ALINCOM. 



it vj rich, and there are Uig* phurtatton. of oliv,-U. 

 :rm Evora. and 13 mile* W. by N. from 

 aUiMtsjn on a bill near the north bank of the ErvedaL 

 Iln.fonD.rlr th* **at of the pand-prior of the knight* of Malta. 

 It u .urroaajed by wall*, and ha* a citadel, but the defence* are 

 now in a ruinon* *tsU. It contain* a collegiate church and an 

 fr J..1 population, about 3000. Klrai, a town and fortrea* of 

 mtt Mlioadlmpoftanc*, 45 mile* N.E. frum Kvora, 11 mile* W. 

 from TWj"*i ataod* on a precipitou* hill It i* the *trongwt place 

 ia IWtojaL Besides the fortification* which surround the town, it 

 i. uf**c1sd by two strong fort*. The town U old, and the houae* 

 01 buill ; th* *tr*ta on the upper put are narrow ; below they are 

 wider. It ia the seat of a biabop, (uffragan of the archbUhop of Kvora, 

 aod mm i n* a cathedral, three parish churchea, an anenal, an aqueduct 

 which convey, water from a distance of 3 mile* into an immense cistern, 

 a milage, a theatre, and an hocpital : population, including a numerous 

 farriaon, about 10,000. Kitrrmot, 25 mile* N.N.E. from Evora, 30 

 mile* W. from Klva*, i* aituatod partly on an eminence, and partly 

 in a valley. It i* defended by a citadel, with a large arsenal, and is 

 the nnwnT of a governor. The street* are generally wide, and 

 there i* a large aquare mrrounded by handsome buildings. It con- 

 tain* three pariah churches. There are manufacture* of earthenware, 

 **p*cially ve***l* for cooling liquid*: population, about 5000. Mertola, 

 32 mile* &K. from Beja, U aituated on a precipitous height near the west 

 bank of the Guadiana, opposite the mouth of the Rio Limoa*. It is an 

 ancient town, the Julia Myrtili* of the Romans, and is surrounded by 

 walla. There are some interesting ruins: population, about 2000. 

 JfensBTM, 32 mile* K.S.E. from Evora, stands onj&e west bank of 

 the Ouadiana ; it i* surrounded by walls, and defended by a fort ; 

 population, about 1500. Motrmor-o-Xuro, 20 mile* W. by N. from 

 Evora, stand* on the dope of a hill, near the source of the Canha. A 

 town of the ame name stood on the summit, where some Roman 

 inacriptiun* have been found, and there are ruins of a Moorish castle. 

 The inhabitant*, about 3000, manufacture earthenware and leather. 

 Moura, about 45 mile* S.K. from Evora, stand* on elevated ground, 

 about 2 mile* from the eastern bank of the Guadiana. It has a con- 

 aiderable commerce in olive-oil: population, about 4000. Moitrao, 

 35 mile* E.8.E. from Evora, itands on an eminence about 2 miles from 

 the ea*t bank of the Ouadiana, in a fertile country : population, about 

 1500. OwtfiK, 80 mile* S.S.W. from Evora, is situated on an elevation 

 in the Campo de Ourique, where Alfonso I. totally defeated the Moors 

 in 1148 : population, about 2600. Portaltgre, 52 mile* N. by E. from 

 Evora, i* atuated on a high hill, in a picturesque and fertile country. 

 It i* surrounded by an old wall, but ia only strong by its situation. 

 The street* are narrow, crooked, and precipitous. The house* are 

 tolerably good, and the inhabitants are well supplied with water from 

 three fountains. . It is the see of a bishop, and has an episcopal palace, 

 There ia a cathedral of gothic architecture, and there are four parish 

 churchea. Woollen cloth and drugget* are manufactured. Chestnut- 

 wood* abound in the vicinity, and both the timber and nuts are sent 

 to Lubon. -Serpo, 50 mile* S.S.1-1 from Evora, stand* on a high hill, 

 4 mile* from the east bank of the Ouadiana. It i* surrounded by walls 

 with five gate*, and oonawte of tolerably good houses. It contains 

 two churches : population, about 4500. The vicinity U fertile, and 

 produce* abundance of olive-oil and figs. YManfOta, 15 milea N.E. 

 from Evora, i* situated in a fertile valley, watered by a small affluent 

 of the Ouadiana. It ia surrounded by a ditch, and defended by a 

 eitadsL It ha* wide street* of well-built house* and handsome 

 MOM**, and some AM public buildings, especially a royal palace, 

 with paciou* garden*. It contain* a collegiate church and a parish 

 church : population, about 4000. Much oil and wine are produced in 

 UMVI. 



