Nither oh i

The capi Nictheroy (ne-ta-ro'e), or Nith tal until 1894 of the state of Rio de Janeiro, situated on the Bay of Rio de Janeiro opposite Rio de Janeiro. It figured prominently in the civil war of 1893-94. (See Mello .) Population, about 16,000. Nicudje. See Mi ouri . Nicuesa (ne-kö-a'sä), Diego de. Born at Baëza, about 1465: died March (1), 1511. A Spanish commander. He went to Española in 1502, was subsequently agent of the colonists in Spain, and in 1508 was empowered to conquer and govern Castilla del Oro, corresponding to the coast of the Isthmus of Panama and Central America from the Gulf of Darien to Cape Gracias a Dios: at the same time Ojeda received the adjoining province of Nueva And a lucia in South America. Nicuesa left Santo Domingo about Jan., 1510, with 5 ve els and 650 (or 785?) men. He lost his larger ships, was wrecked, and endured terrible sufferings at Nombre de Dios: only 100 men survived. Col me nares, on his way with reinforcements for Nicuesa, touched at Antigua, where Ojeda's colony had been left without a commander. The colonists sent me engers to Nicuesa, offering to accept him as governor; but he acted in such an overbearing manner that on his arrival at Antigua the colonists rebelled. He was forced to sail away in a rotten ship, and was never heard of again. valley is called Nidderdale. Nidhug (nid hög). In Scand in avian mythology, a serpent in the lower world. Nidwalden (ned'väl-den), or Nidwald (nēd'väld). A half-canton of the canton of Unterwalden, Switzerland. It forms the northern part of the canton. It sends one member to the National Council. On the reconstitution of Switzerland in 1798 and the estab lishment of the Helvetic Republic, the inhabitants resisted the new order of things, but were repre ed by the French. Area, 112 square miles. See further under Unterwalden . Niebuhr (nēʼbör), Barthold Georg. Born at Copenhagen, Aug. 27, 1776: died at Bonn, Prusrian, philologist, and critic, son of Karstens sia, Jan. 2, 1831. A celebrated German his to Niebuhr. He was in the civil service of Denmark until 1806, and in that of Pru ia 1806-10; was lecturer at the University of Berlin; was Pru ian amba ador at Rome 1816-23; and became lecturer at the University of Bonn in 1823. His chief work, "Römisc he Geschichte" ("Roman History," 3 vols. 1811-32: Eng. trans. by Hare and Thirl wall), on the earlier history of Rome, produced a revolution in the study of Roman history. His" "Kleine Schriften" ("Minor Writings") were published 1828-43. See his correspondence in "Lebens nach rich ten" (1838: English version by Mi Wink worth 1852). Niebuhr, Karstens. Born at Lüding worth, in Hadeln, Pru ia, March 17, 1733: died at Meldorf, Pru ia, April 26, 1815. A German traveler in Arabia and the East 1761-67. He wrote "Beschreibung von Arabien" ("Description of Arabia," 1772), "Reisebeschreibung von Arabien und andern umliegenden Ländern" ("Description of Travels in Arabia and other Neighboring Lands," 1774-78). Niederbronn (ne'der-bron). A town in Lower Alsace, Alsace-Lorraine, 25 miles north of Strasburg. Population (1890), 3,029. Niedermendig (ne'der-men-dig). A place in the Rhine Province, Pru ia, west of Coblenz. It is noted for its qua quarries of basaltic lava. Nie der meyer (ne'der-mi-er), Louis. Born at Nyon, Switzerland, April 27, 1802: died at Paris, March 14, 1861. A Swi composer of sacred music, and of melodies for the poems of Lamartine, Victor Hugo, Des champs, etc. He was not succe ful in opera, though "Str a dell a" (1837), "Marie Stuart" (1844), etc., may be mentioned. Niederwald (ne'der-vält). A spur of the Taunus, situated in Pru ia, near the Rhine, opposite Bingen. It rises to the height of 1,080 feet above sea-level. A national monument has been erected on it in commemoration of the German triumph over France in 1870-71, and of the foundation of the new German Empire. It was designed by Schilling, and inaugurated in 1883, when an unsucce ful attempt was made on the life of the emperor