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BAFFIN'S BAY BAGPIPE. 



BAFFIN'S BAY ; the largest nml most northern gulf 

 on the eastern coast of North America; between 70 

 nd 80 N. lat. ; discovered by Baffin, in lo'Hi. This 

 ulf flows through Baffin's and Davis's straits, be- 

 tween cape I'hid'ley, on the coast of Labrador, and 

 capo Farewell, on the coast of West <;n enland, into 

 the Atlantic. On the south-west Mile of Davis's 

 strait, Baffin's bay is separated by n mass of islands 

 from Hudson's bay, which abounds with wliales. 

 From Baffin's bay captain Parry started, in 1819, in 

 search of the north-west passage. See North Pole, 

 cjcpnlitiont to. 



BAUIJAD ; capital of a Turkish pachalic of the 

 same name, in the southern part of Mesopotamia, or 

 Al-Dschezira, now Irak Arabi, containing about 

 70,000 square miles, and (550,000 inhabitants ; 44 

 25' E. Ion., and 33 20' N. lat. The greater part of 

 it lies on the eastern bank of the Tigris, which is 

 crossed by a bridge of boats, 620 feet long. The old 

 B., the residence of the caliphs, with 2,000,000 in- 

 habitants, now in ruins, was situated on the western 

 bank of the river. The modern city is surrounded 

 with a brick wall, about six miles in circuit, and with 

 a ditch from five to six fathoms deep, which may be 

 filled with water from the Tigris ; but the cannon on 

 the numerous towers are old, and unfit for use. The 

 castle commands the Tigris, and contains an arsenal, 

 but is untenable. The houses, mostly built of brick, 

 are but one story high, the streets unpaved, and so 

 narrow, that two horsemen can scarcely ride abreast. 

 The houses of the wealthy are distinguished by a 

 better architecture. The palace of the governor is 

 spacious, and magnificently furnished. The public 

 baths and the coffee-houses of the city, though in a 

 bad condition, are much frequented. The markets 

 afford an abundance of provisions, at a low price. 

 B. is an important mart for Arabian, Indian, and 

 Persian productions, as well as for European manu- 

 factures. A splendid view is afforded by the bazars, 

 with their 1200 shops filled with all kinds of Orien- 

 tal goods. The chief manufactures of the city are, 

 red and yellow leather, much esteemed, and silk, 

 cotton, and woollen cloths. With the aid of the Bri- 

 tish and Persians, the pacha has established a cannon 

 foundery. B. supplies Asia Minor, Syria, and a part 

 of Europe, with East Indian goods, which are im- 

 ported to Bassora, ascend the Tigris in boats, and are 

 carried by caravans to Tokat, Constantinople, Al- 

 leppo, Damascus, and the western parts of Persia. 

 There is also some trade in jewels. A British 

 packet runs between Bagdad and Bassora. A mul- 

 titude of strangers assemble at B., partly on mercan- 

 tile business, partly to visit the sepulchres of the 

 saints, among which is that of the prophet Ezekiel. 

 The heat of the summer obliges the inhabitants to 

 shelter themselves in subterranean chambers ; but 

 the winter is cold enough to make a fire necessary. 

 The city is, nevertheless, agreeable, healthy, and 

 free from pestilential diseases ; but the inhabitants 

 frequently suffer from cutaneous disorders. B. is in- 

 habited by Turks, Persians, Armenians, Jews, and 

 a small number of Christians. The Turks compose 

 three-fourths of the whole population. The Jews 

 are confined to a secluded district of the city, and are 

 in a very oppressed condition. Inclusive of the Arabs, 

 Hindoos, Afghans, and Egyptians, who are accustomed 

 to reside here, the population may amount to 80,000. 

 The Persians, under the particular protection of the 

 government, enjoy a very extensive trade, and are 

 renowned for honesty, prudence, and integrity. The 

 higher classes are more civil and attentive to stran- 

 gers tlmn is usually the case with Mohammedans. 

 On the other hand, the lower classes are infected with 

 the. prevailing vices of the East. The people are 

 bold, enterprising, and turbulent. 



