BOS 



William, defend the entrance of the harbour, and are garn- 

 loncd by about 10 Itildlcrs, who guard the cniividts, fcnt 

 liithtr for hard Inbour, and chiefly employed in making nails. 

 The light-houfe (lands on a fniall ifland at the nortl> entrance 

 ot the channel ([loint Alderlon and Nantall<Lt heights being 

 on the foutli), and is about 6^ feet high. In lleeiing for it 

 fro;n cape Cod, the conrfe is VV.N.W. when within one 

 league of the cape ; the dilhmcc from cape Cod to thelight- 

 houie is about 16 leagues: and from cape Ann the courfe 

 is S.W. diltant ten leagues. A cannon is lodged and 

 mounted at the light-houfe, to anfwcr fignals. Of the 

 illands fevcn only are within the jurildiction of the town, 

 and taxed with it ; viz. Noddle's, Hog, Long, Deer, 

 Spectacle, Governor's, and Apple idands. The wharfs and 

 quays in Bolton are about Mo in number, and very conve- 

 nient for vcfftls. Long wharf, or Bollon pier, extends from 

 the bottom of State-llreet 1743 feet in a llraight line into 

 the harbour; its breadth is 104 feet, and at the end of it 

 are 17 feet of vi-ater at ebb-tide. Adjoining to this wharf 

 on the north, is a convenient wharf, called from ils former 

 proprietor, and its form, Minot's T. Here velTels are lup- 

 plicd with frefh water from a well furrounded by fait water, 

 and dug at a great expence. On the north fide Long wiiarf 

 is covered with large and commodiov's (lores ; and a canal 

 has been cut, in order to conneft this harbour witii Rcxburv. 



In approaching Bofton from the fea, it prefents a beauti- 

 ful and pi£lure(que objeft. It lies in a circular but irregular 

 form round the harbour, and is ornamented with fpires, above 

 which the monument of Beacon-hill rifes pre-emuient, bearing 

 on its top a gilt eagle, with the arms of the l^iiion ;- and on 

 itsbafe, a variety of inferiptions coinmemorating fome of the 

 mod remark:ible events in the late war. Beacon hill is the 

 higheft point of land on the peninfula; the common below 

 it contains about 45 acres, refrcflied by perpetual breezes ; 

 and on its eaft lide is the Mall, a pleafant walk, about 600 

 yarns long, adorned with rows of trees. Charles river, and 

 . Weft Bofton bridges are highlv ufeful and ornamental to 

 Bofton ; and both are ererted on Charles river, which min- 

 gles its waters with thofe of Myftic river in Bofton harbour. 

 Charles river bridge connedls Bofton with Charleftovvn, in 

 Middlefex county, ftands on 75 piers, and is tjjo'-j feet long 

 and 42 feet broad. Weft Bofton bridge ftands on 1 So piers, 

 and is 34(^3 feet long, and 40 feet wide. Both bridges 

 have draws for the admiffion of veflels, and- lamps for the 

 bene(it of evening paffL'iigers. Bofton has feven free fchools, 

 fupported at the public expence, in which the children of all 

 citizens are freely admitted ; and belides thefe, many private 

 fchools. 



Tde principal focieties in the commonwealth hold their 

 meetings in this town ; thefe are the Marine Society, Ame- 

 rican Academy of Arts and Sciences, Maftachnlett's Agri- 

 cultural Society, Mallachufett's Charitable Society, Bollon 

 Epifcopal Charitable Society, Mairachufett's Hiftoiieal So- 

 ciety, Society for prt>pagating the gofpel, Malfachiifett's 

 Congregational Society, Medical Society, Humane Society, 

 Bofton Library Society, Bofton Mechanic Aflbciation, So- 

 ciety for the Aid of Emigrants, Charitable Fire Society, 

 and feven refpeftable lodges of free and accepted mafons. 



For the fnpport of the foreign and donielUc trade of Bof- 

 ton, which is very condderable, there are three banks ; viz. 

 the branch cf the United States bank, the Union, and the 

 Maffachufctt's bank ; the latter confifts of 800 (liares of 

 500 dollars, equal to 400,000 ; the capital of the Union 

 bank is 1,200,000 dollars, 400,000 of which is the property 

 of the tlate. The principal manufaftures of Bofton confiit 

 of rum, loaf-fngar, beer, fail-cloth, cordage, wool and cot- 

 toa cards, playing card;}, pot and pearl-aihes, paper-hang- 



BOS 



ings, lints, plate, glafs, tobacco, and chocolate. It hai 

 ,;o diftilleries, 2 breiveries, S fngar-houfcs, and 11 rope- 

 walks. The number of the dift'ereni ftagcs that run, through 

 the week, from this town, is upwards of 20 ; and on the 

 great road between Bofton and New Haven, there arc con- 

 ftaiuly employed 20 carriages and 100 horfes. 



