Alcanna

( Bot.) See HENNA. Alcantara, a seaport town of Brazil, prov. of Mar anhão, on a hill, 25 m. N.W. of San Luis de Maranhão. The surrounding territory is productive of excellent cotton and rice; and the salt lakes, a little to the N. of the town, might yield the largest supplies, if they were properly managed. Alcantara, a fortified town of Spain, cap. of a district of the same name, prov. of Estremadura; - the Nova Cæsarea of the Romans. Pop . 4,278. A. (Order of .) At the expulsion of the Moors in 1213, which was aided by the Kus. of San Julian del Pereyro, the defence of the town was intrusted to them, and they thenceforward a umed the title of Knights of Alcantara. In 1492, Ferdinand the Catholic united the office of Grand Master with the crown. The order has been since abolished. At their nominations, the knights might prove four generations of nobility. The crest of the order was a pear-tree. Alcantarilla, a town of Spain, prov. of Murcia, 5 m 8. W. of Murcia, in a district of the same name, famous for its wines. Pop . 4,083. Alcaraz, a town of Spain, prov. of New Castile, 34 m. from Albacete. There are in the neighborhood mines of zinc and copper. Fig . 72.-ORDER OF ALCANTARA.