PRUTH, RIVER. 



PUERTO RICO. 



238 



E. by Russia, S. by Poland and the province of Posen, and W. by 

 Brandenburg and Pomerania. The area and population of East and 

 West Prussia are given in the statistical table in the preceding article. 

 Of the area 800 square miles are covered with waters. The climate 

 is temperate in summer, very cold in winter, very changeable on 

 the coast, and generally rather damp. The face of the country is 

 level, broken hare and there by low ranges of hills. The forests 

 which cover the sandy plains are estimated at 2,000,000 of acres. 

 The principal rivers are the Vistula, the Pregel, and the Memel, or 

 Niemen. There are several hundreds of small lakes, namely, 300 in 

 East and 150 in West Prussia ; but no large ones, unless we reckon as 

 such the two Han's, which communicate with the sea only by canals, 

 and have fresh water. [KDRIECHBS HAFF ; FRISCHES HAI F.] The 

 two largest are the Mauer Lake, 40 square miles, and the Spirding 

 Lake, 70 square miles in extent. With regard to the natural pro- 

 ductions, the province produces corn, pulse, flax of excellent quality, 

 hemp, tobacco, hops, madder, potatoes, and timber. There are good 

 breeds of tbe usual domestic animals, abundance both of fresh-water 

 and sea fish, and bees. The mineral kingdom is very poor ; iron how- 

 ever in various forms is abundant, and amber is more plentiful in this 

 province than in any other part of the world. It is thrown up chiefly 

 on the Baltic coast between Memel and the western extremity of the 

 Gulf of Danzig. Its collection was formerly under the direction of 

 persons appointed by the government, and the cause of much annoy- 

 ance to the coast population who could not enjoy an aquatic excursion 

 without subjecting themselves to a strict search on their return ; and 

 they could put to sea from certain places only. The collection of tbe 

 amber has been fanned by the government since, we believe, 1809. 

 The manufactures of the province are confined to the towns, of which 

 the principal are Danzig, Memel, Elbing, and Konigsberg. From 

 Danzig and Memel large quantities of Russian produce, corn, tallow, 

 hides, flax, hemp, timber, &c. are shipped. The province of East 

 Prussia is divided into two governments, Konigsberg and Qumbinnen ; 

 and West Prussia also into two governments, Danzig and Marieu- 

 werder. Under the heads DANZIG, GuMBiNMM, KOXIGSBERG, and 

 M AHIEXWERDLU, further particulars are given respecting the provinces 

 in question, including notices of the less important towu*. The chief 

 towns, DANZIG, ELBING, and KONIGSBERO are noticed separately, 



PRUTH. RIVER. [AUSTRIA; BBWABABU.] 



PRZEMYSL. [OALICIA, Austrian.] 



PSKOW, a government of Russia, situated between 56 and 58 

 N. lat, 27 ' 20' and 32 5' E. long., is bounded N. by Inke Pskow, and 

 the government of St. Petersburg, E. by Novogorod and Twer, 8. by 

 Smolensk, and \V. by Witepsk and Livonia. Tbe area is 17,120 square 

 miles. The population in 1846 wan 775,800. 



The surface is level, and in some place* slightly undulating : there 

 are DO mountains, though the whole country is rather elevated. The 

 oil is partly clayey, partly sandy, and in many parts covered with a 

 tolerably thick layer of mould. The only large lake is Lake Pskow, 

 which is noticed under LIVONIA. The Polista, Podso, Khwat, and 

 WoUkoe lakes are much smaller. There are also numerous meres and 

 many marshes, principally in the south-east part of the government 

 There is DO large river in the province. The Duna rises in it, but 

 soon turns into Witepsk ; the Loweth, or Lovat, which also rises in 

 it, runs into Novogorod, is joined by the Polista and the Pola, and has 

 below Velikie-Luki several rocks and whirlpools, which are called 

 cataracts. Most of the rivers, though not deep enough for large vessels, 

 are navigable by flat river bouts called atruaes, and facilitate commu- 

 nication with St. Petersburg, Narva, and Riga. 



