MAN 



3618 



MANATEE 



man race with a soul. Others think that the 

 Imman race developed from separate sources 

 and refuse to believe in a mind and soul of 

 divine origin. For man's conquest of the earth 

 see CIVILIZATION. See, also, RACES OF MEN. 



MAN, ISLE OF, an island of the Irish Sea in- 

 habited by Celtic people whose customs and 

 history have been vividly presented in the writ- 

 ings of Hall Caine. This popular English nov- 

 elist resides at Greeba Castle, one of the in- 



LOCATION MAP 



teresting features of the island. The Isle of 

 Man lies midway between England and Ireland 

 and fifteen miles south of Scotland. Its name 

 comes from the Manx word Mannin, meaning 

 the middle. It has an area of 227 square miles, 

 and its coastal scenery is bold and picturesque. 

 A mountain chain extends nearly its entire 

 length; the highest point is Snaefell, 2,034 feet 

 above sea level. Lead and zinc are mined ex- 

 tensively, and silver is found in considerable 

 quantities. Fishing and agriculture are im- 

 portant industries. 



The principal towns are Douglas, the capital 

 and chief seaport, Castletown, Peel and Ram- 

 say. A fine fleet of swift steamers affords com- 

 munication between Douglas and Liverpool. 

 Among the ruins of interest are the Castle 

 Rushen, founded in 947 and the most perfect 

 building of its date now existing; Peel Castle, 

 dating from the twelfth century; numerous rel- 

 ics of the Druids (which see), and Runic monu- 

 ments throughout the island (see RUNES). 



The island, inhabited chiefly by the Manx, 

 a people of Celtic origin, was purchased by 

 the British government early in the nineteenth 

 century. It has a constitution and government 



of its own, and to a certain extent is inde- 

 pendent of the imperial government, although 

 it is ruled by a Lieutenant-Governor appointed 

 by the English Crown. The legislative au- 

 thority rests with the Legislative Council and 

 the House of Keys, or Representatives. The 

 native Manx tongue is still spoken in the north- 

 western parishes and along the west coast, and 

 it is taught, with English, in the parish schools. 

 Population, about 52,000. 



MANAOS, mahnah'ohs, the capital of the 

 state of Amazonas, in Brazil, a city of nearly 

 80,000 people in 1917, is situated on the north 

 bank of the Rio Negro, twelve miles above its 

 junction with the Amazon, far up the course 

 of that mighty river, in the maze of woods and 

 streams. It is one of the marvels of modern 

 city building, "more cosmopolitan than Para," 

 and "essentially an American city." It is 908 

 miles by river from the Atlantic Ocean, 850 

 miles from Belem (Para) by the shortest route, 

 about 3,800 miles from New York and about 

 5,000 miles from London. The city is in lati- 

 tude 30 south, 106 feet above the sea level. 

 The great variation of the river level, with its 

 seasonal rise and fall of thirty-three feet, neces- 

 sitates floating docks and bridges. Manaos has 

 electric lights and cars and good waterworks. 

 Its customhouse, municipal hall, botanical gar- 

 den, museum, public library, theater, etc., tell 

 of lavish expense, civic pride and modern spirit. 

 Public elementary schools are provided; there 

 are good private schools, and a lyceum for sec- 

 ondary instruction. 



The first small settlement of white men be- 

 gan here in 1660, the place being called Sao 

 Jose de Rio Negro and later Barra do Rio Ne- 

 gro (referring to the river bar). This insignifi- 

 cant village rose in 1850 to be the seat of the 

 wild territory of Amazonas and at that time 

 took its present name. Two years later a navi- 

 gation company was organized, and in 1853 

 regular commerce began. The recent and re- 

 markable story of Manaos starts with 1878, 

 when the export tax on direct shipments was 

 lowered. 



MANATEE, man ate', or SEA COW, a 

 large, seal-like animal which is supposed to 

 have suggested the mermaid to the primitive 

 mind (see MERMAID). It is native along the 

 coasts of South America, Australia and Africa, 

 and frequents lagoons and the estuaries of riv- 

 ers, browsing on aquatic plants, among which it 

 often stands upright on the curve of its tail. 

 The manatee is an ungainly animal, from eight 

 to ten feet in length and without hind legs, but 