For the government of Bofton nine fcledt men are annually 

 chofen ; and at the fame time are choftn a town-clerk, a 

 treafuitr, twelve overl'eers of the poor, twenty-four fire- 

 wards, twelve clerks of the market, twelve fcavengers, 

 twelve coullables, and a mmibcr of other oilicers. Belides 

 thole called " trained bands," there are four other mihlarv 

 companies in Bofton ; viz. the ancient and honourable artil- 

 lery company, the cadets, fuhlcers, and artillery. 



The fettlement of Bofton took place as early as the yrar 

 16.! 1 from Charkftown. It was called by the Indians Shau- 

 mut, and by the fettlers from Chaileltown Triinountain, 

 from the view of its three hills; and it derived its prefent 

 name fVmn refpecl to the Rev. Mr. Cotton, a minifter of 

 Bofton, in England, and afterwards miniftcr of the firft. 

 church in this place. _ In 1727, it was ranch damaged by an 

 earthquake, and iias iince freqiiently fuifcred feverely by lires, 

 its houfes having been moltly buiit of wood. The revolution, 

 whence America dutes its independence, commenced at 

 Bofton. Morfe. 



Boston Corner, a trad of land adioining mount Wafh- 

 iugton, in Berkftiire county, and Hate of MaHachufttts, 

 containing 67 inhabitants. 



Boston, Ncic, a townfliip of Hillfborough county, 

 New Hampdiire, containing 1202 inhabitants; 12 miles 

 S.W. by W. from Amiiilceag falls, 60 miles W. of Portf- 

 mouth, and equally dillanl N.W. from Bofton. 



BOSTllA, BoTSRA, BosRA, or Bozrah, in jlncient 

 Gfr^rnphy, one ot the principal towns of Arabia, and the 

 capital of a canton or province called " Auranite." It was 

 the capital of the calltrn Idumxa, and the royal refidence 

 of Joba, the fon of Zerah, duke of Edom ; and in fcripture 

 hiftory, it is commonly mentioned as fituate in a wildernefs, 

 becaule it (lood on the conhnes of Arabia Deferta. It was, 

 however, in thofe times to which the ancient biblical hiftorv 

 refers, a coniiderable place ; having been made a Levitical 

 city by Jodiua, and a city of refuge. It is likewife cele- 

 brated by ancient writers and medals ; and feveral of its bi- 

 (liops, at a later period, aftiiled at fome of tlie ancient coun- 

 cils. It was dillant tour days' journey from Damsfcus, had 

 a very ftrong caftle, a gate 20 cubits high, and one of the 

 largell bafons or reftrvoirs in the Levant. It was captured 

 by Alexander the Great after the battle of Kliis, and he 

 feems to have been much attached to it ; but after his death 

 it became fubjctl to the Sticucidan kings of Syria, until the 

 time of Antiochus Diouyfus, when it was conquered bv an 

 Arabian prince. Under the reign of Trajan, it was fub- 

 jetted to the dominion of the Ilomans. At this time it 

 was comprehended in a province of Arabia ; and Trajan 

 ad,)rned it with many fumptuous ediiiecs, cllabUihed it as a 

 new city, and gave the inhabitants permilhon to denominate 

 it " Trajana." The emperor Scptiniius Scverus enlarged 

 this city, whence fome have regarded him as its founder. 

 This prince, or his immediate fuccefi'ors, conferred upon it 

 the names and honours of a metropolis. Under the reign of 

 Alexander Severus, it was confidered as a place of import- 

 ance, on account of its fituation on the frontiers of the em- 

 pire ; and it was thought worthy of receiving a Roman co- 

 lony. In honour of Alexander Scverus, it afl'umed the 

 name of " Alexandrianna." The two principal divinitie* 

 worfhipped at Bollra were Bacchus and Urania. Bacchus 

 Diouj ills was, according to Diodoms Siculus, the Oliris of 

 M ^ the 



