B I S 



fouth by a chain of the Pyrenees, wliich feparate5 it from 

 Old Caftile and Alava, on the weft by Afturias, and on the 

 call by Guipiifcoa i and in ektent its length is about Ii6 

 miles, and breadth much lefs, the greateft breadth being 80 

 miles, but very unequal. In its more general and compre- 

 henlive fenle, Bitcay is divided into tliree parts ; viz. Bifcay, 

 properly fo called, Guipufcoa, and Alava ; and, accordingly, 

 it is boundi'd on the weft by that narrow tradl of Old Caftile 

 which reaches to the fea and Afturias ; parted from Old 

 Caftile on the fouth-eaft by the ridge of the Afturian moun- 

 t lins branching from tlie Pyrenees, and by the fame mountains 

 fr m Navarre, and by the river Cidarfo from France, on the 

 eaft ; and wafticd on the north fide by the Cantabrian fea, 

 nor.' commonly called the bay of Bifcay. The country is 

 for the moft part mountainous and barren ; but its vallies 

 produce corn fufticient for the fupply of the inhabitants, and 

 a (.nail quantity of flax. Apples are very plentiful, of which 

 is made cyder, the common beverage of the people. They 

 have alfo a vceak wine, called " Chacolino," which is plea- 

 fant, though it will not keep long, and is uftd inftead of fmall 

 beer. They have alfo citrons and oranges in great abun- 

 dance. Tlie adjacent fea fupphes excellent fifti, and the 

 forells yield gre.it quantities of timber for ftiipping. But 

 the moft valuable treafure of this country confifts of its in- 

 exhauftible mines of excellent iron, which is tranfported from 

 hence into all parts of the world. The country has been 

 long famous for its iron-works, and efpecially for its manu- 

 facture of fwords aiid knives. Some have computed the 

 amount of its annual manufafture of iron and fteelinto arms, 

 nails, iron tools, bars, &c. at 300,000 quintals. The air of 

 this province is mild, pure, and more temperate than that of 

 the other provinces of Spain ; and the inhabitants have been 

 diftinsruiflied by their attachment to liberty, and refiftance to 

 oppreffion. Their anceftors, the Cantabri, were but imper- 

 feftly fubdued by Augullus, and their mountains have, in 

 every fucceeding age, afforded them a retreat from the en- 

 croachments of arbitrary power. The Bifcayners are faid 

 to be of Celtic or Gothic extraft ; and have preferved more 

 of their ancient genius, laws, government, and language, than 

 perhaps any other people in Europe, except the Welfh, 

 Scots Highlanders, and wild Irilh, who are probably of the 

 fame origin, and whofe language much refembles the Bif- 

 cayan. They have always maintained a diftinguifiied repu- 

 tation for valour ; and the beft foldiers and failors of Spain 

 have been the natives of this country. They elTentially differ 

 from the other Spaniards in the opennefs of their temper, and 

 animation of their manner ; and though they are choleric 

 even to a proverb, and not deftitute of pride and vanity, they 

 are obliging, polite, and friendly. Their females are beauti- 

 ful, lively, and cheerful. Their drefs is neat and paftoral ; 

 their hair falling down their backs in long plaits, with a 

 handkerchief twifted round it. The moil fmgular part of 

 the drefs of the men is the covering of their legs, round 

 which they wrap a piece of coarfe grey or woollen cloth, 

 faftening it with many folds of tape. The three provinces 

 of Bifcay, Alava, and Guipufcoa, have been the afylum of 

 liberty and indultry, and to thefe caufes their pVofperity may 

 be afcribed. When the king, who is ftyled merely " lord 

 of Bifcay," wants a fupply either of men or money, he 

 announces his will to the province ; vi'hich furnifties its con- 

 tingency of both ; the latter being levied upon the diifcrent 

 cities and conmiunities, according to a certain regifter, fo 

 that in efteft Bi'.cay may be faid to tax itfelf. In this pro- 

 vince are, no bifliops. Its privileges, which are extcnfive, 

 it has watched over with a jealous eye. The l3ug'>age of 

 Bifcay is accounted aboriginal ; it is faid to be the Cantabrian, 

 or ancient language of iSpaiu, which was a blanch of the 

 Vol. IV. 



