ALAS. ALATA An exclamation of weariness, disappointment, sor- America, which rises in the Cherokee mountains, and ALAT row, compassion. Alas, my father there, my only ioy in care and wo, Alacke, the olde prouerbes bee to true: an ape, although she be clothed in purple, will be but an ape. Alas! what boon it with incessant care Hall, p. 119. Milton. Lycid. But why alas, do mortal men in vain Alas, regardless of their doom, No sense have they of ills to come, Nor care, beyond to-day. Gray. Eton College. ALASCANI, in Ecclesiastical History, a sect of Anti-Lutherans, who derived their name from their leader, John Alasco, a noble Pole. Banished from his own country, and from Germany, he took refuge with his friends in England, under Edward VI., who granted them the use of the church of the Augustine friars, in London. In the reign of Mary they were again driven abroad, and sunk into obscurity on the death of their founder. They held that baptism was no longer necessary in the church, and that the words, "This is my body," in the institution of the Eucharist, embraced the entire celebration of the sacred supper. ALASCHA, or ALASKA, a peninsula on the northwest coast of North America, formed by the Bristol bay and the ocean on the north-west and north, and by the ocean and the Cook's river on the south and south-east. A number of islands at its extremity, form part of a cluster called the northern Archipelago. N. lat. 55°, 30' to 58°. W. lon. 159° to 162°. ALASEY MOUNTAINS, a ridge of high hills, in Asiatic Russia, between the sources of the rivers Omecon and Kovima, ending on the shores of the Frozen ocean. ALASS STRAIT, a channel 48 miles long, and, in its narrowest part, about 6 wide, in the Eastern sea, between the islands of Lomboc and Sumbawa. There are some small towns and villages on both sides of its banks. ALATA, a village on the Abyssinian Nile, near its source; Mr. Bruce describes a cataract which occurs in the river, near this place, as extremely beautiful and grand. It is 35 miles S. S. W. of Gondar. ALATAMAHA, a navigable river of Georgia, in North ALAY traverses, under various names, a tract of country of MAIL some hundred miles in extent, till it empties itself into the Atlantic, by several mouths. The northern branch flows toward the heights of Darien, and enters the ocean between the Wolf and Sapelo islands. The southern running between Broughton and M. Intosh islands, is the principal branch, and is nearly 500 yards wide at the mouth. ALATA CASTRA, in Ancient Geography, a military station of the Romans in Britain, near the Estuary of Bodotria, and conjectured to be on the site of the city of Edinburgh. ALATE'. See LATE. SEJ. -What news from Agrippinas? A company so changed. Ben. Jonson. Sejanus, act ii. ALAVA, one of the divisions of the province of Biscay, in Spain. It is bounded on the south and west, by old Castile, on the east, by Navarre, and on the north, by Guipuscoa and Biscay Proper. ALAUDA, in Ornithology, the lark. It belongs to the order Passeres. See ZoOLOGY, Div. ii. ALAUNA, in Ancient Geography, a town of Britain, belonging to the Damnii, and supposed to be situated near Falkirk, on the Roman wall. Others place it on the site of Stirling. Also a town of Gaul. ALAUNI, in Ancient Geography, the inhabitants of a country to the north of the Palus Mæotis, situated on the river Tanais, now the Don. PLIN. iv. 25, PTOL. 1. iii. c. 5. It has ALAUSI, a district of South America, in the kingdom of Quito. It is very mountainous, but nevertheless yields abundance of fruit and grain of almost every kind. The capital, which has the same name, has a good parish church, and a Franciscan convent. also manufactures of cloths, baizes, and cotton goods. N. lat. 2°, 12'. W. lon. 78°, 39'. There is a river of this name also in the kingdom of Quito, which empties itself into the bay of Guayaquil. ALAY; in the Turkish language, signifies a triumph, and is particularly applied to a ceremony resembling a masquerade, with which the inhabitants of Constantinople amuse themselves at the opening of a war. The people first walk in the dresses, and with the respective instruments, of their several trades; then the holy standard of Mahomet is brought from the seraglio, and carried in great state through the city, attended by these motley groupes. An emir precedes this standard, who proclaims with a loud voice, that no infidel must dare to approach, or even to look upon it; and enjoins every true Mussulman to give notice, should he perceive one. This ceremony was accidentally witnessed by Baron Tott; and many Christians of all ages were sacrificed to the brutal fury of the populace on the occasion. ALAYA, a town situated on the eastern side of the gulph of Adalia, on the south coast of Asia