefly of grain, salmon, herring, and crop; but the main dependence of the farmers is on their cured pork. As a proof to what extent grain is shipped, cattle, sheep being, in this co., comparatively scarce. we may state that, in 1834, 29,790 qrs. of oats, 1,174 qrs. Property in a very few hands: tillage farms mostly small, of wheat, 976 qrs. of barley, and 194 bags of potato flour, and agriculture, though in parts much improved, gene- were exported from Banff, exclusive of Macduff. In the rally backward. Average rent of land, in 1810, 3s. 9d. an same year 440 head of black cattle were sent to London acre. There are some thriving plantations, particularly by sea, 911 pigs, and 156 sheep and lamb. The herring in the vicinity of Gordon Castle, the most magnificent fishery on the coast has not of late years been so producseat in the N. of Scotland. It is partly separated from tive as formerly. A Greenland whale fishery co., formed Elgin by the Spey, on which there are several productive in 1819, and a thread and stocking manufactory, estabsalmon fisheries. (See SPEY.) Minerals of little import-lished fifty years ago, have been discontinued. Banff has ance; but the crystals and topazes, commonly called no manufactory, if we except a brewery, an iron-foundry, cairngorms, are found in the mountains. Manufactures a distillery, and a small manufactory of ropes and sails. inconsiderable. Banff contains 24 parishes, and had, in There are four branch banking establishments; and the 1831,9,814 inhabited houses, 10,855 families, and 48,604 in-town has a weekly market on Friday, and four annual fairs. hab. It returns 1 mem. to the H. of C. for the co.; and the burghs of Banff and Cullen unite with Elgin and others in returning a mem. Parl. constituency of co., in 1838,710. Valued rent, 79,2001. Scotch: annual value of real property, in 1815, 88,9427.

The public buildings are the town-house, built in 1798, with a spire 100 feet high, the jail, the parish church, and the Relief, Episcopal, and Independent churches. The Wesleyan Methodists have also a small chapel here. Gas was introduced in 1831. There was a grammar-school in Banff so early as the year 1544. There are at present an academy, founded in 1786, at which all the branches of a learned and liberal education are taught; the commercial school, and a charity school founded by funds left (in 1804) by Alexander Pirie, merchant in Banff. There are, also, several seminaries for young ladies: another educational institution, founded by a legacy left by the late James Wilson, of the island of Grenada, is about to be opened. There are several libraries of considerable extent and value belonging to different societies. Various sums have been left in mortmain for charitable purposes; and a legal assessment for the poor is unknown. average number of prisoners, including criminals, revenue offenders, and debtors, is 45 annually. There are 38 inns or shops licensed for the sale of spirits and ale.

The

Banff did not escape the devastations caused by the great flood that took place in the north of Scotland in August 1829. Part of the town was inundated to the height of four or five feet; several houses were undermined and carried away: various kinds of property received serious injury. (Sir Thomas D. Lauder's Acc. of the Morayshire Floods.)