Bagdad was begun, in 702, by the caliph Abu 

 Giafar-Almanzor, finished in four years, and raised to 

 ;i high degree of splendour, in the ninth century, by 

 Haroun Alraschid ; but, 10O years after, it was de- 

 stroyed by the Turks. In the 13th century, it was 

 stormed by Holngou, grandson of Zingis-Khan, who 

 caused the reigning caliph to be slain, and destroyed 

 the caliphate. The descendants of the conqueror 

 were expelled, in 1392, by Tamerlane (<|. \.), and, in 

 1412, by Kara-Yusef. In the following century, 

 Shah Ismael, the first sovereign of Persia of the house 

 of Sofi, took possession of the city. From that time 

 it was a perpetual subject of contest in the wars be- 

 tween the Turks and Persians. After a memorable 

 siege, in 1638, it was conquered by the Turkish em- 

 peror Amurath IV., and Nadir Shah endeavoured in 

 vain, in the 18th century, to wrest it from the Turks. 



BAGE, Robert, an ingenious English novelist, was 

 born at Derby, in 1728 ; died at Tamworth, in 1801. 

 During the greater part of his life, he followed the 

 occupation of paper maker. The titles of his works 

 are, " Mount Henneth," " Barham Downs," " The 

 Fair Syrian," " James Wallace," " Man as he is," 

 and " Hermsprong, or Man as he is not." 



BAGGESEN, Jens (the Danish for Emanuel), a Danish 

 poet, who also wrote much in German, was born Feb. 

 15, 1764, at Corsor. He has given the history of his 

 education, and described the influences which deter- 

 mined his character, in the Labyrinth. In 1785, he 

 displayed, in his Comic Tales, his humour and power 

 as an author. The prince of Holstein-Augustenburg 

 enabled him to travel through Germany, France, ami 

 Switzerland. In 1793, he visited Italy. He after- 

 wards received from the Danish government an ap- 

 pointment in Copenhagen. In 1800, he went with 

 his wife, a niece of the famous Haller, to reside at 

 Paris. In 1811, he was appointed professor of the 

 Danish language at Kiel, and, in 1814, resigned his 

 office, and went to reside in Copenhagen. At this 

 time, his poetical fame reached its highest point. He 

 again left Denmark, and died suddenly at Dresden, 

 Oct. 3, 1826. His best productions are his smaller 

 poems and songs, several of which are very popular 

 with his countrymen. His Seasons, in Danish, are 

 much esteemed. In 1827, a humorous poem of his, 

 Adam and Eve, in German, was published at Leipsic. 



BAGNIO (Italian, a bath). This name is particu- 

 larly given to that place, near Galata, in the suburbs 

 of Constantinople, where slaves are kept. There are 

 one Greek and two Catholic churches for the use of 

 the slaves. Inclosures for slaves, in Turkey and 

 Barbary, are, in general, called bagnios. 



BAGPIPE ; a well-known wind instrument, of high 

 antiquity among the northern nations, which has so 

 long been a favourite with the natives of the High- 

 lands of Scotland, that it may be considered as their 

 national instrument. The peculiarity of the bagpipe 

 consists in collecting the air into a leathern bag, from 

 which it is forcibly pressed into the pipes by the arm 

 of the performer. The chanter, into which is insert- 

 ed a reed for the production of the sounds by the 

 action of the air from the bag, is perforated with holes 

 like the German flute, which are stopped with the 

 fingers. The other parts of the instrument are three 

 tubes or drones, which are also furnished with reeds. 

 Two of the drones are in unison with D on the chan- 

 ter, which corresponds with the lowest note of the 

 German flute. The third drone, which is the longest, 

 is an octave lower. The tuning of the bagpipe is 

 accomplished by lengthening or shortening the tubes 

 or drones, as may be required. The Highland bag- 

 pipe is a powerful instrument, and calls for great ox- 

 ertion of the lungs. The Irish bagpipe is smaller, 

 softer in its notes, and is always played with bellows. 

 It is not known when the bagpipe first found its way 



