NORTH HEMPSTEAD, a township of New York, in Orange county, Long Island; containing 2189 citizens, and 507 flaves in 1790, and 232 electors in 1796.

the horizon, zenith, or otherwise, according to the fituation of the spectator, and the pofition of the elevated exhalations. The difference of colours he supposes to arife from the different qualities of the articles combined, thofe of the moft inflammable nature fhining with the greatest luftre. The Doctor likewife tries to account for thefe lights not appearing, or but seldom, in an. cient times. The atmosphere, he thinks, was not impregnated with materials proper to produce them. He imagines that the increased confump. tion of fuel, in America in particular, the burning of volcanoes, and the approach of blazing ftars, whose atmospheres have been so expanded by the fun's heat that part of them have fallen into the earth's atmosphere, and communicated to it new matter, have fo changed and prepared our air, that whenever its consistence is proper, then if the light of the fun and moon is not too powerful, the aurora borealis will appear. The hypothefes of those, however, who, afcribe these phenomena to electricity, appear much more credible. See AURORA, N° II, § 3; and ELECTRICITY, Index.

NORTH ESK. See Esk, N° 5. and 7.

NORTH FERRY, or NORTH QUEEN'S FERRY, a fmall village, of Fifeshire, on the N. fide of the Frith of Forth, oppofite Queen's-Ferry. There was here formerly a chapel, ferved by the monks of Dunfermline, and endowed by Robert I. Near it are large granite quarries, which partly fupply London with paving ftones, and employ many veffels for the conveyance. 66 The granite (Mr Pennant fays) lies in perpendicular trata, and above is a reddith earth, filled with micaceous friable nodules." It had 312 inhabitants in 1793.

(1.) NORTHFIELD, a flourishing town of Maffachusetts, in Hampshire county, on the E. bank of the Connecticut, 30 miles N. of Northampton and 100 NW. by W. of Boston; contain ing 868 citizens in 1795. It was incorporated in 1673, but defolated by the Indians a few years after. It was rebuilt in 1685, but again deftroyed by the Indians. It was rebuilt a 3d time in 1713. (2.) NORTHFIELD, a township of New Hampfhire, in Rockingham county, on the E. bank of the Merrimack; incorporated in 1780, and containing 606 citizens in 1795.

(3) NORTHFIELD, a township of New York, in Richmond county, Staten Inland; containing 1021 inhabitants, including 133 electors, and 133 flaves.

(4.) NORTHFIELD, a township of Vermont, in Orange county, 25 miles W. of Newbury.

NORTHFLEET, a fmall town of Kent, on the Thames, one mile W. of Gravefend, and 21 from London. Great quantities of lime are made in it, curious foffils have been dug up.

NORTH FORELAND. See FORELAND, N° 2. NORTH HAMPTON, a township of New Hampfhire, in Rockingham county; containing 657 citizens in 1795.

NORTH HAVEN, a township of Connecticut, in New Haven county, feated on the river Eaft; 8 miles N. by E. of New Haven, and 32 S. by W. of Hartfield. It was the birth place of the learnod Dr Ezra Stiles, late prefident of Yale college,

(1.) NORTH ISLAND, an island on the coaft of S. Carolina, at the mouth of the Great Pedee. Lon 79 3. W. Lat. 33. 10. N.

(2.) NORTH ISLAND, an island in the N. Pacific Ocean. Lon. 133 10. W. Lat 54. N.

NORTH KINGSTOWN a town of Rhode Island, in Washington county, which carries on a confiderable trade in the fisheries and with the W. Indies; 10 miles from Newport, and 300 from Philadelphia.

NORTHLEECH, a town of England, in Gloucefterfhire, with a grammar fchool, feveral almshouses, and a market on Wed. 25 miles E. of Gloucester, and 80 W. by N. of London. Lon. 1. 43. W. Lat. 51. 46. N.

NORTHLINED LAKE, a large lake of N. America, 160 miles S. of Chesterfield inlet; 80 miles long and 25 broad. It abounds with islands. Lon. 98. 30. E Lat. 60. 40. N.