The climate is cold. Agriculture U the chief occupation of the 

 inhabitant*. The soil i* in general tolerably fertile, but requires 

 careful cultivation and manure ; it produces however not only sufficient 

 for the consumption of the inhabitants, but al*o a surplus for exporta- 

 tion. The chief products are rye, barley, oats, and buckwheat; 

 puke, peas, beta*, and lentils. Culinary vegetable*, such as cab- 

 bages, turnips, onions, garlic, and cucumbers are cultivated. On the 

 estates of the nobility small orchards are here and there to be seen. 

 Flax and hemp, both of excellent quality, are staple productions. 

 The extensive forest* furnish abundance of timber, chiefly pines, 

 firs, birche*, and alders. Tbe breeding of cattle is merely subservient 

 to agriculture. Swine are kept in great numbers, but only few goats 

 auil litUa poultry. Beut* of prey and fur-beariug animals abound, 

 such as bear*, wolves, lynxes, foxes, martens, squirrels, and badgers. 

 Tbe lakes and river* produce abundance of fish. The only mineral 

 products are bog-iron, limestone, sandstone, and clay. There are 

 salt-springs near the Szelon. 



The inhabitauta excel in dressing skins and manufacturing leather ; 

 but, unlike the Russians in general, they have not a turn for mechanics, 

 and do not willingly apply to any kind of handicraft. The country- 

 women hardly spiu wool and flax sufficient to manufacture liuen, 

 stocking**, Ac. for their own use. Some struset and barks are built, 

 there are many saw-mills, and a few spirit distilleries and glass- 

 furnaces. Rye, oaU, barley, squared timber, masts, span, plonks, 

 Lump, rlaj, nempeeed and linseed, wool, hides, and a few other articles 

 are scut to Penan, St. Petersburg, and Narva, whence the inhabitants 

 import colonial products and other necessary articles. 



The great majority of the in habitants are Russians of the Greek 

 church. There are also many Germans in the town*. 



Pskow, the capital of the government, is in 57 40' U. lat., 28 10' 

 E. long., on the left bank of the Wellikaja, nearly 5 miles from its 

 mouth in Lake Pskow. It is said to have been founded in the 10th 

 century by the grand-duchess Olga. The interior of the city has 

 some resemblance to that of Moscow. In the centre of the town is 

 the Kremlin (on the steep left bauk of the river), which was erected 

 by Prince Dowmont, who reigned from 1266 to 1299. The citadel is 

 surrounded by a wall The middle town, extending in the form of a 

 semicircle about the citadel, is also surrounded with a wall ; a third 

 very high and strong wall, 5 miles in extent, defends the great town, 

 which euvelopes the middle towu. There is a large suburb. Pskow 

 has sustained several memorable sieges, among others, in 1614, when 

 it was attacked without success by Gustavus Aclolphus, king of 

 Sweden. Fskow has declined from its ancient power and greatness, 

 but is still a large towu ; it has one cathedral, richly adorned with 

 gilding and carved-work, about 60 other Greek churches, a Lutheran 

 church, three monasteries, an ecclesiastical seminary, a gymnasium, a 

 district and other schools, an orphan asylum, and a handsome building 

 for the government offices. It is the see of the Greek archbishop, 

 and the residence of the military governor. The present popu- 

 latiou is 12,000, who manufacture Russia leather, liueu, sail-cloth, and 

 glass. 



Tin-open, an ancient town, with about 12,000 inhabitants, is extremely 

 well situated for carrying on au extensive trade ; it communicates 

 with Riga by means of the river Toropa, on which it is situated, and 

 which joins the Dunn. There are thirteen churches and two convents 

 in the town. Most of the houses are of wood. WMticaja-Luki, on 

 the Lovat, a tributary of Lake Ilmen, has about 4000 inhabitants, 



PTOLEMETA. [CYHKNAICA.] 