Minor, commonly called Karamania. Its general aspect corresponds exactly with the description which Strabo has given of Coracesium, the first town of Cilicia-Aspera, where the ridges of Mount Taurus descend in their rugged sterility to the shore, showing the commencement of that coast. Coracesium was the only place ALB. ALAYA. that shut its gates against Antiochus, after the submission of every other fortress in Cilicia, according to the testimony of Livy; and Plutarch, in his Life of Pompey, mentions that it was subsequently chosen by the pirates, as a proper point of final resistance to the conquering Romans; for which, indeed, its nearly insular character eminently qualified it. Alaya is the capital of a pashalik, although its present importance is by no means considerable. The streets and houses are all described as wearing the appearance of wretchedness. It has but few mosques, and these sufficiently mean. The population may be estimated at between fifteen hundred and two thousand. It has no commerce. The situation of Alaya, however, is somewhat romantic, its promontory form ing a natural fortress, on which are the decayed indications of a once anxious solicitude to render it impregnable, by means of walls and towers. There are some remains on the hill of that species of wall; which has obtained the name of Cyclopian, and a few broken columns, which time has spared as marks and vestiges of antiquity, but without any Greek inscriptions. Over the land-gate is an Arabic inscription, importing that the place had been subdued by Aladin the conqueror. It is surmounted by a small Corinthian capital, with some well-carved heads, with wings and wreaths of flowers. The promontory is separated from the neighbouring mountains by a broad plain and a low sandy isthmus, from which it rises abruptly. The town is placed on the eastern side, and the ascent is so steep, that the houses appear to rest upon each other. The cliffs of Alaya are five or six hundred feet in elevation above the level of the sea, and continue below it to the depth of sixty or seventy feet. They consist of a compact white limestone, tinged by a red drip on the outside, and present a most magnificent appearance. The brown schistus base rises up from beneath the limestone on the northern side of the promontory. On the top of a high conical hill, about the distance of three miles north-west of Alaya, and two miles from the coast, are found the deserted remains of an ancient town, once surrounded with walls, and now presenting the ruins of a handsome temple; on the broken sculpture of which are to be seen many Greek inscriptions, which, upon examination, have been found to be all monumental. The bay of Alaya is open to southerly winds. There is no harbour or pier, and the anchorage is indifferent, although it cannot be doubted, that the colonists of ancient Greece provided some means of shelter for vessels, in a place once of such consequence, which a better acquaintance with the spot might, in all probability, discover. ALB, or ALBE, n. Lat. Albus, white. Applied to the white vestments of the sacerdotal order. Of preste pow has no merke, albe ne non amite And Moses brought Aaron & bys sonnes and wasshed them with ALB, or ALBE, in the Romish church, a white garment of the clergy, similar to the English surplice. Anciently the newly baptised wore an alb on the Sunday after Easter, which was hence called dominica in albis. See the extract above from the Bible, 1539. VOL. XVII. ALB, a river of Germany, which falls into the ALB. Rhine, about two leagues W.N.W. of Durlash. ALB, in Commerce, a small Turkish coin; also ALBAcalled Asper, and equal to about d English. ALBA, a town of Italy, in Piedmont, on the river Tanaro; the ALBA POMPEIA of the Romans, which see. Its inhabitants are now reckoned at 9,600; it is a bishop's see, and there are, besides the cathedral, three parish churches, and several religious houses for both sexes. It is about 18 miles from Turin; and gives the name of Albesano to the surrounding district. ALBA FIRMA, in ancient Law, quit rents which were reserved to the crown by payment of silver or white money, as contradistinguished from rents payable in work, grain, or military service. They were also called white rents, blanch farms, and reditus albi. ALBA FUCENSIS, in Ancient Geography, a city of the Marsi, in Italy, now called Albi. It was called Fucensis, to distinguish it from the other Italian cities of the name of Alba, and the inhabitants Albenses, from a similar reason. Standing in the heart of a mountainous district, it was principally used by the Romans as a state prison, and surrounded by fortifications, of which remains yet exist; as well as those of an amphitheatre and temple. ALBA LONGA, in Ancient