NORTHMAVEN, a parish of Scotland, in Orkney, fo named from Maven, a peninsula on the S. of it, which joins it to Mainland. The parish itself is alfo a peni fula, 24 miles long from S. to N. and 12 broad. Its coafts, however, are much interfected with inlets and harbours called Voes; and furrounded with if nds, rocks, and natural pillars. One of thefe is fo high that it has never been trodden by man, and is hence called the Maiden Skerrie. All these romantic rocks are frequented by wild birds. It is wathed on the E. by the Yell Sound; S. by St Magnus Bay, where it has a good harbour; N. and W. by the Atlantic. The climate is equal, mild, and temperate; the air pure and healthy in all feafons. The winters are milder than in any other part of Britain, but high winds are frequent. The aurora borealis often illuminates the whole horizon. The foil is rather barren, but produces black oats and barley. Services and petty taxes are exacted. Sheep and horfes live on fea weeds in winter. The population, in 1792, was 1786; increafe 777 fince 1755. Fishing, wherein 65 boats are employed, and making of kelp, are the chief employments. The men are robuft, tall, and long-lived; the hories little, but hardy. The exports of fish, oil, beef, hides, tallow, butter, ftockings, gloves, kelp, feal skins, &c. amount to 3880l. a-year.

NORTH MOUNTAIN, a ridge of the ALLEGANY MOUNTAINS, which extend through Pennfylvania and Virginia. There is a curious fyphon fountain on it, which turns a corn mill.

NORTHORN, a town of Germany, in the circle of Weftphalia, and county of Bentheim, on the Vechte; 8 miles N. of Bentheim.

NORTHORP, a town of N. Wales in Flintfhire; where large potteries of earthen wares, bricks, &c. are carried on. In 1157, the troops of Henry VII. were here defeated by the Welch, with great flaughter, under the fons of Owen Gwynedd. It is 114 miles WNW. of Chester, and 193 NW. of London. NORTH POLE. See POLE.

Q 2

NORTH

in the above county (N° 3.) at the junction of the E. and W. branches of the Sufquhannah, 2 miles N. by W. of Sunbury.

(5.) NORTHUMBERLAND, a county of Virginia, bounded E. by Chesapeake Bay, S. by Lancaster, W. by Richmond, N. by Weltmoreland counties, and NE. by the Potomac. It 40 miles long and 35 broad, and contained 4643 citizens, and 4460 flaves in 1795.

ancestors, not quite fo civilized as their fouthern neighbours. The commonalty are well fed, lodged, and clothed; and all of them remarkably diftinguished by a kind of Shibboleth or whurle, from a particular way of pronouncing the letter R, as if they hawked it up from the wind-pipe, like the cawing of rooks. In other respects, the language they speak is a mixture of the English and Scottish dialects. There is no material diftinction between the fashionable people of Northumberland and those of the fame rank in other parts of the kingdom: the fame form of education will produce the fame effects in all countries. The gentlemen of Northumberland, however, are remarkable for their courage, hospitality, and hard drinking.

(1.) * NORTHWARD. adj. [north and weard,
Saxon.] Being towards the north.
(2) * NORTHWARD. Į adv. [north and weard,]
*NORTHWARDS.
Towards the north.

Miftake me not for my complexion;
Bring me the fairest creature northward born,
Where Phoebus' fire fcarce thaws the icicles,
And prove whose blood is reddeft.

Shak.

Northward beyond the mountains we will go, Where rocks lie cover'd with eternal fnow.

Dryden

-A close prifoner in a room 20 feet fquare, being at the north side of bis chamber, is at liberty to walk 20 feet fouthward, not to walk 20 feet northward. Locke.

(1.) NORTH WATER, or NORTH ESK. See Esk, N° 7.

(2.) NORTH-WATER BRIDGE, a village of Scotland, in Forfarfhire, at the old bridge over the North Esk, 4 miles N. of Montrose; containing about 70 people in 1793.