B I S 



Celtic, and firft gave way tp the Romanfh ; which fee. It 

 is fo totally diff"erent from the Caftilian, that the peafants 

 fcarcely underftand a fingle word of Spaiiift. The capital of 

 Bifcay is Dilbao, which fee. Its other "chief towns are 

 Orduna, Durango, Fontar.ibia, St. Scbaftian, Tolofa, and 

 Vittoria. 



Biscay, Bay of, that part of the Atlantic which lies 

 north of the province of Bifcay, between the projedirg coatts 

 of France and Spain, and extends from cape Oitegal to 

 Breft. It advances fartheft to the land between Bayonne 

 and St. Sebaftian ; and it likewife advances confidetably 

 at Rochelle and Rochefort. — Alfo, a large bay on the ccaft 

 of Newfoundland, between cape Race and cape Pine. It 

 lies in the N.E. corner of Trepaftey bay, on the S.E. 

 part of the ifland. N. lat. 46=50'. W.long. 53° 6'. 



Biscay, New, a province of Mexico in North America, 

 in the audience of Guadalajara, bounded on the north by 

 New Mexico, on the eaft by Nevi' Leon and the river Bravo, 

 on the foutli by Cinaloa and Culiacar, and on the weft by 

 Navarre, Sonora, and Haqui, on the borders of the gulf of 

 California. It is computed to be about 300 m:les from eaft 

 to weft, and 360 from rorlh to fouth. The country is 

 mountainous, but well watered, fruitful, and moderately tem- 

 perate, rich in corn, cattle, and other produflions ; and alfo 

 in mines of filver and lead. The original inhabitants have 

 four large towns in the moraffes, which are difficult of ac- 

 ccfs, and by means of which they avoid total fubjeflion ; 

 and therefore the Spaniards have built three fmnll fortified 

 and well inhabited towns for the defence of their filver mines. 

 The capital is Durango. This province lies between the 

 latitudes of 27° and 93° N. and between loc" and 108° 

 W.Inng. ^ 



BISCEGLIA, a town of Naples, in the province of 

 Bari, having the fee of a bifliop, fuflfragan of Trani ; it is 

 pleafantly fituated on an eminence in the midft of orchards 

 and villas. The walls are of ftone and very lofty ; and it 

 has hundreds of fubterraneous refervoirs and cifterns, cut in 

 the folid rock, and arched over with ftones and ftucco, in 

 order to colleA and preferve the rain-water, which is the 

 only fort with which they are fupplied in a diftrift, fo totally 

 deftitute of fprings. Bifceglia is 4 miles diftant from 

 Trani. 



BISCHBURG, or BiscHOFSBL'RG, a town of Pruflia, 

 in the county of Ermeland, 54 miles fouth of Konigf- 

 berg. 



BISCHEIM, a town of Germany, in the cucle of the 

 Upper Rhine, and coimty of Lichtenberg, on a fmall 

 river which runs into the Rhine, 8 miles N.E. of Straf- 

 burg. 



BISCHOFFLACK, or Schofia Koloka, a town of 

 Germany, in the duchy of Carniola, 27 miles N^N.E. of 

 Tricfte. 



BISCHOFFSHEIM, a town of Germany, feated on the 

 Tauber, in the circle of Franconia, but belonging to the 

 eleftorate of Mentz ; 64 miles fi.E. of Meiitz. 



BISCHOFFSTORF.atown of Germany, in the duchy 

 of Stiria, 13 miles E.N.E. of Gratz. 



BISCHOFSHEIM, a town of Germany, in the circle of 

 Franconia, and bifhopric of Wur/.burg, fcatcdon the Rhom, 

 32 miles north of Wurzburg. — Alfo, a town of Germany, 

 in the circle of the Upper Rhine, and county of Hanau- 

 Munzenburg, 3 miles Vi'.N.W. of Hanau. 



BISCHOFSTEIN, or Bi stein, a town of Pruffia, 

 in the county of Ermeland, 42 miles fouth of Konigf- 

 berg. 



BISCHOFSWERD A, a town of Germany, in the circle 



of Upper SuXonv, and margraviate of MeifTcn, icatcd on 



3 P ai. 