BANFF (commonly pronounced, and sometimes written Bamff), a royal burgh of Scotland, cap. of the above co., on the W. bank of the Doveron, near the entrance of that river into the Moray Frith. Pop. in 1831, 2,935, viz., males, 1,229; females, 1,706. It may be said to consist of two parts, completely separated; of which the one is inland, and lies on a plain on the river side; the other (called the sea-town) stands on an elevation which terminates abruptly near the sea, by which it is bounded. The castle of Banff stands on a piece of table-land between these two places. The name of the town, which is found to have assumed different forms at different times-Baineffe, Boineffe, Bainffe. &c. is supposed to have been derived from the word Boyne, the name of the district in which Banff is situated. A stream named Boyne traverses the district; and the parish of Boyndie is contiguous. The privileges of a royal burgh were conferred on Banff by Robert II. in 1372, and were afterwards successively confirmed by James VI. and Charles II. The streets, though composed of houses of unequal size, are generally straight, and not deficient in width. Within the last few years, many of the older houses have been pulled down and replaced by others, so that there is scarcely a building now remaining to indicate the antiquity of the town. The streets were paved so early as 1551. The Carmelites (an order of friars, so called from Mount Carmel in Syria), or White Friars, had a convent in Banff, but at what precise period it was instituted cannot be ascertained. (Spottiswood's Religions Houses, p. 16.) Of the building no vestiges can now be traced, with the exception of some scattered arches and vaults; nor is its original extent, or exact position, known. Of the castle of Banff, alluded to above, nothing remains but the outer wall and the fosse. It was a constabulary, or lodging forary Reports, 1832, p. 43. ; New Statistical Account of Scotthe king when visiting this part of his dominions; and, in his absence, it was inhabited by the thane or constable who administered justice in his name. It was essentially royal property, and continued so till the middle of the 15th century, when James Stuart, Earl of Buchan, brother of James II., was created heritable thane, the castle of Banff being at the same time bestowed on him, as the official messuage of his family. Banff gave the title of peer to a branch of the family of Ogilvie, which became extinct in 1803, on the death of the eighth Lord Banff without male issue. Banff does not make a great figure in history. The Duke of Montrose plundered it in 1645, "no merchant's goods or gear," according to Spalding, "being left." The Duke of Cumberland's troops passed through the town in 1746, on their way to Culloden. They destroyed the episcopal chapel, and hanged a man, erroneously thinking him a spy. The names of two persons, eminent in very different walks of life, are connected with Banff. The famous James Sharp, who was originally a keen supporter of

Banff unites with Elgin, Cullen, Inverury, Kintore, and Peterhead, in sending a member to the House of Commons. Macduff, which is rapidly rising to importance, chiefly owing to the excellence of its harbour, has, since the passing of the Reform Bill, been united to Banff in forming one parliamentary burgh, the joint constituency in 1838 being 215. There is a splendid bridge of seven arches over the Doveron, which connects the two towns in question. The amount of assessed taxes which Banff, exclusive of Macduff, yields is (1836) 4631. 17s. 6d. The municipal assessment amounts to about 4801. (Boundland, No. xi. 1836; Chambers's Gazetteer of Scotland.) BANG, an inl. town of Hindostan, prov. Malwah, dom. of Scindia; at the confluence of two tributaries of the Nerbudda river, on the chief road through Gujrat and Malwah; 82 m. S.W. Oozein, and 145 m. N.E. Surat. Iron ore is fused here, and before the present century the town contained 2,000 houses; at present this number is much reduced. Bang is noted for some remarkable cave temples of Buddhic origin, excavated in a range of low sandstone and claystone hills, about 34 m. S. of the town. Four caves exist; the most northerly of which is the most perfect, and is reached by a flight of 70 rudely formed stone steps, terminating in a platform overhung by the hill, which has once evidently been formed into a regular verandah supported by columns; and at either end of which, there is a small apartment, containing some ill carved figures of modern workmanship, and one of them a bad representation of the Hindoo Ganesa. The cave within this