FUCKLECHURCH. [GLOUCESTERSHIRE.] 



PUEBLA. [MEXICO.] 



PUEBLO NUEVO DE TAMAULIPAS. [MEXICO.] 



PUERTO BELLO or VELO. [PANAMA.] 



PUERTO CABELLO. [VENEZUELA.] 



PUERTO DE SANTA MARIA. [SEVILLE] 



PUERTO REAL. [SEVILLA.] 



PUERTO RICO, or PORTO RICO, an island of the West Indies, 

 belonging to Spain, is the smallest of the Greater Antilles [ANTILLES], 

 and the uiot western of the LBEWARD ISLANDS. It lies between 

 and 18 30' N. lat, 65 39' and 67 11' W. long. ; and is 

 bounded N. by the Atlantic, W. by the Jloua Passage about 75 miles 

 wide, which separates it from Sau Domingo, S. by the Caribbean Sea, 

 and E. by the Virgin Islands. The island is in the form of a parallelo- 

 gram, 100 miles loug and 40 miles broad, and it contains about 3800 

 square mile*. The population in 1849 was 283,000. 



A range of mountains of considerable height runs through the 

 centre of the island ; the highest summit is that of Languillo in the 

 north-east, which is 3678 feet above the level of the sea. Towards 

 the south and east tbe mountains descend with rather a steep slope to 

 the sea. On tbe north and west the descent 14 much less rapid, and 

 there is a plain from five to ten miles wide between the sea and the 

 base of the mountains. From the central chain many inferior ridges 

 run north ami south, containing bet wren them valleys of great fertility. 

 The valleys on the north side produce tbe best pasturage; those of 

 the south, grow most sugar. The coast abounds with harbours : those 

 on the north coast are generally unsafe during the prevalence of the 

 northerly winds, in consequence of the heavy surf which then rolls 

 in upon the shore. The same cause creates bars at the mouths of the 

 rivers on the north coast The port of San Juan is however perfectly 

 sheltered by the narrow island on which the town and fortress stand. 

 Aguadilla is au open roadstead at the north-west extremity of the 

 inland and much exposed, but from its position and the abundant 

 supply of provisions and water which it affords, it is much visited. It 

 was here that Columbus effected his first landing on Puerto Rico. The 

 ports of Guauica and Hovas, ou the south coast are very large, afford 

 excellent anchorage, and are easily defended. In the port of Guanioa 

 vessels drawing 21 feet of water may enter with perfect safety, and 

 anchor close to the shore. 



Few countries are so well watered by rivers as Puerto Rico. Seven- 

 teen rivers rising in the central chain run into the sea on the north 

 coast. Of these Jianati, Loiea, Trabajo, and Arecibo are deep and 

 broad; and though there are bars at their mouths, small vessels with 

 cargoes can safely cross them at high water. Some of the rivers on 

 the north-west, unable from the accumulation of sand at their mouths 

 to discharge rapidly the great quantity of water which they bring 

 down from the mountains, have formed a series of lagooua along the 

 coast, some of which are 8 or 10 miles loug. These lagoons have been 

 connected by artificial canals, and form a very convenient means of 

 communication along this part of the coast. Nine rivers fail into the 

 sea on the east coast, sixteen on the south, and three ou the west. 

 These rivers are well stocked with fish. Duriug the last thirty years 

 many good roads have been constructed and bridges built. The 

 principal roads are from San Juan to Aguadilla and Mayaguas, from 

 Ponce to Guayama, and from Faxardo to the capital. Tho greater 

 number of bridges are of wool, but several are of stone. 



The climate of Puerto Rico reems to be more favourable to Europeans 

 than that of most of the other islands of the West Indies. The 

 maximum height of the thermometer is stated to be 92 Fahr. in the 