William. It consists of a statue, 33 feet high, of German i a as a robust woman holding aloft the imperial crown, and standing on a monumental pedestal 78 feet high. The die bears inscriptions, and in front of its base, which is carved with the escutcheons of the German states, is placed the Pru ian eagle. At the front angles of the large basement from which the die rises stand the angels of War and Peace. The large relief of the front includes portraits of the emperor William I. with the German princes and generals and soldiers of the different arms; and the reliefs of the sides represent the departure and return of the soldiers. Below, in front, is a group of sculpture representing the Rhine and the Moselle. Niedner (ned'ner), Christian Wilhelm. Born at Oberwinkel, near Waldenburg, Aug. 9, 1797: died at Berlin, Aug. 13, 1865. A German Protestant church historian, profe or at Berlin from 1859. His chief work is a "Lehrbuch der christ lichen Kirchengeschichte" (1846). Niel (nē-el'), Adolphe. Born at Muret, France, Oct. 4, 1802: died at Paris, Aug. 13, 1869. A French marshal. He was distinguished in the Crime an war (particularly at the siege of Sebastopol in 1855), and in the battles of Magenta and Solferino in 1859. He was minister of war 1867-69. Niemann (nē'män), Albert. Born at Erxleben, near Magdeburg, Jan. 15, 1831. A noted German tenor singer. He first went on the stage as an actor in 1849. His musical talent was discovered, and he was finally sent to Paris, through the kindne of the King of Hannover, to study with Duprez. He is succe ful in Wagner's operas and in heroic parts. Niembsch von Strehlenau (nempsh fon str a'len-ou), Nikolaus: pseudonym Nikolaus Lenau. Born at Csatad, Hungary, Aug. 13, 1802: died near Vienna, Aug. 22, 1850. An Austrian poet. Among his poems are "Faust" (1835), "Savonarola" (1837), "Die Albigenser" (1842), etc. Niemcewicz (nyem-tse'vich), Julian Ursin. Born at Skoki, Lithuania, 1758: died at Paris, May 21, 1841. A Polish poet, novelist, historian, and dramatist. Among his works are "Historical Songs of the Poles" (1816), "History of the Reign of King Sigismund III. of Poland" (1819), etc. Niemen (ne'men; Pol. pron. nyem'en). Ariver in western Ru ia and the province of East Pru ia. It rises in the government of Minsk, and empties by several mouths into the Kurisches Haff 50 miles northeast of Königsberg. Length, about 500 miles; navigable from Grodno, and for steamers from Kovno. See Memel . Niger (ni'jer), called also Joliba (jol'i-ba), Kworra or Quorra (kwor'ä), Mayo (mä'yo), etc. [Prob. same as L. Nigris (Pliny) and Gr. Νίγειρ (Ptolemy), applied vaguely to a large river in Africa. Joliba and Kworra are modern Afri- can names.] One of the three chief rivers of Africa. The source of the main head stream, the Tembi, is about lat. 8° 30′ N., long. 10° 30 W. It flows generally northeast to near Timbuktu, east to long. 0°, then south- southeast and south, and empties by a delta into the Gulf of Guinea about lat. 4°-5° N., long. 6-7° E. Its chief tribu- tary is the Binue. It was first visited by Mungo Park in 1796. There is still an unexplored portion in its middle In its lower course it is navigable for steamers. Length, about 2,600 miles. IMG:content-0734.png:[blocks in formation] the fourth a list of specially difficult words, and the fifth Nijmegen. See Nimwegen . a cla ification of the divine personages who figure in the Nijne-Tagilsk (nēzh'ne-tä-gilsk'). A town in Night and Morning. Two circular reliefs in marble by Thorwaldsen, in the Thorwaldsen Museum at Copenhagen, Denmark: familiar in popular reproductions. Night and Morning are two winged, richly draped female figures sweeping through the air. The former clasps sleeping children to her breast, and is accompanied by an owl; the latter scatters flowers. ton, published in 1841. Nightingale (nīt'ing-gal), Florence. Born at and afterward in all parts of Europe, and finally decided to become a hospital nurse. She is especially celebrated for her noble services