M A I 
pid communication of the vibrations of this organ to the 
whole nervous fvftem, that we owe the cure of fpafmodic 
disorders, and of fevers attended with a delirium and 
eonvulfions, of which our memoirs furnilh many exam¬ 
ples.” 
MA'IRE, a fmall ifland in the Mediterranean, near the 
coalt of France. Lat. 43. 14.. N. Ion. 6. 24. E. 
MA'IRE (William le), a celebrated French prelate to¬ 
ward the dole of the thirteenth century, is faid to have 
been born at Barace in Anjou, but in what year is un¬ 
known. He was created doctor of laws, of which fcience 
he was for fome time a profelfor ; and, having entered 
into holy orders, became bilhop of Angers. He took an 
active part in molt important affairs of his time 5 and af- 
fifted at the general council of Vienne in the year 1311, 
where he prefented a Memoir, recommending regulations 
to be adopted for the good of the church, which contains 
much important and valuable matter, and may be feen in 
Raynaldus’s Annal. Ecclef. but without the author’s name. 
Pie died about the year 1317. He was the author of a 
journal of the principal events which took place during 
his epifcopate, entitled, Gejla Guilldmi Majori Andeg. Epifc. 
ab ipfomet relata ; which is of material fervice in illultrat- 
ing the hiltory of that period. It is inferted in the tenth 
volume of D’Achery’s Spicilegium ; and in the eleventh 
volume of the fame work are given his Synodal Statutes, 
together with tkofe of his predeceffor, collected by him. 
Moreri. 
MA'IRE (John le), a French poet, was born at Hai- 
nault in 1473, and died in 1524. Pie wrote, among other 
pieces, an allegorical poem, called the Tales of Cupids, 
and of Atropos. 
MA'IRE (James le), a Dutch navigator, who failed 
from the.Texel in 1615 with two (hips, and in the follow¬ 
ing year difcovered the Straits which bear his name in 
South America. After vifiting New Guinea, he failed to 
Batavia, where he was made prifoner, and his veffel con- 
fifcated, under the pretence of his having infringed on 
the rights of the Dutch Eaft-India company. He died 
on his paffage to Europe in 1617. 
MA'IRE (Le), Strait of, a narrow paffage from the 
Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, between Terra-del-Fuego 
on the welt, and the welt end of Staten Land on the ealt, 
about five leagues long and as many broad; lo called from 
Le Maire, who, with his companion Schouten, difcovered 
this paffage ; and they w r ere the firlt who ever entered the 
Pacific Ocean by the way of Cape Horn. In the account 
of lord Anfon’s voyage it is faid, that it is difficult to de¬ 
termine exactly where this (trait lies, though the ap¬ 
pearance of Terra-del-Fuego be well known, without 
knowing alfo the appearance of Staten Land; and that 
fome navigators have been deceived by three hills on 
Staten Land, which have been miltaken for the Three 
Brothers in Terra-del-Fuego, and fo overlhot the firait. 
But no (hip, fays Cook, who palled this ftrait in January 
1769, can poffibly mil’s it that coafts Terra-del-Fuego 
within fight of land ; for it will then, of itfelf, be fuffi- 
ciently confpicuous ; and Staten Land, which forms the 
ealt fide, will be Hill more manifefily diitinguilhed ; for 
there is no land in Terra-del-Fuego like it. The (trait of 
Le‘Maire can be miffed only by Handing too far to the 
ealtward, without keeping the land of Terra-del-Fuego 
in fight; if this be done, it may be miffed, however ac¬ 
curately the appearance of the coalt of Staten Land may 
have been exhibited ; and, if this be not done, it cannot 
be miffed, though the appearance of that coalt be not 
known. The entrance of the ftrait Ihould not be at¬ 
tempted but with a fair wind and moderate weather, and 
upon the very beginning of the tide of flood, which hap¬ 
pens here, at the full and change of the moon, about one 
or two o’clock ; it is alfo belt to keep as near to the 
Terra-del-Fuego lhore as the winds will admit. By at¬ 
tending to tliefe particulars, a (hip may be got quite 
through the ftrait in one tide ; or, at lealt, to the fouth- 
ward of Succefs-bay, into which it will be more prudent 
V-QL.XIV. No. 965. 