vestibule is entered by a rectangular doorway in a plas- with English cut-glass lustres: it is surrounded by three tered and ornamented wall, and is a grand and gloomy different walls, and is built of brick; of which, or of apartment 84 ft. square and 144 ft. in height; the roof, mud, the palaces, temples, and a few of the chief resiwhich is flat, and has been once ornamented with paint-dences only are constructed. Bang-kok has manufactures ings, is supported by four ranges of massy columns. of tin and iron articles, and leather for mattresses, &c. Around this apartment, on three sides, are a number of Its trade is probably more extensive than that of any small cells, 9 ft. in depth, as well as several niches, in other emporium in the E., Canton excepted, not occupied which have been carved, in bold relief, some draped by Europeans. It is principally carried on with China male and female figures: from one of the cells on the and the Malay archipelago, but mostly with the former. left hand, you enter through narrow excavations, five The great articles of export are sugar (from 10,000 to other similar cells, each in a plane elevated above the 12,000 tons), black pepper (4,000 to 5,000 tons), stick-lac, former, ascending through the hill. At the farther end ivory, sapan wood, hides, &c. The trade with China emof the principal cave, is an oblong recess supported by ploys about 130 Chinese junks yearly, some of 1,000 tons two hexagonal columns, through the centre of which a burden. The imports are porcelain, tea, quicksilver, lacksmall doorway leads to an inner apartment, where the soy, dried fruits, silks, fans, and other native manufacdagop, or "churn," supposed to contain a Buddhic relic, tures from China; with camphor, edible birds' nests, is seen, cut out of the rock, with the plain dome forming and other articles for the Chinese market from the its summit, reaching nearly to the roof, to which it is Malay archipelago; and British and Indian piece goods, joined by a small square ornament. The second and opium, and British woollens and glass from India. Half fourth caves of Bang, contain little worth notice; but the pop. consists of Chinese; and besides them there the third is nearly as large, and has been somewhat are numerous Birman, Peguan, Laoan, Cambojan, Tasimilar in its arrangement to the first. The whole of voyan, and Malay foreigners; some Christians of Porthe walls, roof, and columns, have been covered with a tuguese descent; and a few Brahmins, who are supported fine stucco, and ornamented with paintings in distemper by the king, and have a small temple of their own. of considerable taste and elegance. It contains the (Crawfurd's Embassy to Siam, &c.; Finlayson's Mission, dagop in its inner apartment; but wants the recess, &c.) and carved sculptures mentioned in the first cave. It is BANGOR, a city, sea-port, and par. N. Wales, co. considerably dilapidated; and a fifth cave is so much so Carnarvon, hund. Isgorvac, on the Holyhead road, at the at its entrance as to be at present inaccessible. (Danger-head of Beaumaris Bay, about 2 m. from the Menai field in Bombay Trans. il. 194-201.; Hamilton's E. I. bridge. It consists chiefly of one principal street, Gaz. i. stretching E. and W. through a romantic vale, bounded on the S. by high precipitous rocks, on the N. by a more gradual acclivity, and opening on the E. over a splendid and extensive prospect, including the rocky shores of Anglesea and the town of Beaumaris. It has been mostly rebuilt, and otherwise very much improved, within the last few years. Pop. (1821) 3,399; (1831) 4,751: houses, last mentioned year, 1,171. The cathedral is an embattled cruciform structure, having a low massive tower crowned with pinnacles. It stands in a spacious its situation and the just proportion and simplicity of its architecture; near it are some old endowed almshouses for 6 poor persons, and an endowed free school for 100 boys, built in recent times on the site of an ancient friary; it was founded in Elizabeth's reign, and its revenue is upwards of 2501. a year. There are also 4 national schools in the parish 2 in the town (estab. 1822) for 300 boys and girls; 1 at Vaenol for 75, and 1 at Pentir for 60. The Baptists, Independents, Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists, have each a chapel; there is a town-hall and shambles in the centre of the town, and near it, on the London road, is the Carnarvon and Anglesea dispensary. The market is held on Fridays: during the summer on Tuesdays also. There are 4 fairs, April 5, June 25, Sept. 16, Oct. 28; besides which 4 large fairs for cattle (called "booth fairs") are held at the Menai bridge (which is in this parish, and about 2 m. S. W. Bangor) Aug. 26, Sept. 26, Oct. 24, Nov. 14. They are the most frequented of any in N. Wales. It is accessible to vessels of 200 to 300 tons, which may enter the bay at any time of the tide: the trade, however, is comparatively insignificant, and is confined to the import of coals and other necessaries. By the Reform Act, Bangor was constituted one of 6 contributory boroughs, which conjointly send 1 mem. to the H. of C.; the bailiffs of Carnarvon being returning officers. There are in Bangor about 170 houses of 10. and upwards. It has been the seat of a bishopric from the remotest period, and has recently been united with that of St. Asaph (Feb. 1839). It previously comprised the cos. of Anglesea and Carnarvon (except 4 parislies) about half Merioneth, one deanery in Denbigh, and 7 parishes in Montgomery: in all 179 par. The income of the bishop, at an average of three years, ending with 1831, amounted to 4,4647. a year. The church is used both for cathedral and parish services; the former in English, the latter in Welsh. The living is a consolidated vicarage belonging to the vicars choral, the church of the township of Pentir being annexed to it as a chapel of ease. is an episcopal residence and a deanery. The famous controversy between Drs. Hoadley and Sherlock took its name from this see: the former being its bishop from A. D. 1715 to 1721, when, on being translated to Salisbury, the latter succeeded him. The neighbourhood is for the most part unenclosed, and every where presents scenery of surpassing interest, having the Snowdon range on the S., and Penmanmaur on the E., and the Menai Strait and bridge immediately contiguous to the town. The improvement of the Holyhead road, now the best in the kingdom, and the construction of the Menai bridge, have rendered Bangor a great thoroughfare, and made it be resorted to in summer by crowds of visiters. When Dr. Johnson visited the city in 1774, with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale, he complained that they found “a very mean inn, and had some difficulty of obtaining lodging, “I lay in a room where the other bed

