

B I T 



540 



B I T 



Biwi;|)our the Mandingoei at Gcba, some from the Cacheo and 

 . . . Casamanza rivers, a number from the Naloos, and a 

 / J few from the Bijuga and Biafara nations. The slaves 

 now purchased by the mercliants of Bissao, are pro- 

 cured by means of a class of the natives called Gru- 

 metas, who have usually been reared from infancy in 

 their houses, and, for the most part, are a sober, in- 

 dustrious, and faithful class of people. While the 

 merchant seldom quits his own habitation, they navi- 

 gate all the small craft, or are sent to the interior of 

 the neighbouring continent with goods, the return 

 for which they faithfully bring home. But, of late 

 years, the trade of the Portuguese in that quarter 

 has greatly declined, though vessels from different 

 parts of the world employed in the slave trade oc- 

 casionally reach Bissao. The French at present have 

 no settlement there, nor do we know when they 

 left the island for the second time : Some years ago, 

 we believe", it was in contemplation to return, as they 

 supposed that 1500 slaves, and likewise a great quan- 

 tity of ivory, wax, and rice, might be annually ob- 

 tained. See Delajaille Voyage au Senegal. Du- 

 rand's Vouage to Senegal. Beaver's African ' Memo- 

 randa, jfc) 



BISSENPOUR, a small district in Bengal, under 

 the government of a Bramin family of the tribe of 

 Rajpoots. It is entirely surrounded with water ; 

 and, by opening the sluices of the rivers, the whole 

 country can in a short time be completely inundated. 

 By the singularity of its situation, its inhabitants 

 have uniformly maintained their independence, ma- 

 king only a show of submission, and paying occa- 

 sionally a voluntary tribute to the Moguls. In this 

 district, the laws and character of the Hindoos are 

 said to be found in their most unadulterated state ; 

 and the golden age, if the accounts of historians are 

 to be credited, still exists among this favoured people, 

 in all its purity and simplicity. Here, we are told, 

 though we are not hasty to believe, that the stranger 

 is completely secure under the protection of the laws ; 

 that he is provided with guides, who are responsible 

 for the safety of his person and property ; and that, 

 if he remains no more than three days in the same 

 place, he is maintained and forwarded at the expense 

 of the state ; that robbery is unknown ; and that so 

 prevalent is the spirit of probity, that, should any 

 one find a purse, or any other article of value, he 

 hangs it upon the next tree which he meets, and in- 

 forms the nearest guard of the circumstance, who im- 

 mediately gives notice to the public by beat of drum. 

 .See Raynal's History of the East and Wed Indies, 

 vol. i. p. 115. (y) 



BISSEXTILE, or Leap Ykak. See Ciihono- 



LOGY. 



BITHYNIA was an ancient kingdom of Asia 

 Bounds- Minor, bounded on the north by the Euxine Sea, on 

 '* the east by the river Parthenius, on the south by 



mount Olympus and the river Rhyndacus, and on 

 the west by the Propontis and the Thratian Bospho- 

 rus. The information which we derive from the page 

 of ancient history respecting, this country, is so full 

 of contradictions, that it appears impossible to ascer- 

 tain what leader laid the foundations of this dynasty, 

 \.vr what people obeyed his command. But as we 

 meet with the Cimmerii, the Mariandyui, the Be- 



bryces, the Gaueones, the Dolliones, roaming through Bitliyni*. 

 this region at an early period, it is probable that it ' ' 



was first inhabited by various independent tribes. 

 But, instead of conducting Ninus to the conquest of 

 this country, by the doubtful light of Diodorus ; in- 

 stead of repeating the tale of Appian, concerning the 

 49 kings who reigned there before the Romans visit- 

 ed Asia ; instead of marching with the Thracians, 

 from the ruins of Troy, to take possession of this re- 

 gion, we shall confine ourselves to that period of its 

 history which, being better authenticated, claims 

 more deservedly our attention. 



From the doubtful light which first rises on the 

 history of this country, we imagine, that Prusias go- Prusias I, 

 verned in the time of Crcesus, and that he was sub- 

 jugated by the Lydian prince. But the conquerors 

 and the conquered were doomed to yield to the Per- 

 sians, under Cyrus the Great ; and under their yoke 

 Bithynia groaned till Alexander broke the power of 

 Persia, and annexed it to his vast empire. Bas, the Bis. 

 son of Boteras, governed about this time the de- 

 pendent kingdom of Bithynia ; but, disdaining the 

 name without the dignity of royalty, he inspired his 

 subjects with his own independent spirit, defeated 

 Calentus, whom Alexander sent against him, and 

 maintained his freedom during a long reign of 50 

 years. Zipoetes, who succeeded him, waged an un- Zipoetes 

 successful war with the brave inhabitants of Hera- 

 clea ; but would have reduced to subjection the Chal- 

 cedonians, whom he next invaded, if he had not been 

 forced to abandon the siege of their capital, to op* 

 pose the army of Antiochus Soter, king of Syria, 

 which, commanded by Patrocles, suddenly burst in- 

 to Bithynia. He did not long survive a complete 

 victory, which by valour and stratagem he gained 

 over the Syrians, but, in the 48th year of his reign, 

 left the kingdom to his son Nicomedes. This prince Nicoraede* 

 disgraced his throne by the inhuman murder of two ' 

 of his brothers. Zipoetes, the youngest, fled ta 

 Asiatic Thrace, and engaged the inhabitants to as- 

 sert his cause. Nicomedes, when ready to reduce 

 that revolted province, was informed that A nt iochus 

 was preparing to fall upon him. Distrusting his 

 own power, he invited, from the western shores of 

 the Bosphorus, the Gauls into Asia, and promised 

 them a settlement in that country. Assisted by these 

 barbarians, he defeated Antiochus, expelled his bro- 

 ther, and, either from a principle of justice or fear, 

 yielded the territory which his brother possessed to 

 the Gauls, which from them was denominated Gala- 

 tia. Nicomedes employed the remainder of his reign 

 in building a magnificent city, to be the capital of 

 his kingdom, and which, from his own name, he call- 

 ed Nicomedia. 



Tibites, his youngest son, to whom, at the insti- 

 gation of that prince's mother, he had bequeathed 

 the kingdom, succeeded him ; but Zela, his eldest Zda. 

 son by a former marriage, left Armenia, whither he 

 had been banished by the intrigues of his stepmother, 

 procured the assistance of the Gaiatiavis, expelled his 

 brother, and ascended the throne. But Zela percei- 

 ved, that the band which he had employed against 

 his brother might soon be employed against himself, 

 and began to suspect the fidelity of those whose 

 power he dreaded. Wanting courage to subdue their 