(6.) NORTHUMBERLAND ISLANDS, a chain of iflands near the NE. coaft of New Holland. Lon. 149° to 150° 20' E. Lat, from 21° 28′ to 22° 26' N. NORTHUMBRIANS, the natives of Northumber. land. They were anciently ftigmatised as a favage, barbarous people, addicted to cruelty, and inured to rapine. The truth is, before the union of the two crowns of England and Scotland, the borderers on each fide were extremely licentious and ungovernable, trained up to war from their infancy, and habituated to plunder by the mutual incurfions made into each kingdom; incurfions which neither truce nor treaty could totally prevent. People of a pacific difpofition, who propofed to earn their livelihood by agriculture, could not remain in a country exposed to the vio-Going northward aloof, as long as they had lence of a bold and defperate enenemy; therefore any doubt of being purfued, at last they croffed the lands lay uncultivated, and in a great mea- the ocean to Spain. Bacon.fure deferted by every body but lawless adventurers, who fubfifted by plunder and rapine. There was a tract, 50 miles in length and 6 in breadth, between Berwick and Carlifle, known by the name of the Debateable Land, to which both nations laid claim, though it belonged to neither; and this was occupied by a fet of banditti who plundered on each fide, and what they ftole in one kingdom, they fold openly in the other: nay, they were fo dexterous in their occupation, that by means of hot bread applied to the horns of the cattle which they ftole, they twifted them in fuch a manner, that, when the right owners faw them in the market, they did not know their own property.. Wardens were appointed to guard the marches in each kingdom; and thefe offices were conferred on noblemen of the first character for influence, valour, and integrity. The English border was divided into three marches, called the east, west, and middle marches ; the gentlemen of the county were conftituted deputy-wardens, who held march-courts, regulated the watches, difciplined the militia, and took meafures for assembling them in arms at the firft alarm: but in the time of peace they were chiefly employed in fuppreffing the infolence and rapine of the borderers. Since the union of the crowns, however, Northumberland is totally changed, both with respect to the improvement of the lands, and the reformation of the inhabitants. The grounds being now fecure from incurfion and infult, are fettled by creditable farmers, and cultivated like other parts of the kingdom. As hof tilities have long ceased, the people have forgot the ufe of arms, and exercife themfelves in the more eligible avocations of peace; in breeding fheep and cattle, manuring the grounds, working at the coal-pits, and in different branches of commerce and manufacture. In their perfons they are generally tall, ftrong, bold, hardy, and freshcoloured; and though more polifhed than their

(1.) NORTHWEST. n. f. [north and west.] The point between the north and weft.-The bathing places, that they may remain under the fun until evening, he expofed unto the fummer fetting, that is northwest. Brown's Vulgar Erreurs.

(2.) NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA, the name given to the country on the NW. part of the continent of America, lying on the Pacific Ocean. This extenfive country has the appearance of one continued foreft abounding with pines, alder, birch, bazle, brushwood, and other trees, producing goofeberries, currants, raspber ries, and various other fruits. It is inhabited by numerous tribes of Indians, independent of each other, and differing in language, customs, &c. They appear to fubfift chiefly by hunting and fishing. The country abounds with otters, racoons, beavers, marmote, martius &c. whose skins, are the chief articles of commerce between the natives and Europeans. Copper, ginfeng, oi, &c. are alfo procured. Between 1785 and 1788, there had arrived at Canton in China from this coaft 9 vellels of different nations. The conft abounds with a vaft number of lands. Among thefe are QUEEN CHARLOTTE'S ISLAND, NOOTKA, Port Mulgrave, the peninfula of ALASHKA, &c. &c. Above 50 of thefe have been vitited by European navigators from France, Spain, Ruffia,