BANGALORE, an inl. fortif. town of Mysore, S. Hindostan; lat. 12° 57′ N., long. 77° 38′ E., 60 m. N.E. Seringapatam. Pop. (in 1805) said to be 60,000. It is built on a table-land, nearly 3,000 ft. above the sea, and is so salubrious that Europeans often resort thither for the benefit of their health. The thermom. seldom rises above 820, or sinks below 56° Fahr. The monsoons have their force broken by the Ghauts; but this table-land is constantly refreshed by genial showers. The vine and cypress grow luxuriantly, and apples, peaches, and straw-area, with a fine avenue, and has a very pleasing effect, from berries are raised in the gardens. The town is enclosed with double walls; but the chief fortress, which contained the palace of Tippoo Saib, is quite detached from the other, and is built in a solid manner, with a deep ditch and spacious glacis. The palace, though of mud, built in the Saracenic style, is still a striking building, and is used by the present rajah for public entertainments. There are good barracks, assembly and reading-rooms, European shops, &c. The houses are large, some being of two stories, built of red earth, and roofed with tiles; the chief bazar is wide, regular, and ornamented with rows of cocoa-nut trees. Most of the inhab. are Hindoos. Silk and cotton are the chief manufactures; the former, which is very strong, is made from raw silk imported, none being produced in the neighbourhood. Bangalore was founded by Hyder Ali, on the site of a small village; and under him it became a place of much importance. It was taken by Lord Cornwallis in 1791. (Hamilton's E. I. Gaz. i. 131, 132.)

BANG-KOK, or BAŃKOK, a city of Siam, having been the cap. of the kingdom, the residence of the sovereign, and seat of gov. since the destruction of Yuthia by the Birmese, in 1766. It stands on a swampy tract on both sides the Menam, lat. 13° 40′ N., long. 101° 10' E., 15 m. N. from the Guiph of Siam. Pop. probably from 50,000 to 60,000. The Menam is herem. wide, exclusive of the large space on each side occupied by floating houses, and from 5 to 10 fathoms deep there is a bar of soft mud at its mouth, but vessels of from 200 to 250 tons burden may always reach Bang-kok without difficulty. The traffic above this city is trifling, though, from the want of roads, all the intercourse is by water. Bang-kok consists of three parts; the palace, the town, and the floating town. The first, built on an island, is of an oblong shape, surrounded by a brick wall of considerable height in some parts, and furnished with some indifferent bastions and many gates; it contains, besides the residences of the king and his chief officers, many temples, gardens, inferior shops, and much waste ground. The town without stretches for some distance along the banks of the river, but a very little way inland. The houses, most of which are of wood, or mere huts of palm leaf, are built on posts driven into the mud, being each provided with a boat. The floating town consists of a number of bamboo rafts bearing rows of 8 or 10 houses, with a platform in front, on which the wares for sale are exposed; and most of the trade is thus conducted on the river, where it is believed that half the pop. reside. There are many temples, all of which are built in a pyramidal form, with much gilding and paltry decorations: each contains a colossal gilded metal statue of Buddha, and a variety of others in clay or wood. The chief temple, or Ra-cheh-tap-pou, which is 200 ft. in height, contains as many as 1,500 of these images. The palace possesses a really handsome audience-hall, 80 ft. long by 40 broad, and 30 ft. in height, painted and gilded, and furnished |

There