POLICASTRO. 



POMERANIA. 



300 



ad was stopped by the barrier in 78* 11' B. lat, 161* 97' W. long., 

 UM surface extending southward having the appearance of high 

 mountains covered with wow. In 1843 Captain ROM. after adilini; 

 to previous discoveries in LouU Philippe's Land, sailed eastward 

 between 60* and 70* 8. lat, ami then southward, between the routes 

 of BeHingthanssa and Weddell, to 71* 30' S. lat, 14* 61' W. long., 

 without an; appearance of land. 



The discoverers of these new countries hare only in a very few 

 cases been able to effect a landing, the coasts being skirted with a 

 bank of either solid or broken toe, which generally extends from five 

 to ten miles, and in some place* to twenty miles, from the shore. 

 The fend is elevated, and eren mountainous, at no great distance from 

 UM shores. Dumont D' Urvillo estimates the average elevation of the 

 mountains in Adflie Land at about 1500 feet They are covered with 

 I in February, and might easily be mistaken for icebergs, if 

 rocks did not rise from them, to the perpendicular sides of 

 which UM snow cannot adhere. Between the mountain ridges valleys 

 are observed, but they nre filled with snow and ice nearly to the 

 summits of the mountains, and these icy manes, being converted into 

 sIsnisM. protrude into the sea. In summer enormous pieces are 

 broken off from them, and to this cause are owing the numerous 

 icebergs which render the navigation along these coasts more difficult 

 and dangerous than in the most northern latitudes which have been 

 visited by our whalers. Some portions of the coasts are of volcanic 

 origin, especially those which lie south of the South Shetland Islands. 

 Bellingshausen found an active volcano near 69 S. lat., and there is 

 another on Palmer's Land. A volcano occurs also on Balleny Islands, 

 which continually emits smoke. 



No traces of vegetation have been discovered on any part of the 

 more southern coasts, nor any quadrupeds. The birds were alba- 

 tresses, penguins, eaglets, Capo pigeons, king-birds, and nellies. Whales 

 have been observed in several places, especially humpbacked and fin- 

 backed whales, as also several kinds of seals. On Cockburn Island, in 

 Louis Philippe's Land, there were found nineteen species of plants, 

 comprising mosses, algae, and lichens, seven of the species being 

 peculiar to the island. 



POLICASTKO. [PlUKOIPATO ClTRA.] 



POLIONANO. [BARL TERRA DL] 



POL1ONY. [JORA, Department of.] 



POLISTENA. [CALABRIA.] 



POLLENZA. [MALLORCA.] 



POLPKRRO. [CORNWALL.] 



POLTA'VA, or PULTAVA, a government in European Russia, lying 

 between 48 48' and 51" 4' N. lat, 30 25' and 86 E. long., is bounded 

 N. by Tschernigov, E. by Kursk and Charkov, S. by Ekaterinoslav 

 Kherson, and W. by Kiew. The area is about 18,973 square miles. 

 The population in 1846 was 1,783,800. 



The surface is one continuous plain, with the exception of some 

 elevations along the elevated banks of the Dnieper and some other 

 riven. The soil consists of a thick layer of black mould on a basis 

 of clay and sand ; it is either arable land or rich meadows ; the forests 

 are few and inconsiderable. The heaths are covered with nutritious 

 grass ; those where furze and broom predominate are common only 

 in the south-east part of the government. The principal river, towards 

 which the whole country slopes, is the Dnieper, which forms the western 

 boundary, and is everywhere navigable. Its chief tributaries are the 

 Trnbesch and the Sula, with the Udai coming from Tschernigov, the 

 Psiol and the Worskla from the Ukraine, and the Orel, which forms 

 for lotne distance the southern boundary. The Sula and Psiol are 

 navigable in the spring, are free from rocks, and flow through a rich 

 country. There is no considerable lake in this government. The 

 climate is mild ; in winter however, when the cold north winds sweep 

 over the open plains, the cold is severe. The summer is very hoi. 

 Little rain falls in the summer. 



Of all the provinces of Little Russia, Poltava is the moat fertile and 

 the best cultivated. The grains chiefly cultivated are rye, barley, and 

 oata, then wheat, buckwheat, Egyptian barley, and millet Peas, 

 lentils, rapeseed, linseed, and tobacco are also cultivated. All kinds 

 of vegetables known in Russia thrive ; fruits abound ; from cherries, 

 plums, melons, and berries of various kinds, liqueurs are manufactured, 

 and excellent preserves made. On the Dnieper the inhabitants use 

 the reeds growing on iU banks for thatch and for fuel ; in the interior 

 they burn cow-dung and straw. 



The steppes are covered with rich pastures, and it is said that the 

 climate is so favourable that the cattle remain in the open air all the 

 year round. In these steppes the magnificent ox of the Ukraine 

 attains it* extraordinary size ; horses are bred in great numbers ; and 

 the Russian sheep appear in large flocks. The breed of sheep has 

 been greatly improved by the importation of Merinos. The breeding 

 of swine is not much attended to ; bees are common, and many farmers 

 have above 100 hives. Common poultry is abundant; there are like- 

 wise blue Caspian or Chinese geese and Persian ducks. Hares and 

 partridges are abundant The Dnieper and other rivers abound in 

 fish. The Dnieper furnishes the Silunu Glanii, of the bladders of 

 which glue is mule, and the dried skin is used as a substitute for 

 window-glass. The country is periodically infested by immense 

 swarms of locusts ; gad-flies and a kind of musquito are very trouble- 

 gome. Potters' -clay, brick-clay, lime, chalk, anil saltpetre are found 



in the government The inhabitants manufacture articles of 

 various kinds for domestic use; it i< only of their fine liqueurs and 

 preserved fruits that there is a surplus for exportation. The distil- 

 leries of brandy are considerable. Large quantities of corn are 

 exported to Odessa, The chief articles of export are corn, flour, 

 groats, brandy, linseed oil, hemp, flax, tobacco, honey, wax, wool, 

 tallow, butter, horses, oxen, preserved fruit, and liqueurs. 