at Scutari during the Crime an war, 1854-56. Her health suffered severely from the contin- ued strain and her unselfish devotion. At the close of the war she was enabled by a testimonial fund to found an institution for the training of nurses, the Nightingale Home at St. Thomas's Hospital. She was also the means of calling attention to the unsanitary conditions of camp hospitals, etc. She published "The Institution at Kais- erswerth on the Rhine" (1850), "Notes on Hospitals" (1859), "Notes on Nursing" (1860), "Observations on the Sanitary State of the Army in India" (1863), etc. Nightmare Abbey. A novel by Thomas Love Peacock, published in 1818. Night Thoughts. A meditative poem on reli- gion and morality, by Edward Young (1742-46). Its whole title is "The Complaint, or Night Thoughts." attacks in our own age, and Young is now in danger of lasted for a century, has succumbed to a series of vigorous being underrated. Go e , Eighteenth-Century Literature, p. 213. Night Walker, The, or the Little Thief. A comedy by Fletcher and Shirley, licensed in 1633, printed in 1640 as by Fletcher only. This play has been incorrectly conjectured to be same as "The Devil of Dowgate, or Usury put to Use," which was licensed in 1623. Night-Watch, The, or Sortie of the Banning Cock Company. A masterpiece by Rembrandt (1642), in the Rijks Museum at Amsterdam. It represents an a embly of the civic guard (by daylight), with their officers, banner, and drummer. All the figures are portraits, full of life and spirit; and the picture is ad- mirable in light and color. Nigra (ne grä), Count Cost anti no. Born at Castella monte, near Ivrea, Italy, June 12, 1827. An Italian diplomatist. He served in 1848 as a vol- unteer in the Sard in i an army against the Austrians, but afterward entered the diplomatic service, and acted as secretary to Count Cavour at the Congre of Paris in 1856. He was for many years Italian amba ador at Paris, and held the same position at St. Petersburg 1876-82, and at London 1882-85. Nigritia (ni-grish'i-ä). [NL., 'land of the blacks," from L. niger , black.] A name for- merly given to the Sudan. Nigritic (tribes and languages). See Negro race, and African ethnography (under Africa ). Nihaloitih. See Echeloot . Nihilists (ni'hil-ists). The adherents of nihil- ism. Nihilism was originally a social (not a political) movement in Ru ia, in opposition to the customary forms of matrimony, the parental authority, and the tyranny of custom; later, a more or le organized secret effort on the part of a large body of malcontents to overturn the estab- lished order of things, both social and political. In the former sense the word was introduced by Turgenieff in 1862. Nihilism comprises several Ru ian parties, differ- ing in the means of action employed and in the immedi- ate results aimed at, some leaning more toward political radicalism and violence, and others toward economic re- organization and socialism. The movement originated about 1840, and is due largely to the influence of the uni- versities. About 1855-62 it became increasingly demo- cratic, socialistic, and revolutionary under the leadership of Herzen and the magazine "Contemporary." 1870 revolutionary ideas became the subject of a prop a- ganda among workmen, peasants, and students. The ad- herents of this movement formed a "people's party" ("Land and Freedom") purposing the complete over- throw of the existing order of things and the establish- ment of a socialistic and democratic order in its stead. Under the influence of Bakunin (died 1876), and the per- secution of peaceful propagandists by the government, the people's party divided into two factions-the "democ- rat i zati on of land" and the "will of the people," the lat- ter being the stronger. This party was by government persecutions driven to a political contest, and the idea of demoralizing the forces of the government by terror ori- ginated and became popular: the adherents of this system called themselves "ferrorists." After