Öf fome clay habitation, vifit us With thy long levell'd rule of streaming light. Milton. (1.) DAMA, a town of Arabia, in the country of Yemen, 220 miles NE. of Mecca.

(2.) Dama, in zoology. N° 1.

See CERVUS,

v.

DAMAC, a town in the island of Java, on the north coaft, where the Dutch have a factory.

5 ) DAM the Eaft Indies, at the entrance of the Gulph of Cambay. It was taken by the Portuguese in 1535. The mogul has attempted to get poffeffion of it feveral times, but always without effect. Aurengzebe befieged it about the middle of the 17th century, with an army of 40,000 men; but the garrifon fallying out on a part of his camp, guarded by 2co elephants, fo terrified these animals by their fire arms, that they turned on their mafters, and trampled half his army to death. It is divided by the river (N° 1.) into two parts, viz.

(1.) * DAMAGE. n. f. [domage, French.] 1. Mischief; hurt; detriment-Grofs errours and abfurdities many commit for want of a friend to tell them of them, to the great damage both of their fame and fortune. Bacon.-Such as were fent from thence did commonly do more hurt and damage to the English fubjects than to the Irish enemies, by their continual cefs and extortion. Davies. -He repulfed the enemy very much to their da mage. Clarendon. 2. Lofs; mifchief fuffered.His heart exalts him in the harm Already done, to have difpeopled heav'n, My damage fondly deem'd.

Milton. 3. The value of mifchief done.-They believed that they were not able, though they should be willing to fell all they have in Ireland, to pay the damages which had been fuftained by the war. Clarendon. 4. Reparation of damages; retribu. tion. The bishop demanded reftitution of the fpoils taken by the Scots, or damages for the fame. Bacon.-Tell me whether, upon exhibiting the feveral particulars which I have related to you, I might not fue her for damages in a court of juftice? Addifon. 5. In law.] Any hurt or hindrance that a man taketh in his eftate. In the common law it particularly fignifies a part of what the jurors be to inquire of; for, after verdict given of the principal caufe, they are likewife asked their confciences touching cofts, which are the charges of fuit, and damages, which contain the hindrance which the plaintiff or demandant hath fuffered, by means of the wrong done him by the defendant or tenant. Cowel.-When the judge had awarded due damages to a perfon into whofe field a neighbour's oxen had broke, it is reported that he reversed his own fentence when he heard that the oxen, which had done this mischief, were his own. Watts.

(2.) DAMAGES, in law. See Cost, § 2. (1.) To DAMAGE. v. a. [froin the noun.] Tơ mifchief; to injure; to impair; to hurt; to harm. -I confider time as an immenfe ocean, into which many noble authors are entirely fwallowed up, many very much shattered and damaged, fome quite disjointed and broken into pieces. Addifon. (2.) To DAMAGE. V. N. To take damage, to be damaged.

DAMAGEABLE. adj. [from damage.] 1. Sufceptible of hurt; as damageable goods. 2. Mifchievous; pernicious.-Obfcene and immodeft talk is offenfive to the purity of God, damageable and infectious to the innocence of our neighbours, and moft pernicious to ourselves. Government of the Tongue.

DAMALA, a town of European Turkey, in the Morea, 40 miles SE. of Napoli di Romania. (L) DAMAN, a river of Hindooftan, which falls into the Gulf of Cambay.

(II.) Daman, or DaMAUN, a fea port town of

1. DAMAN, NEW, a handfome town well fortified, and defended by a good Portuguese garrifon. 2. DAMAN, OLD, is very ill built. There is a harbour between the two towns, defended by a fort. Lon. 72. 25. E. Lat. 20. 20. N.

DAMANHOUR, or DEMENHUR, a town of Egypt, near the canal of Alexandria, 32 miles SE. of Alexandria.

DAMAPETTA, a town of Hindooftan, in the country of Golconda, 45 miles NW. of Rajamundry, and 140 E. of Hydrabad.

(1.) DAMAR, a town of Arabia, in the country of Yemen, 136 miles NE. Sanaa.

(2.) DAMAR, a town of Arabia, in the country of Oman, 70 miles N. of Oman. Lon. 67. 0. E. Lat. 16. o. N.

DAMARISCOTTY. See DEMARISCOTTA. (1.)* DAMASCENE. n. f. [damafcenus, from Damafcus.] A fmall plum; a Damfon, as it is now fpoken.-In April follow the cherry tree in bloffom, the damafcene and plum trees in bloffom, and the white thorn in leaf. Bacon.-In fruits the white commonly is meaner, as in pear plums and damafcenes; and the choiceft plums are black. Bacon.

(2.) DAMASCENE. See PRUNUS.

DAMASCENUS, John, an illuftrious father of the church in the 8th century, born at Damafcus, where his father, though a Chriftian, enjoyed the office of counfellor of ftate to the Saracen caliphi; to which the fon fucceeded. He retired afterwards to the monaftery of St Sabas, and spent the remainder of his life in writing books of divinity. His works have been often printed; but the Paris edition in 1712, 2 vols follo, is esteemed the best.

DAMASCÍUS, a celebrated heathen philofopher, born at Damafcus, A. D. 1540, when the Goths reigned in Italy. He wrote the life of his mafter Ifidorus, and dedicated it to Theodora, a very learned and philofophical lady, who had alfo been a pupil to Ifidorus. In this life, which was copioufly written, he frequently made oblique attacks on the Chriftian religion. We have nothing remaining of it but fome extracts preferved by Photius. Damafcius fucceeded Theon in the rhetorical school, and Ifidorus in that of philofophy, at Athens.