The most important trading towns are Poltava and Kreraeutsclmk. 

 There are not more than seven or eight towns in this government, 

 in addition to the capitals of the fifteen circles; but the number 

 of villages is very large, and though, for want of timber, the buildings 

 are mostly of clay, they are kept very clean, both within and without; 

 and the villages, being surrounded with orchards and gardens, have a 

 cheerful appearance. 



Poltava, the capital of the government, is situated in 49 30' N. lat, 

 34 15' E. long., near the confluence of the rivers Poltawka and 

 Worskla, The population in 1842 was 16,000. The town is built of 

 wood, but the streets are wide and straight, and in the centre there is 

 a good square surrounded with stone houses, and in the middle of it 

 a handsome monument, of granite, in honour of Peter the Great. It 

 is surrounded by a rampart This town made a vigorous resistance to 

 Charles XII., which led to the battle of Poltava, in which the Swedes 

 were totally defeated, and Charles obliged to seek refuge in Turkey. 

 A fine obelisk is erected on the field of battle, near which divine 

 service is performed annually in commemoration of this victory. 

 Poltava has 10 churches (including the cathedral), a convent, a gymna- 

 sium, and a school. The inhabitants have considerable distilleries 

 and tanneries, and carry on an extensive trade in the produce of the 

 country. The town is surrounded with vast cherry-orchards, from 

 the fruit of which a very strong ardent spirit is distilled. There are 

 four annual fairs. In the vicinity there are extensive saltpetre works. 



Among the chief towns are the following: Mirgorod, on the 

 Khorol, which has about 7500 inhabitants, and great horse-fairs. 

 Lubny and Lokhwiza, both on the Sula, have each a population of about 

 6000. Pereaslawl, at the confluence of the Alta and the Trubesch, 

 has a great trade in cattle and corn, and 8000 inhabitants. Jiremen- 

 tn-hid; a well-built town, at the confluence of the Kaganlik and the 

 Dnieper, has a considerable trade and a wool-fair, and 18,000 inhabit- 

 ants. Its liqueurs and preserved fruits are very excellent, and there 

 are manufactures of nitre, soap, and refined sugar. The Dnieper is 

 here crossed by a bridge of boats. Kubiljaki, on the Worskla, has a 

 population of 7000. Part of the former fortified lines of the Ukraine 

 traverses the south-east of the government of Poltava. 



POLYNE'SIA (the name is formed from two Greek words, signify- 

 ing ' many islands '), comprises those countless islands and groups of 

 islands that lie in the Pacific Ocean, to the east of the Philippines, 

 Moluccas, and Australia, and extend to within a few degrees of the 

 western coast of America. The large islands and the groups of smaller 

 islands comprehended under the name are merely enumerated here, 

 as a particular notice of the more important is given under their 

 separate heads. South of the equator are Papua, the Admiralty 

 Islands, New Ireland, with New Hanover, New Britain, Louisiade, 

 New Georgia Archipelago, Queen Charlotte Islands, New Hebrides, 

 New Caledonia, Fiji Islands, Friendly Islands, Navigator's Islands, 

 Society Islands, Marquesas Islands, Paamuto Islands, and the isolated 

 Easter Island ; to which are to be added, south of the southern tropic, 

 Pitcairn's Island, Norfolk Island, and the islands of New Zealand. 

 North of the equator are the Pelew Islands, the New Philippines, the 

 Ladrones, the Ralick, the Kadack, and the Sandwich Islands. It will 

 be seen that Polynesia thus comprises a part only of what is expressed 

 by the more general term OCEANIA, before explained. 



POMERANIA (Pommern), a province of Prussia, is situated between 

 52 and 54 N. lat, 12 30' and 18 E. long. It is bounded N. by the 

 Baltic, E. by West Prussia, S. by Brandenburg, and W. by Mecklen- 

 burg. It is a long tract of coast, extending 200 miles along the Baltic, 

 and varying in breadth from 30 to 80 miles. The nrea is 12,153 

 square miles. The population in 1852 amounted to 1,253,904, of 

 whom 1,232,376 were Protestants of various sects; 10,912 Catholics; 

 26 of the Greek Church; 156 Meunonites; and 10,434 Jews. The 

 province is divided into the three governments of COSLIN, STETTIN, and 

 STHALSUND. 



Pomerauia is one of the lowest and flattest countries in Germany ; 

 only a few hills of a moderate height break its continuous level. The 

 coasts are defended by dykes. The soil consists of sand, mixed in 

 some places with clay. The province is crossed in its broadest part by 

 the Oder, which, flowing through a marshy tract, divides into many 

 arms or channels, one of which, the great Kegelitz, forms, towards its 

 mouth, the Great Dammer Lake, and, together with the main stream, 

 falls into the extensive inland water, the FRISCHES-HAFF. The two 

 islands of Usedom and Wollin separate the Haff from the Baltic, with 

 which it is connected by three outlets. The other rivers of Pomerauia 

 are the Ucker, Peene, and Ihna. There are many small lakes; that 

 of Madine, which is celebrated for its lampreys, is one of the largest. 



The climate of Pomerania is cold, and the weather is changeable ; 

 storms on the coast are not uncommon. The natural productions of 

 the country are horses, horned cattle, sheep, goats, swine, small 

 game, domestic poultry (especially geese), sea and river fish, and bees ; 

 corn, peas, and beans, potatoes, fruit, timber, flax, and tobacco; alum, 