several unsucce - Niigata (ne-e-gä'tä). A seaport in the prov- ince of Echigo, main island of Japan, situated on the western coast in lat. 37° 57′ N., long. 139° 3′ E. It is open to foreign commerce. Population (1891), 47,019. Nijar (ne-Här'). A town in the province of Al- meri a, southern Spain, 16 miles east-northeast of Almeria. Population (1887), 14,221. Nijkerk (nī'kerk). A town in the province of Gelder land, Netherlands, 27 miles east-south- east of Amsterdam. Population (1889), 7,724. ernment of central Ru ia. It is surrounded by Kos- troma, Vyatka, Kazan, Simbirsk, Penza, Tamboff, and Vladimir. The surface is generally flat. The government has considerable commerce and manufactures. Area, 19,797 square miles. Population (1893), 1,586,764. 2. The capital of the government of Nijni-Nov- gorod, situated at the junction of the Öka with the Volga in lat. 56° 19′ N., long. 44° E. Its fa- mous fair, the largest in the world, held annually in Aug. and Sept., is frequented by from 200,000 to 300,000 mer- chants from Ru ia and western and central Asia. The chief articles of trade are cotton, woolen, iron, corn, salt, the Volga. It was plundered by the Mongols in 1378; was united to Moscow in 1390; and took the lead under Minin in 1612 in freeing Moscow from the Poles. Population (1894), 70,412. Nika (nē'kä), or Manika (mä-ne'kä). The Bantu tribe inhabiting Mash on a land. Nike(ni'kē). [Gr. Νίκη , the personification of vic- tory.] In Greek mythology, the godde of vic- tory: called by the Romans Victoria . She was regularly represented in ancient art as a winged maiden, Nike Apteros, or Wingle Victory, Temple of. A beautiful little Ionic amphiprostyle tetra- style temple at Athens, measuring 18 by 27 feet, standing on a high stone platform projecting beyond the Propylæa. The columns are 134 feet high. The frieze is sculptured in high relief with gods on the east and with A then i an martial exploits on the other sides. The platform of this temple was surrounded with a marble balustrade on which were carved Victories, among them the famous relief of "Victory loosing her Sandal." The tem- ple was pulled down by the Turks, and its materials buried under the works of a battery: they were found in 1835, al- most complete, by German scholars, and restored to their original positions. Nikisch (ne'kish), Arthur. Born at Szent- Miklós, Hungary, Oct. 12, 1855. A Hungarian composer and conductor. He came to the United 1889, and conducted the Boston Symphony Or- chestra from that time till 1893, when he went to Buda- pest as kapellmeister and conductor of the opera. Nikita I. See Nikola I. Nikitin (nē-kē'tin), Ivan. Born at Voronezh, 1824: died 1861. A Ru ian poet. He wrote lyric folk-songs. His life was pa ed in poverty, and he was obliged to keep an inn to support himself. Afterward he Nikolai (nik'ō-li). A town in the province of Silesia, Pru ia, 56 miles southeast of Oppeln. Population (1890), 5,633. Nikolaieff (ne-ko-li'ef). A seaport in the gov- ernment of Kherson, Ru ia, situated at the head of the estuary of the Bug, in lat. 46° 58′ N., long. 32° E. It is an important naval station and place of export for grain, etc., founded by Potemkin about 1789. Population (1893), 77,481. Nikolaievsk Nikolaievsk. A port in the Maritime Province, Siberia, situated on the Amur, near its mouth, in lat. 53° 8′ N., long. 140° 43′ E. It was founded in 1851, and was the former capital of the province. Pop ulation Nikolaievskaya Sloboda (ne-kō-li'ef-skä-yä slo-bo-dä'). A town in the government of Astrakhan, Ru ia, situated near the Volga about lat. 50°5′ N., long. 45° 30′ E. It is a trading center. Population (1892), 13,799. Nikolsburg (nik'olz-börg). A town in Moravia, 44 miles north-northeast of Vienna. Population (1890), 8,210. Nikolsburg, Truce of. A preliminary peace between Pru ia and Austria, concluded at Nikolsburg, July 26, 1866. It was confirmed by the peace of Prague, Aug. 23, 1866. Nikon (nē kōn). Born near Nijni-Novgorod, Ru ia, 1605: died Aug. 17, 