Geography, a city of Latium, in Italy, built by Ascanius, after Lavinium had stood thirty years, on the Mons Albanus (afterwards so called from the city); and on the spot where a white sow, with a litter of thirty young ones, of the same colour, was found, as foretold to Eneas, VIRG. En. 1. viii, v. 43, and 83. AUREL. Vict. c. 19. LIvy, l. i. c. 3. only says, that the population of Lavinium becoming too great for it, Ascanius founded Alba Longa, and removed the people thither; the city continued to be the capital of the kingdom for three centuries, but Rome eclipsed its glory, and Tullus Hostilius destroyed it entirely, B. c. 666, and transferred its inhabitants to Rome, which Livy has beautifully described, 1. i, c. 29. But the temple, which was in a grove on the mountain, and in which Jupiter was worshipped, was spared. STRABO, 1. v. CICERO, Orat. pro Milene, c. 31. The Mons Albanus, in later ages, became celebrated for the palaces and villas erected on it; among which was a very magnificent one belonging to Pompey. CICERO, Ibid. See ALBANUS. From ALBA POMPEIA, in Ancient Geography, a town of Liguria, on a small river called the Ceba. the evidence of some inscriptions, it is supposed to have been a colony planted by Pompey, or to have been settled by Scipio, and restored by him. The Roman emperor, Pertinax, is said to have been born there; but Julius Capitolinus (in vita) assigns him a different birth-place. The town is now called Alba simply. PLIN. 1. iii. c. 7. PTOLEMY, l. iii. c. 1. ALBACETE, anciently called Cetide, a small but busy town of Spain, in the province of Murcia, about 80 miles from Valencia. There is a good trade here held in September, has long been famous for cattle. in wine, saffron, corn, and oil. Its fair, or market, ALBANA, in Ancient Geography, a port of Albania, in Asia, formerly the capital of that kingdom. It was situated on the shore of the Caspian sea, between the rivers Cesius and Albanus. It is now called Bachu; or, according to others, Nias-abad. ALBANENESES. See ALBIGENSES. 2 K NENESES. ALBANIA. Asia. ALBANI A. ALBANIA, in Ancient Geography, a province of Asia, bounded on the north by the Caucasian mounAlbania in tains; on the east by the Caspian sea; on the south by Armenia; and on the west by Iberia. The district is now that of East Georgia, or Shirwan. It is watered by several rivers, of which the principal ancient names were the Cyrus, or Cyrnus, now the Kur, the Cambyses, the Albanus, the Caesius, the Gerrhus, and the Soana; it had also several cities mentioned in ancient writers, viz. Teleba, Thalbis, Gelda, Thabilaca, Albana, and Cabalica, which last is called, by Pliny, the capital. The country is represented by Strabo, as being, in remoter times, divided into many principalities, speaking not less than twenty-six different languages; but the Albani, overcoming the other tribes, became masters of the entire district. They established a regular succession of kings, of whom we read occasionally in history, from the time of Alexander the Great. Though defeated by Pompey, against whom they brought an army of 60,000 foot and 12,000 horse, he was unable to possess himself of the country. Adrian summoned the king of Albania to Rome, to account for some of the depredations committed by his subjects on the neighbouring provinces; but he refused to obey; and when he afterwards attended the court of Antoninus Pius, he was treated with great respect and courtesy. Down to the reign of Justinian II. they were governed by their own monarchs; when, according to Zonaras, they were finally subdued by the Roman arms. Valiant as they were in war, the Albani are represented as having been extremely fond of agriculture, and simple in their manners. They were dexterous in all the sports of the field; of fair complexion, and of a very robust and graceful appearance. The women are to this day proverbially beautiful. Albania in European Turkey. ALBANIA, a province of European Turkey, called by the Turks Arnaut, extends along the eastern coast of the Adriatic and Ionian seas, between the 39th and 43d degrees of N. latitude. It is in no part more than 100 miles in breadth, inland; and in the southern districts, not more than from 30 to 40 miles. Bounded on the north by Montenagro, and on the south by the gulf of Arta and the Suli mountains; its eastern boundaries have never been distinctly fixed, but are rather to be determined by the language and character of the population. Were a line, however, drawn in the Suli mountains, from about the narrowest breadth from the sea above cited, and extended to the country of the Montenegrins, a distance of about 250 miles, where this province has its greatest breadth, it would complete as correct an outline of Albania, as in the present