Al.l M uX. chief town of the department of Orne in France; the 

 eat of a tribunal of fint instance, of a tribunal and chamber of 

 tuuimtiue, of a council of Prod' Hommes, and of a communal college ; 

 trsnrtsd hi 48* 28' 4 N. Ut. n S(' K. long., 108 miles W. by a from 

 Pan*: population, 1S.W17. The town I* situated in a wide and fertile 

 pUin Mar th* confluence of the Sarth. and the Briante. The street* 

 are in general wids, well-built, wall-paved, clean, and regular. The 

 principal square, in which stand the town-ball and court-house, com- 

 municate, with a fin* public walk planted with magnificent tree*. 

 Five pretty suburb* adjoin the town. 



*- .< . .< ... 



thic 

 the 

 'I 



with sculpture.. II,.. 



door* are surmounted by pyramid* furnished 

 with (tallri*. and niche*. The total length of the nave U 102 feet; 



Th* church of Notre-lMmo, which i* called a cathedral, i* a gothi 

 Mructar* of the early part of th* ICth oantnry. It i* Imilt m ii, 

 farm of a Latin croav, ami ha* an elegant facade, which i* pierce. 



. . ... 

 thra. arch*, above the d 







th* dokwof 

 or* now but fcw 



and H* height 04 feel On each aide of the nave 

 \ w open gallery, above which are five beautiful 

 The grand altar is adorned with a representation 

 in white marble, and 1* surmounted by a baldaquin 

 -four white marble ].i MM-*. The pulpit I* ascended 



OM of the maarivs pillars of A* nave, i 

 Tbee.Uno.wa.frHTOeriy*urmountlby*iipirrlS4 feet 

 thi*wa*d*etm5redbyliai,toinginl744. Of th. tomb* of 



formerly contained, there 

 t entirely destroyed in ih- 



:. : f, 



all 



ALEPPO. us 



fint French revolution. The church of St-Leonard was rebuilt in 

 the 15th century, but contains a chapel that belonged to a more 

 ancient structure, which dated from the llth century. 



The town-hall wa* erected in 1783 on the site of the castle of the 

 old count* and duke* of Alcncon. The castle itself was founded in 

 the 10th century by Yves de Beleame; the keep was built by Henry I. 

 of England, and stood till 1 784. Three missive towers of the ancient 

 structure an incorporated with the present building ; two of them flank 

 the entrance-gateway ; the third, which i* machicolatod and crowned 

 with battlement*, date* from the 1 4th century. The other note- worthy 

 object* in the town are the prefect'* residence, a handsome brick struc- 

 ture, formerly inhabited by the Duke of Guise ; the court-house, the 

 hocpital, and lunatic asylum ; the com, linen, and fish-market* ; the 

 abattoir, the public library of 8000 volume*, which i* krpt in the 

 upper part of the college chapel; the theatre, and the race-course. 

 The hill of Chauiuont, about 5 miles west from Alencon, i* interesting 

 to the antiquarian on account of it* ancient fortified camp. 



The industrial establishment* of Alencon comprise tan-yard*, dis- 

 tilleries of spirits from lees of cider, breweries, linen bleach works, 

 cotton and linen factories, some of which are driven by (team. The 

 moot important product* are linen for sheeting, shirting, and towelling ; 

 mouaseline-de-laine, cotton yarn, and linen thread. Embroidery and 

 glove-making employ a good many hands. Lace, called Point d'Alencon, 

 was formerly the staple produce of the town ; six of the principal houses 

 are still engaged in the manufacture. Large quantities of cider and 

 perry, the common drinks of the country, are sold in Alencon. 