1681. A Ru ian prelate. He became patriarch of Ru ia in 1652, and was deposed in 1666. He introduced reforms in the church service. Nikopol (nē kō-poly). A town in the government of Yekaterinoslaff, southern Ru ia, situated on the Dnieper 64 miles south-southwest of Yekaterinoslaff. It is a trading center. Population (1892), 10,100. Nikopoli, or Nicopoli (ne-kop'ō-lē), Turk. Nighebolü (ne-ge-bo'lü) or Nebul (ne-böl'). [See Nicopolis .] A town in Bulgaria, situated on the Danube, near the confluence of the Osma, in lat. 43° 42′ N., long. 24° 53′ E. It has been erroneously identified with the ancient Nicopolisad Istrum. It was long noted as a fortre , and was conquered by Sigismund of Hungary 1392 and 1395. Sultan Bajazet I. defeated here the Franco-Hungarian army under Sigismund Sept. 28, 1396. It was unsucce fully attacked by Ladislaus of Hungary in 1444. The Turks were defeated here by Báthori Sept. 6, 1595, and by the Wall a chi ans in 1598. It was conquered by the Ru ians in 1810. The Turkish fleet was destroyed near it and their camp stormed by the Ru ians in 1829. It was taken by the Ru ians in 1877. Population, 4,652. Nikosia. See Nicosia . Niksar (nik-sär'), or Niksara (nik-sä'rä). A town in the vilayet of Trebizond, Asiatic Turkey, situated near the Kelkit-Tchai 145 miles west by south of Trebizond: the ancient Neocæsarea, and probably the ancient Cabira. Population, 9,000. Nikšić (nēk's ich). A fortified town in Monte negro, 26 miles north of Cettinje. It was besieged and taken from the Turks by the Mon tene grins in 1877. Population, about 3,000. Nile (nil). [F. Nil , Sp. Pg. It. Nilo , G. Nil , L. Nilus, from Gr. Νείλος .] The longest river of Africa, and one of the longest rivers in the world: the ancient Nilus. It is formed by several head streams which flow into Lake Victoria Nyanza. Of these the Kagera, Shimiyu, and Isanga are the chief. From Victoria Nyanza the Nile flows northwest, forming the Ripon and Murchison falls, into the Albert Nyanza. Thence it flows generally north (as the Bahr-el-Jebel, later as the Bahr-el-Abiad or White Nile) to the junction with the Blue Nile at Khartum; traverses the Nubian desert; pa es by five cataracts into the valley of Egypt; and empties by a wide delta into the Mediterranean Sea. Its principal mouths are the Rosetta and Damietta branches. It fertilizes the valley of Egypt by its annual overflow (caused by the melting of the snows in the elevated regions drained by its head waters), which is at its height in September and October. It has been famous in ancient and modern times for the kingdoms on its banks, and for the attempts to discover its sources. Its chief tributaries are the Bahrel-Ghazal, Sobat, Blue Nile, and Atbara. It receives no tributaries below Berber. The chief places on its banks are Lado, Gondokoro, Khartum, Berber, New Dongola, Derr, A uan, Siut, and Cairo. The course of the upper Nile was a mystery until recent times. Bruce in 1770 found the source of the Blue Nile. In 1858 the Victoria Nyanza was discovered by Speke, in 1864 the Albert Nyanza by Baker, and in 1877 the Albert Edward Nyanza by Stanley. The upper basin falls mainly within the British sphere of influence, partly within the German, and perhaps the Italian. The middle valley is held (1894) by the dervishes. Length about 3,400 miles. On the rocks of Semneh and Kummeh the highest point of the inundation was always noted for comparison, and the mark was accompanied by a corresponding inscription. Thus we read at one place on the rock: "Height of the Nile in the year 14, under the reign of his Majesty King Amen-em-hat III., the ever-living." From observations made by Lepsius on the spot, we gather that in the times of the Twelfth Dynasty - that is, forty-three centuries before our days-the highest rise was nearly twenty-seven feet above the greatest height of the inundation in these days; and that the average height of the Nile when Amen-emhat III. was king surpa es that of our times by about twelve feet.