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and Britain; and the natives appeared very friend- In 1630, king Charles I. fent captain Luke For ly. Mr Etches, who fitted out fhips from Eng- in one of his pinnaces to attempt the paffage; but land a few years ago, concluded that the North- of his proceedings we know nothing, but that he Weft coaft of America, from Lat. 48° to 47° N. reached Port Nelfon in Hudfon's Bay, where he is not one continued tract of land, but a chain of found fome remains of former navigators. Next iflands. In 1787, Capt. J. Kendrick, of the Co- year captain James was fitted out by the mer. lumbia, carried on a profitable traffic with the na- chants of Briftol for the fame purpote. James tives for furs; and purchased a tract of their coun- was one of the ableft navigators that ever failed try comprehending 340 miles fquare, for his em from England or any other country; and his voy. ployers. ages to the north were printed in 1663. After (3) NORTH-WEST PASSAGE, a fuppofed paf- all the experiments he had made, he concluded fage to the Pacific Ocean through Hudfon's Bay that there was no fuch paffage; or if there be, Davis's Straits, the difcovery of which hath he affirmed that the discovery of it would not be been frequently attempted without fuccefs; not attended with those advantages which are com withstanding which, many are ftill of opinion that monly expected. His reafons, however, for these it is practicable. The idea of a paffage to the opinions have been anfwered, and many fubfe Eaft Indies by the north pole, or through fome quent attempts have been made to perform what opening near to it, was fuggefted as early as 1527, he thought impoffible. The arguments for a by Robert Thorne, a merchant of Bristol. In north-weft paffage were fo plaufible, that in 1774 1557, Sir Martin Forbisher failed to 62° lat. N. an act of parliament was passed to encourage the where he discovered the ftraits which bear his discovery of it. Among many others, captain name. In 1607, Henry Hudson was fent, at the Cook attempted the discovery in vain, and thence expense of fome merchants in London, to discover adopted James's opinion. (See Cook, N° III, a paffage by the north pole to japan and China. 7, 11.) This celebrated navigator, after having He failed from Gravefend on the ift of May, and proceeded northwards to the western extremity on the 21st of June fell in with the land to the of America, and ascertained the proximity of the weftward, in lat. 73°, which he named Hold-with- two great continents of Afia and America, returnhope. On the 27th he discovered Spitsbergen, and ed to the Sandwich iflands, firmly perfuaded of met with much ice. The highest latitude in which the impracticability of a paffage in that hemifphere he made an obfervation was 80° 27'. See HUD- from the Atlantic into the Pacific Ocean, either SON, N° 1. In March 1609, Jones Poole was by an eaftern or a western course. Later voyagers, fent by Sir Thomas Smith, and the reft of the however, have pretended to detect fome errors in Mufcovy company, to make further difcoveries Cook's difcoveries; and the author of a fmall towards the north pole. After great severity of tract, entitied An authentic Statement of all the weather, and many difficulties from ice, he made Facts relative to Nootka Sound, goes a great way the S. part of Spitsbergen on the 16th of May; to make the diícovery not yet hopelefs. In his and failing along and founding the coaft, he made account of the expedition under the direction of many accurate difcoveries; but was not in that Meflrs Etches, he lays, that "one of the firft dif voyage able to proceed beyond 79° 50'. He was coveries made by thefe fhips was, that what was again employed (1611), in a small veffel called by the immortal Cook laid down as a continuathe Elifabeth, to attempt the north-weft paffage; tion of the north-weft continent of America, and but after turmounting numberlefs difficulties, and lying between the northern latitudes of 48° and penetrating to 80° lat. N. he loft his ship at Spitf 57°, is on the contrary an extentive cluster of unbergen. Two voyages, equally unfuccefsful, were explored islands inhabited by numerous tribes of made in 1614 and 1615, by Baffin and Fotherby; friendly Indians, with whom a regular connection the latter of whom concludes the account of his was formed." These islands they discovered, condifcoveries and dangers, with exhorting the com- trary to the affertion of Captain Cook, to conceal pany who employed him, not to adventure more the opening of a vaft inland fea, or archipelago, than 150l. or 200l. at molt on yearly voyages to in all probability equal to the Mediterranean or thefe feas. Hitherto nothing had been done in Baltic feas, and dividing the great northern conthis great undertaking but by private adventurers, tinent of America. The Princess Royal penetrafitted out for the double purpose of discovery and ted some hundred leagues among them in a NE. private advantage; and the polar regions remained courfe, to within 200 leagues of Hudson's house, unexplored in that direction from 1615 till 1773, but had not then an opportunity to explore the when Captain Phipps, afterwards Lord Mulgrave, extreme termination of that archipelago, their undertook the voyage by his Majefty's defire and commercial concerns obliging them to return to penetrated to 80° 37'; but could proceed no far- the China market; but the commanders had the ther, as he was there oppofed by one continued ftrongest reafons to believe, had time favoured plain of smooth unbroken ice, bounded only by their survey, that they should have been able to the horizon. Many other attempts have been difcover the long wifhed-for paffage between the made to difcover this pallage, by failing along the Atlantic and South Sea. They conceived, that western coast of America; but hitherto without fhould neither the inland arm of the fea through fuccefs. So early as 1579, Sir Francis Drake af which the Princess Royal penetrated, nor a large fured queen Elifabeth, that he had failed fome ftrait named Sir Charles Middleton's, about three leagues up the ftraits of Anian (See ANIAN), and degrees to the fouthward, be found to reach difcovered New Albion, to the N. of California; across the continent, yet that the land barrier muft but the ftrait is now known to have no existence; be very inconfiderable; and that at the extremity and Drake's real difcoveries were not improved. of this bay a practicable paffage, either by rivers

or