B A K 



209 



B A L 



Baku. any distance where the earth is uncovered to receive 

 it. The stones must be laid on one another, and in 

 three days the lime is completed. Near this place 

 brimstone is di'<j, and naphtha springs are found. 



The chief place for the black or dark goez naphtha 

 is the small island Wetoy, now uninhabited, except 

 at such times as they take naphtha from thence. The 

 Persians load it in bulk in their wretched vessels, so 

 that sometimes the sea is covered with it for leagues 

 together. When the weather is thick and hazy, the 

 springs boil up the higher ; and the naphtha often 

 takes fire on the surface of the earth, and runs in a 

 flame into the sea, in great quantities, to a distance al- 

 most incredible. In clear weather the springs do not 

 boil up above two or three feet : in boiling over, this 

 oily substance makes so strong a consistence as by 

 degrees almost to close the mouth of the spring; 

 sometimes it is quite closed, and forms hillocks that 

 look as black as pitch ; but the spring which is re- 

 sisted in one place breaks out in another. Some of 

 the springs which have not been long opened form a 

 mouth of eight or ten feet diameter. 



The people carry the naphtha by troughs into pits 

 or reservoirs, drawing it off from one to another, 

 leaving in the first reservoir the water, or the heavier 

 part with which it is mixed when it issues from the 

 spring. It is unpleasant to the smell, and used mostly 

 amongst the poorer sort of the Persians, and other 

 neighbouring people, as we use oil in lamps, or to 

 boil their victuals, but it communicates a disagree- 

 able taste. They find it burn best with a small mix- 

 ture of ashes : as they find it in great abundance, 

 every family is well supplied. They keep it at a 

 mall distance from their houses, in earthen vessels, 

 under ground, to prevent any accident by fire, of 

 which it is extremely susceptible. 



There is also a white naphtha on the peninsula of 

 Apcheron, of a much thinner consistency ; but this 

 is found only in small quantities. The Russians 

 drink it both as a cordial and a medicine, but it does 

 not intoxicate : if taken internally, it is said to be 

 good for the stone, as also for disorders of the breast, 

 and in venereal cases and sore heads ; to both the last 

 the Persians are very subject. Externally applied, it 

 is of great use in scorbutic pains, gouts, cramps, &c. ; 

 but it must be put to the part affected only: it pe- 

 netrates instantaneously into the blood, and is apt for 

 a short time to create great pain. It has also the 

 property of spirits of wine, to take out greasy spots 

 in silks or woollens ; but the remedy is worse than 

 the disease, for it leaves an abominable odour. They 

 say it is carried into India as a great rarity ; and be- 

 ing prepared as a japan, is the most beautiful and 

 lasting of any that has yet been found. Not far 

 from hence are also springs of hot water, which boil 

 up in the same manner as the naphtha, and very thick, 

 being impregnated with a blue clay ; but it soon 

 clarifies: Bathing in this warm water is found to 

 strengthen and procure a good appetite, especially if 

 a small quantity is also drank." East Long. 50 2', 

 North Eat. 40 J 21'. See Hanway's Travels, vol. i. 

 p. 263 ; Kaempfer, Amcenitatcs Exotica;; Mem. 

 Acad. Berlin, 1 7~>6 ; and Decouvertes des liusses, 

 vol. ii. p. 213. (o) 



VOL. III. PABT I. 



BALA, a town in the county of Merioneth in Bala, 

 North Wales, situated on the east end of a large lake B^ 31 *' 

 called Bala-Pool, or Pimblemere. The town is clean v 



and pretty large ; the single street, of which it con- 

 sists, is wide, and the houses generally low. A con- 

 siderable trade is carried on in fruit, stockings, gloves, 

 and flannels. The antiquity of the town is manifest 

 from the remains of three Roman camps, which seem 

 to have been used as exploratory stations before the 

 subjugation of the Ordovices. Bala-Pool is about 

 1200 yards broad, and four miles long. It produces 

 fine trout, perch, and the gwyniad, an Alpine fish, from 

 one to six pounds weight, which resembles a salmon in 

 shape, and a trout in taste, and dies the moment it is 

 taken out of the water. The river Dee, which runs 

 into the lake, is said to pass through it without min- 

 gling its waters with those of the lake. Number of 

 houses, 310. Population, 1463. See Aikin's Jour- 

 nal of a Tour through North Wales ; and a Tour in 

 Wales, Sfc. in 1805, p. 127, 129, in Philips' Collec- 

 tion of Voyages, Sfc. vol. iv. (o) 



BALAAM, a famous prophet, or soothsayer, 

 whose history may be found in the book of Numbers* 

 particularly in the 22d, 23d, 24th, and 31st chapters. 

 Referring to the sacred record, for all the particulars 

 which are known of his life, we shall content our- 

 selves with offering a few observations, with a view to 

 elucidate this curious, but difficult part of scripture 

 history. For this purpose, we shall consider his place 

 of residence, his character, and his conduct. 



He is said to have dwelt at Pethor. " Balak sent 

 messengers unto Balaam to Pethor." Num. xxii. 5. 

 Now Pethor signifies to interpret ; and hence it is" 

 translated in the Vulgate, Hariolum, a soothsayer. 

 The termination in the original, however, evidently 

 denotes locality, and therefore the word is generally 

 understood as pointing out the residence, rather than 

 the designation of Balaam. Pethor is said to be orr 

 the other side of the river to the south, beyond the 

 borders of Moab, and seems to agree, both in name 

 and situation, with Petra, in Arabia. There was, pro- 

 bably, a college of priests settled in this place, over 

 which Balaam presided ; and from this circumstance 

 it derived its name, signifying literally, the place of 

 interpretation. There can be little doubt, that Pa- 

 tara, in Lycia, where there was a famous oracle of 

 Apollo, hence called Patareus, derived its name from 

 the same Hebrew original ; and hence also the priests 

 of Apollo, and the interpreters of the oracles, were 

 called Paterae. Patera; sacerdotes Apollonis, oracu- 

 lorum interprctes. Bochart. Canaan. 1. 1. c. 40. 



As to the character of Balaam, it has been dispu- 

 ted vvhether he was a prophet, and worshipper of the 

 true God, or merely an uninspired diviner, or sooth- 

 sayer, who prophesied according to the rules of au- 

 gury, and vaticination, in use amongst the heathen 

 nations. That he was not of the seed of Abraham, 

 is certain ; that he was not a righteous man, is equal- 

 ly certain j but we are not so sure that these circum- 

 stances disqualified him from being a real prophet. 

 It is evident that the knowledge of the true God, in 

 these early times, was not confined to the descendants 

 of Abraham. If the b5ok of Job contains the his- 

 tory of real events, as we are inclined to think it does, 

 2d 



