BACCARAT. 



BADAJOZ. 



802 



Nebuchadnezzar, who built the city of Teredon (tiow Jebel-Sanam) at 

 the mouth of the river. The effect of the canals and marshes upon the 

 Euphrates was noticed in early times, namely, that the river got less 

 instead of bigger as it flowed on ; and Colonel Chesney shows that 

 the difference of breadth ia still manifest. [EUPHRATES.] 



In the northern part of Babylonia, Herodotus mentions the village 

 of Is (now Hit), famous for its bitumen, which was used in the 

 construction of the great works of Babylon. 



It remains to mention the vast mounds scattered over the plain, 

 marking the sites of large and once populous cities. The principal of 

 these, besides the mounds mentioned in the article on Babylon, arc 

 Al-Heimar and Akker Kuf, between Babylon and Baghdad ; between 

 Baghdad and the Persian Gulf, Umgheier, Warka, Senkera, Tel-Eide, 

 Jebel-Sanam (which marks the Teredon of Nebuchadnezzar), Iskuriyah, 

 Tel-Siphr, Niffer, and Beth-Takkara. The mound of Warka was 

 examined lately by Mr. Loftus, who supposes it to have been a necro- 

 polis ; some glazed coffins, the result of his excavations, are deposited 

 in the British Museum. [BABYLON.] 



The great Babylonian plain, once teeming with abundance, is now 

 all but a desert ; the river bank alone is marked by tamarisk and 

 acacia shrubs, and occasionally by willow-like poplars : once abound- 

 ing with inhabitants and studded with cities, it has for many centuries 

 had no settled population the Arab tent or the wretched hut of the 

 Kqnntter presenting a dwarfish contrast to the giant ruins that surround 

 them. Yet notwithstanding these changes the main features of 

 Babylonia remain us described by ancient authors. Further particu- 

 lars regarding this region are given in the article on tfie pashalic of 

 BAGHDAD. 



(Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography ; Ainsworth's Researches 

 in Babylonia; Chesney's Expedition to the Euphratei and Tigris; 

 Porter's Travel*, Ac.) 



BACCARAT. [MEURTHE.] 



BACCHIGLIO'NE, a river of Austrian Italy, which has its source 

 in the Alps that divide the province of Vicenza from the Lower Tyrol ; 

 it flows with a rapid course in a south-east direction, passes through 

 the town of Vicenza, where it is crossed by nine bridges, and a few 

 miles below it receives the Astego, another alpine stream coming from 

 the north ; it then crosses the rich plain of Padua and passes by the 

 walls of the city of that name, 30 miles below which it enters the 

 Adriatic at Brondolo, opposite to the island and town of Chioggia. 

 The Bacchiglione is navigable for large boats from Vicenza down to 

 the sea. A canal joins the Bacchiglione to the Brenta between Padua 

 and Stra, and affords a direct communication by water between Padua 

 and Venice. Another canal called Delia Battaglia runs from Padua 

 to the town of Este, passing by Monselice. The Bacchiglione was 

 called by the Romans Meduacus Minor, in contradistinction to the 

 Meduacus Major, the modern Brenta. The whole course of the Bac- 

 chiglione is about 90 miles. The stream turns a large number of corn 

 and other mills. 



BACK RIVER. [NOKTH POLAR COUNTRIES.] 



BACKERGUNGE, a district in the province of Bengal, situated 

 on the eastern side of the Sunderbunds, and forming with that 

 tract a part of the labyrinth pf creeks and rivers which characterise 

 the delta of the Ganges. Until the beginning of the present century, 

 ]5ackergunge formed part of the large district of Dacca Jelalpore. 

 The population in 1801 when the separation took place amounted to 

 920,723 ; and the area of the new district comprehended 4564 square 

 miles : in 1822 the population was 686,640. 



From its low situation this district is liable to inundations, and 

 has frequently suffered from that cause. The quantity of jungle 

 covering its surface gave shelter to numerous alligators and tigers. 

 The country became also the resort of numerous dacoits, or 

 river pirates. Since the time when Backergunge has been consti- 

 tuted a separate district under the Indian government, the land has 

 been in a great measure cleared, which has rendered the climate more 

 healthy, and has at the same time dislodged the beasts of prey, and a 

 strong body of police has succeeded in suppressing the pirates. 



I luring the periodical rams the lands of Backergunge are overflowed 

 by the water of the Ganges, which leaves a slimy and very fertilising 

 deposit. This, acted upon by the hot sun, makes the soil exceedingly 

 productive, so that it yields every year two harvests of rice, which 

 are abundant and of good quality, and serve in a great degree for the 

 supply of the market of Calcutta. In 1822 owing to an extensive 

 inundation upwards of 10,000 persons, with great numbers of cattle 

 and houses, were swept away by the flood. 



Many of the population are Hindoos ; the remainder being gene- 

 rally Mohammedans. Several colonies, the descendants of Portuguese 

 who settled here more than two centuries ago, occupy the southern 

 quarter of Backergunge : they have much degenerated from the 

 civilisation of their ancestors. 



The town of Backergumge, which is situated in 22" 36' N. lat., 

 80 24' E. long., is about 120 miles E. from Calcutta. The courts of 

 justice and of revenue under the British government were formerly 

 stationed here, but when the separation <,( tin* district from |I,M,' ; I 

 Jelalpore took place, the courts were removed to Unrrlalmt or /Im-rimi'/, 

 which is now the capital of the district. Burrishol is situated on 

 the right bank of one of the branches of the Ganges, on one of the 

 inlands formed by the intercommunications of the various rivers and 



OEOO. DIV. VOL. I. 



streams in this district : the town is about 120 miles E. by N. from 

 Calcutta. 