imperfect state of its geography our latest travellers will enable us to describe. Ioannina, the capital of a district of that name, eastward, would be about 20 miles to the S. E. of this line, and here resides the enterprising Albanian chief, Ali Pasha, who now commands the entire resources of this interesting country. Though Albania has frequently changed its name, its masters, and its boundaries, a people have been embosomed in its mountains, from the earliest records of history, whose language and habits have retained ALBAN unusual traces of nationality. The Greek Illyricum and the Roman Epirus (of which it now nearly occupies the History. site) were always stigmatized as barbarous, because unexplored and unconquered, regions. Thucydides applies this epithet to the people on the coast of Epirus, opposite the island of Sybota; and Strabo states that the Epirotic tribes were mixed with the Illyrian, and spoke two languages, probably their own vernacular tongue and the Greek language, as the Albanians do to this day. Polybius calls the Illyrians "the enemies Inhabita of all nations;" and Livy partly attributes the ferocious character of one of the four Roman divisions of Macedonia to its contiguity to these people. In Epirus, and that part of Illyricum, afterwards called New Epirus, neither the efforts of the Greeks nor of the Romans toward civilizing the inhabitants, ever were so successful as in the interior of the continent; but the Aborigines of the country retained their mountains, their manners, and those remnants of a distinct language, which form the basis of the modern Albanian. Greek words and Latin words still more numerously, are mixed with this dialect, as well as a few of Gothic origin, but not more than obtain in all the other distinct languages of Europe; or than may be easily traced to the successive revolutions in their history. The earliest geographer who mentions the Albani of this district, is Ptolemy, and they appear in his time to have been a small tribe of Illyrians, possessing the town of Albanopolis, of which we hear no more for many centuries. Then it is described (Anna Comnena, 1. xiii.— Acropolita, c. 14, 25) as Albanon, Arbanon, or Elbanon, a town which commands the passes "leading from the country about Lychnidus to the maritime plains." Some writers have supposed this town to have been originally named from some obscure connection with Alba, in Italy, and a tradition of this kind exists in the country itself. The situation and resources of this line of Origin coast seems to have given it that importance with the the p Greeks of the Lower Empire, which induced them to apply the name AXẞavo to all the nations of these and the neighbouring mountains, who spoke the same dialect, and to the country itself that of Aßaria, Aẞavηria and Apßarnria. But this name is hardly known to the inhabitants, who call the country Skiperi, and an Albanian, Skipetar. The Romans gladly availed themselves of many of the fine harbours on this coast, and the traces of the Ignatian road, which communicated from Apollonia to Thessalonica, over an extent of 262 Roman miles, are a proof of the importance once attached to this province and the neighbourhood. On the decay of the empire it was amongst the most important conquests of Alaric and the Goths, who settled here, and were declared masters-general of the country by the Emperor of the east. We afterwards find some of their descendants in quiet possession of the northern districts, and one of them, named Sidismund, in alliance with Theodoric the Great. During the eighth, ninth, and tenth centuries, Albania was the prey of the Scla name. ANTA. Vonian tribes, and chiefly of those called Bulgarians. In 870, Achris, or Ocreda (the ancient Lychnidus), was ry in the sovereign residence of the Bulgarian kings, and an ark archbishop's see. The same race took possession also of the ancient Nicopolis, and gradually of the whole region. "It was in these ages of Bulgarian prowess," says Major Leake (Researches in Greece, 4to. p. 240, 1), "that the remains of the Illyrian and Epirotic nations, became finally included within the boundaries which they have ever since held. Many Sclavonian words. then found their way into the Albanian language, and have been increased in number by the intercourse between Albania and the extensive regions of Servia and Bulgaria, which surround it on the north and east, and throughout which the Bulgarian dialect of Sclavonia is spoken. It may be thought surprising, perhaps, that under these circumstances the proportion of Sclavonian words is not larger, and it may be considered, as a proof, that the strength of the Epirotic and Illyrian mountains, and the spirit of their inhabitants, were still equal, as in the time