M' A I iGf> 
to put, if the wind fhould be foutherly, than to attempt 
weathering Staten Land with a lee-wind and a current, 
which may endanger being driven on that ifland. The 
bay of Good Succefs lies about the middle of the ftrait, 
on the Terra-del-Fuego fide, and is difcovered immedi¬ 
ately upon entering the ftrait from the northward ; and 
the fouth head of it may be diftinguifhed by a mark on 
the land, that has the appearance of a broad road leading 
up from the fea into the country ; at the entrance it is 
half a league wide, and runs in welt ward about two miles 
and a half. There is good anchorage in every part of it s 
in from ten to feven fathoms, clear ground ; and it af¬ 
fords plenty of exceeding good wood and water. The 
tides flow in the bay, at the full and change of the moon, 
about four or five o’clock, and rife about live or fix feet 
perpendicular. But the flood is two or three hours longer 
in the ftrait than in the bay ; and the ebb, or northerly 
current, nearly double the Itrength of the flood. 
Though the doubling of Cape Horn, fays Cook, is (b 
much dreaded, that in the general opinion it is more eli¬ 
gible to pafs through the ftrait of Magellan, we were not 
once brought under our clofe-reefed top-fails after we left 
the ftrait of Le Maire. But, fuppoling it more eligible to 
go round the Cape than through the ftrait of Magellan, it 
may ftill be queliioned, whether it is better to go through 
the ftrait of Le Maire, or Hand to the eaftward, and go 
round Staten Land. In the account of lord Anfon’s voy¬ 
age the advice is, that all ffiips bound to the South Seas, 
inllead of palling through the ftrait of Le Maire, fhould 
conftantly pafs to the eaftward of Staten Land, and Ihould 
be invariably bent on running to the fouthward as far as 
the latitude of 61 or 62 degrees, before they endeavour to 
Hand to the weltwara. “ But, in my opinion,” lays Capt. 
Cook, “different circumltances may at one time render it 
eligible to pafs through the ftrait, and to keep to the eaft¬ 
ward of Staten Land at another. If the land is fallen in 
with to the weltwardof the ftrait, and the wind is favour¬ 
able for going through, I think it would be very injudi¬ 
cious to lofe time by going round Staten Land ; and I am 
confident, that, by attending to the directions I have 
given, the ftrait may be palled with the utmoft fafety 
and convenience; but if, on the contrary, the land is 
fallen in with to the eaftward of the ftrait, and the wind 
Ihould prove tempeftuous or unfavourable, I think it would 
be belt to go round Staten Land. But I cannot, in any 
cafe, concur in recommending the running into the lati¬ 
tude of 6i° or 62° before any endeavour is made to Hand 
to the weftward. We found neither the current nor the 
ftreams which the running fo far to the fouthward is fup- 
pofed neceflary to avoid ; and, indeed, as the winds almofl 
conftantly blow from that quarter, it is fcarcely poffible 
to purfue the advice. The navigator has no choice, but 
to ltand to the fouthward, clofe upon a wind ; and, by keep¬ 
ing upon that tack, he will not only make fouthing, but 
welting; and, if the wind varies towards the north of the 
coalt, his welting will be confiderable. It will, indeed, 
be highly proper to make fure of a welting fufticient to 
double all the lands, before an attempt is made to ltand to 
the northward ; and to this every man’s own prudence 
will,of neceffity, direft him.” Hawkefworih's Voyages, vol. ii. 
M A'IRHOFEN (Upper), a town of the duchy of Stiria s 
fix miles fouth-eaft of Hardeberg. 
MA'IRHOFEN (Lower), a town of the duchy of Stiria s 
feven miles eaft-north-eaft of Hardeberg. 
MAIRNS, a town of Scotland, in the county of Ren- 
few : lix miles fouth-eaft Paifley. 
MAISBIN'NI, a town of Abyffinia : lix miles weft of 
Axum. 
MAISER'RY, a town of Bengal: ten miles fouth of 
Ghidore. 
MAI'SEY, a town of Hindooftan, in Bahar : forty-five 
miles north of Patna, and 128 north-eaft of Benares. Lat. 
26. 22. N. Ion. 85. 18. E. 
MA'ISNAH, a town of Bengal : feven miles north- 
north-weft of Goragot. 
X x MAISO'NS, 