(Hamilton's East India Gazetteer ; and Reports of Committees of 

 the Hotise of Commons on the A/airs of India.) 

 BACKWELL. [SOMERSETSHIRE.] 

 BACS. [HUNGARY.] 



BA'CTRIA, or BA'CTRIANA. [BOKHARA.] 

 BACUP. [LANCASHIRE.] 



BADAGRY is a town on that part of the coast of Guinea which is 

 commonly called the Slave Coast ; about 6 N. lat., 3 30' E. long. 

 It is 6 or 7 miles from the shore, on the banks of what is called the 

 Western River of the Lagos. This river according to Bowdich runs 

 from the river Lagos, whose mouth is about 4 30' E. long., towards 

 the west to the river Volte, which approaches the meridian of 

 Greenwich : it there joins the Volta near its mouth. [LAGOS.] A 

 natural canal unites this western river with the sea at Badagry. 

 The town may contain upwards of 10,000 inhabitants, who formerly 

 dealt in slaves to a great extent, for which reason the Portuguese 

 established at this place five factories, and resorted to it annually 

 with many vessels. The houses except that of the king are con- 

 structed of bamboo cane, and are only of one story. The market is 

 well supplied with poultry, yams, maize, palm-wine, country cloth, 

 &c. The king of Badagry is not> an independent sovereign, but 

 subject to the king of Eyeo, or] Katunga, who resides at a great 

 distance from the coast. Captain Clapperton and Richard Lander set 

 out from Badagry on their expeditions into the interior of Africa. 



BADAJOZ (Pax Augusta of the Romans), a fortified city of Spain, 

 capital of the old province of Estremadura and of the modern 

 province of Badajoz, is situated on the south side of the Guadiana, 

 5 miles from the frontier of Portugal, and 220 miles S.W. from 

 Madrid, in 38 50' N. lat, 6" 48' W. long : the population is about 

 12,000. 



The city is built on a hill, which on the north, overlooking the 

 river, rises to a height of from 200 to 300 feet. On the highest part 

 of this hill is an ancient Moorish castle, now a heap of ruins, whence 

 the city slopes gently to the south, east, and west, with the rivulet 

 Rivillas on the eastern side flowing northward to the Guadiaua. 

 Long walls descend to the river, and connect the city with a bridge 

 of granite of 28 arches, 608 yards in length, and 23 feet wide. This 

 bridge was finished in 1596, from the designs of Herrera, and is 

 defended on the north bank by a bridge-head (tete du pont). On 

 the land-side the city is defended by a strong wall flanked by eight 

 bastions and by a wide and deep ditch. The castle stands within 

 the wall on the high ground to the north-east. It occupies the site 

 of part ' 'f the ancient town, and remains of a mosque with red 

 brick arches still exist within its inclosure. There are, besides the 

 gate of the bridge, four other entrances to the town. The outworks 

 consist of the ravelin of Sail Roque on the eastern side, which covers 

 a dam and sluice upon the Rivillas ; Fort Picurina on the south-east ; 

 Fort Pardaleras on the Sierra de Vientos (Hill of Winds), a crown- 

 work occupying the southern side of the town, from which it is 

 separated 600 feet ; and on the northern side of the Guadiana, Fort 

 San Christoval, which is 600 feet square, stands upon a rocky 

 eminence, and is connected with the bridge-head. 



The city consists of tolerably good houses, most of which ;u-u 

 furnished with balconies and lattices, aud are painted in colours or 

 whitewashed. The best streets occupy the northern and higher 

 ground, and are sufficiently wide; most of the other streets are 

 narrow, but all are clean. The city is without fountains, but is well 

 supplied with water from wells. There is a large square, the l'];i/,;i. 

 de la Cunstitucion, commonly called the Campo de San Juan, from 

 the cathedral dedicated to San Juan being situated there. This 

 open space has on one side a public walk, shaded by trees and 

 furnished with seats, which is the favourite promenade, but there is 

 another public walk on the bank of the Guadiana. The Casa de 

 Ayuntamiento, or house of assembly for the province, the theatre, 

 and several cafes, are also situated in the Campo de San Juan. The 

 cathedral is not distinguished for its architecture. It was begun in 

 1248 by Alonso el Sabio. The facade is later, in the Grscco-Romano 

 style. In the chapels of the cathedral are some paintings by Morales, 

 who was a native of Badajoz. The French took away four of the 

 best, and those which remain have been injured by restoring. Besides 

 the cathedral there are five pariah churches. The city contains also 

 an arsenal and a military hospital. At the time of the suppression 

 of monasteries in Spain, Badajoz contained five convents of monks 

 and three of nuns,.the buildings of which have since been appropriated 

 to civil, military, and educational purposes. Badajoz has somo 

 tanneries and manufactures of leather, coarse woollens, and soap, 

 and carries on a brisk trade with Portugal, chiefly contraband. 



Badajoz is the place of residence of the captain-general of theprovince, 

 and is the seat of a bishop, suffragan to the archbishop of Santiago. 



Alonso IX., king of Castile and Leon, took Badajoz from the 

 Moors in 1230. It was besieged without success by the Portuguese 

 in 1660 and 1705, and by the French, under Kcllorrnun and Victor in 

 1808 and 1809. It was taken by Soult in 1810, and was unsuccess- 

 fully besieged by the English on May 5 and May 2!>, 1811. The last 

 siege was commenced March 16, 1812, by the Duke of Wellington, 

 rfhd Badajoz was taken by storm on the night of April 6, after a 



:; r 