of the Romans, to protect them from being completely subdued." In the year 1079 the Albanians, properly so called, first begin to act an important part in history. They formed one of the four divisions of the army of Nicephorus Basilaces, which was all collected from this neighbourhood. The Roman kings of Sicily afterwards obtained settlements upon this coast; as did the Franks, and other nations, in their alliance during the whole of the crusades. When the oriental empire was dismembered, by the conquest of Constantinople, in 1204, Michael Angelus, an illegitimate relation of the imperial etate family, established a Despotate in this district, embracing Acarnania, Etolia, and Epirus, and including the towns of Ioannina, Arta, and Naupactus, which, with some slight interruption, continued an independent state, until, in 1431, it fell under the Turkish yoke. During this period, the despots of Epirus (as they were called), are frequently found connected with the royal families of the surrounding states, and their alliance was sometimes courted by the imperial family. They exercised important influence in the perpetual wars of their neighbours; in the 14th century they extended their conquests into Thessaly, Acarnania, and Macedonia; but they never long remained in strength beyond their native mountains. In 1383, they were first defeated by the Turks, but the talents and romantic courage of their der celebrated chief, George Kastrióti (or Scanderberg), and his family, delayed their subjugation for upwards of fifty years after the Porte had undisputed dominion over the rest of northern Greece, and well sustained the hereditary character of the Albanians for desperate courage. Their last struggle was at the celebrated siege of Scodra, which still preserves its name (in 1478); and which is perpetuated by a contemporary biographer and eye-witness, Marinus Barletius. In this siege they were aided by the Venetians, who afterwards obtained some towns upon the coast, and established themselves, in considerable strength, on the adjacent Ionian islands. These circumstances tended to preserve the people of the mountainous districts from complete subjugation, as well as from complete conversion to the Ottoman faith; and, indeed, though Albania became, from the reign of Mahomet the Second, an acknowledged province of the Turkish dominions, and though that event has effected many changes in their external ALBANIA. There are inferior districts which have probably been Until the middle of the last century, Albania was Ali Pasha. divided into several independent pashaliks, and those of Berat, Ioannina, and Delvino, possessed considerable military power. At this period (1751), the present Ali Pasha was born, at Tepelini, the chief town of one of these petty governments, over which his father presided. His life has been a series of successful brigandage; he first entered into the service of the neighbouring pasha, at Berat, married his daughter, and overthrew the pashalik of Ioannina, which he made the centre of his future operations. The pashalik of Arta soon after submitted to his arms, and he was appointed by the Porte, Derveni-Pasha of Romelia. This office, being that of guardian of all the passes of the country, was an invaluable step to his ambition. He was now (in 1798) made a vizier, or a pasha of three tails (a title of honour among the Turks, derived from the number of horse-tails carried before their great officers in procession); and his father-in-law being dead, he made no ALBANIA. scruple of attacking his son, then pasha of Berat and Avlona, on a slight pretext of quarrel; this was followed Progress of by the reduction of Prevesa, Vonitza, and Karlili, orAcarAli Pasha. nania. He was induced, however, to preserve the pasha Ibrahim in authority, at Berat, for a short time, and contracted marriages with the family for his sons. Still the mountains of Suli resisted his progress, and it was not until a bloody contest of sixteen years, that he could possess himself of the whole region over which he how presides. He has lately dethroned Ibrahim, and Mahomet, pasha of Delvino; and extended his dominions into Macedonia, and to the frontiers of the ancient Attica. Albania comprehends all the western part of his territory; and is that which is most valuable from its position and resourees, and where his dominion is mostly absolute and entire. Present government. The terms on which the Albanian vizier holds his government, in relation to Constantinople, may be understood from the preceding account of his character and progress. The Porte acknowledges his titles as conferred by the sultan, and the vizier makes a formal acknowledgment of the imperial authority by the respectful reception of an annual firman