 Important fairs are held at Candlemas and on the second Monday in 

 Lent ; the former is a famous hone-fair. Iron ore, potters' clay, and 

 granite are found near the town. The so-called Alencon diamond* 

 are manufactured from the clouded quartz met with in working the 

 granite quarries. The town is situated at the junction of several 

 high roads. A railway, in course of construction and comph t 

 Chartres, will connect Alencon with Paris; and another railroad, 

 also in course of construction, will connect it with Caen and the 

 Great Western of France (Paris Brest) line at Le-Mans. 



Alencon, when ceded to the Northmen by Charles the Simple in 

 the 9th century, was a mere village. It rose to importance after the 

 completion of the castle by William de Belesme about 1026. Soon 

 after Geoffrey Martel, Count of Anjou, seized the town, which was 

 retaken by William the Conqueror in 1048. Henry II. of England 

 took it in 1135, and from that time its count", the De Bcleemes, were 

 vassals of the king of England. Alice, sister of Robert IV., the last 

 count of that family, gave up Alencon and its dependencies to 

 Philippe Auguste of France. Towards the end of the 14th century 

 Alencou was created a duchy by Charles VI. In the contest* between 

 the French and the English, during the reigns of Henry V. and Henry VI., 

 Alen;on was taken and retaken many times, and the English were 

 finally driven out of it in 1450. In 1559 it became the dowry of 

 Catharine de Medicis. Alencon then contained a great number of 

 I'alvinihtH, who, being in a majority, pillaged the churchea and 

 convents. Neverthel. -.-*, .luring the massacre of St. Barthl&ny, 

 Mutignon, the head of the Catholic party, refused to obey the cruel 

 man. lute, and saved the lives of the Calvinists. The soldiers of the 

 League seized the town in 15S9, and the next year it was retaken 1>\ 

 Henri IV. in person, who then demolished a part of the castle. On 

 the death of Marie de Medicis, Henri IV.'s widow, Alencon fell to 

 Gastou d'Orleans, after whose death it passed by marriage to the 

 Duke of Guise. During the 17th century the town suffered much 

 from religious dissensions ; and the revocation of the Edict of Nantes 

 drove most of its Calvinist inhabitants to exile. 



ALEPPO (//n/ft), a city in tho north of Syria, capital of the 

 of Aleppo, is situated at the north-western entrance of the great 

 Syro-Arabian desert, in 36 11 J' N. lat, 37 10' E. long., at a d. 

 of about 70 miles S.E. from Alexandretta, or Iskendenm. u ; . 

 '.MI mile* N.W. from I.atakia. The little river KoJk, the in 

 ( 'luil u*, flow* through the west part of the town. The city is built 

 on several hills, and is surrounded by an old wall of Saracenic archi- 

 tecture, pierced by seven gate-entrances, an.) \ in ruins. 

 Outside the wall are Urge suburb*, and the circuit ..f the whole rather 

 exceeds 7 mile*. The population in 1795 is said to have amounted to 

 250,000, but is now estimated at about 70,000 only. An earthquake, 

 in 1822, destr.'ve.l t\v. .-thirds nf the houses of the city, and caused 

 multitudes of the inhabitants to forsake it. The street* arc 

 well-paved, and furnished with footpaths. The houses and other 

 buildings are constructed of freestone in the S.-u- . with 

 flat roofs, spacious apartment*, large win.l.<\v. aii.l rlohly-deo 

 walls and ceilings. Many of the puMie Mnieturex, including the 

 1 ancient palace, which wa* destroyed during a siege in IM!> 

 many of the mosque*, are now in ruins. The new citadel stands on 

 the N.W. of the town, and contains large barrack*, in whi. ). 

 garrimn is lodged. Th. rly had a hundred mosques, tind 

 fifty mesjods, or nmtorio*. Amonp the mosque* !..-it of 

 Zacharias, whi. h is held in great veneration by the Turks; Christians 

 are forbiil.len t<> enter it, A handsome aqueduct supp! 

 with water, which in distributed among numerous fountains of 

 mamive architecture. There are a Mohammedan college, several 

 Christian churches and schools, a synagogue, and several large bazaars, 

 ^ warehouses, and coffee-house* in the town. The Mussulmans, Christians, 