from Constantinople, to which he remits considerable sums in the shape of a karach, or capitation-tax, as well as certain rents or imposts which he farms under the Turkish government. But in the internal government of Albania the Turks have no interference whatever; nor in Ali Pasha's alliances with foreign states, from which he receives and sends agents regularly in his own name. England, France, and Russia, generally keep a consul here, and the political information of the court of Ioannina is said to be superior to that of Constantinople itself. His army in war is about 30,000 men of all arms; though the inhabitants exaggerate it to double the amount. His naval power is inconsiderable. Dr. Holland's description of the Vizier's government in 1813, will not be uninteresting to the reader, and may develope the character of a despot whose ambition has hitherto been unchecked, and whose future measures may have no inconsiderable effect on the stability of the Turkish empire. "Speaking generally," he says, land's cha- (Travels in the Ionian Isles, Albania, &c. 4to. p. 118), "of his administration, it may be said to be one of absolute individual despotism, supported by a union of powerful personal qualities in that individual. Quick thought, singular acuteness of observation, a conjunction of vigour and firmness in action, and much personal resolution, are connected with an uncommon faculty of artifice, an implacable spirit of revenge, and the utter disregard of every principle interfering with that active movement of ambition, which is the mainspring and master-feeling of his mind. The effect of these remarkable qualities has been exhibited in the progress he has made to his present state of elevation. Their influence is strikingly apparent in the entire subjection of so many warlike tribes, in the perfect tranquillity of his dominions, in the despotic exercise of his government; and above all, in the mysterious awe with which even his name and mandate are regarded by every class of his subjects. It is pleasant to be able to allege, as one proof of his superior understanding, a degree of freedom from national and religious prejudices rarely to be found among Turkish rulers. He has studiously adopted into his territory Dr. Hol Tacter of him. several of the improvements of more cultivated na- ALBANI tions; he has destroyed the numerous bands of robbers* who infested the peaceful inhabitants of the country; Improve by his direction roads have been made, bridges con- ments, structed, and agricultural improvements attempted. This laudable spirit has added respect to the terror inspired by his government; and even those who, out of the immediate reach of his power, can venture to express hatred of his tyranny, are obliged to allow that Albania is more happy and prosperous under this single and stern dominion, than when divided among numerous chieftains, and harrassed by incessant wars. From this opinion, no deference to the principles of despotism can be inferred. The experience of history has proved that a single tyrant is less injurious to the happiness of a people, than tyranny divided among several; and the vizier of Albania has himself become a despot, only by the annihilation of the many despots who preyed on that heretofore distracted and divided country." The Albanian or Skipetaric, is not a written lan- Languag guage. Sometimes, in the southern provinces, the Albania Greek characters have been used to represent Albanian words, but as the Greek itself is familiar to the educated classes, it is generally used in writing. Major Leake has formed a grammar and vocabulary of the vernacular tongue, and Mr. Hobhouse, in the appendix to his Travels in Albania, gives an abridgment of an Albanian grammar, formed as early as the year 1716, by an Italian missionary, of the Propaganda Fide, at Rome, named Da Lecce, to both of which we may refer the curious in philology, in further illustration of the history of a people who have undergone fewer changes in habit and situation than perhaps any other European community. The chief peculiarity of Albanian utterance is the predominance of nasal sounds. Of the population of Albania various estimates have Popula been given. The standing army of their great leader Scanderberg consisted of 8000 horse and 7000 foot; and perhaps one million, four hundred thousand, will be found as accurate a calculation of the entire inha *This can be understood only in a limited sense, according to the most recent testimony. Lord Byron thus describes his visit to the Pasha's court: To greet Albania's chief, whose dread command The deeds that lurk beneath, and stain him with disgrace. It is not that yon hoary lengthening beard, In years, have marked him with a tyger's tooth; |