DAMASCUS, [pun, Heb.] a very ancient city of Syria in Afia. Some of the ancients fuppofe this city to have been built by one Damafcus, from whom it took its name: but the most generally received opinion is, that it was founded by Uz the eldeft fon of Aram. It is certain, from Gen. xiv. 15, that it was in being in Abraham's time, and confequently may be looked upon as

tle town, having its own ftreets and houses; and in this caftle a magazine of the famous Damus fteel was formerly kept. The fruit tree called the damafcere, and the lower called the domefk rofe, were tranfplanted from the gardens belonging to this city: and the filks and linens known by the name of danasks, were probably invented by the inhabitants. M Niebuhr, who has giver a pian of this city, makes it 3250 toifes, or fomething less than a league and a half in circumference, and it probably contains 80,000 inhabitants. The greater part of these are Arabs and Turks: the number of Chriftians is estimated at 15,000. Damafcus is the rendezvous for all the pilgrims who go to Mecca from the N. of Afia, as Cairo is for thofe from Africa. Their number every year amounts to from 30,0ce to 50,000. Many of them repair here for four months before the. time, but the greateft number only at the end of the Ramadan. Damafcus then refembles an immenfe fair; nothing is to be feen but ftrangers from all parts of Turkey, and even Perfia; and every place is full of camels, horfes, mules ar d merchandife. By means of this caravan, Damafcus is become the centre of a very extenfive commerce. By Aleppo, the merchants of this city correfpond with Armenia, Natolia, Diarbekar, and even with Perfia. They fend caravans to Cairo, which, follow. ing a route frequented in the time of the patriarchs, take their courfe by Djefryakoub, Tabaria, Nablous, and Gaza. In return, they receive the merch andife of Conftantinople and Europe, by way of Saide and Bairout. The home confumption is balanced by filk and cotton ftuffs, which are manufactured here in great quantities, and are very well made; by the dried fruits of their own growth, and fweetmeats, cakes of roses, apricots, and peaches, of which Turkey confumes to the amount of 40.cco pounds. The remainder, paid for by courfe of exchange, occafions a confiderable circulation of money, in cuftom-houfe duties, and the commiffion of the merchants. The pachalic of Damafcus comprehends nearly the whole eaftern part of Syria. In this vaft extent of country, the foil and its productions are very various; but the plains of Hauran, and thofe on the banks of the Orontes, are the most fertile; they produce wheat, barley, fefarum, doura, and cotton. Damafcus is 112 miles S. of Antioch, 130 NNE. of Jerufalem, and 270 SSW. of Diarbeck. Lon. 37. 0. E. Lat. 33. 45. Ñ. DAMASCUS STEEL. See DAMASK, § 4.

one of the most ancient cities in the world. In the time of king David it seems to have been a very confiderable place; as the tacred hiftorian tells us, that the Syrians of Damafcus fent 20,000 men to the relief of Hadadezer king of Zobah. We are not informed whether at that time it was governed by kings, or was a republic. Afterwards, however, it became a monarchy which proved very troublesome to the kingdom of Ifrael, and would even have destroyed it entirely, had not the Deity miraculously interpofed in its behalf. This monarchy was destroyed by Tiglath Pilefer king of Affyria, and Damafcus was never afterwards governed by its own kings. From the Affyrians and Babylonians it paffed to the Perfians, and from thence to the Greeks under Alexander the Great. After his death it belonged, with the reft of Syria, to the Seleucidæ ; till their empire was fubdued by the Romans, about A. A.C. 70. From them it was taken by the Saracens A. D. 633; and it is now in the hands of the Turks.- -Notwithstanding the tyranny of the, Turkish government, Damafcus is ftill a confiderable place. It is fituated in a plain of fo great extent, that one can but juft difcern the mountains which compass it on the other side. It stands on the W. fide of the plain, about two miles from the head of the river Barrady which waters it. It is of a long, ftraight figure, extending about two miles in length, adorned with mofques and fteeples, and encompaffed with gardens, computed. to be full 30 miles round. The river Forrady, as foon as it iffues from the clefts of the Antilibanus into the plain, is divided into three ftreams, whereof the middlemoft and largest runs directly to Damafcus, and diftributed to all the cifterns and fountains of the city. The other two feem to be artificial; and are drawn round, one to the right, and the other to the left, on the borders of the gardens, into which they are let by little currents, and difperfed every where. The houfes of the city, whofe streets are very narrow, are all built on the outside either with fun burnt brick, or Flemish wall: and yet it is no uncommon thing to fee the gates and doors adorned with marble portals, carved and inlaid with great beauty and variety; and within thefe portals to find large courts beautified with fragrant trees and marble fountains, and compaffed round with fplendid apartments. In thefe apartments the ceilings are ufually richly painted and gilded; and their DUANS which are a fort of low ftages feated in the pleafanteft part of the room, and elevated about 16 or 18 inches above the floor, wheron the Turks oat, fleep, fay their prayers, &c. are floored, and adorned on the fides with variety of marble, mixed in mofaic knots and mazes, fpread with carpets, and furnished all round with bolfters and cufhions to the very height of luxury. In this city are shown the church of John the Baptift, now converted into a famous mofque; the houfe of Ananias, which is only a fmall grotto or cellar wherein is nothing remarkable; and the houfe of Judas with whom Paul lodged. In this laft is an old tomb, fuppofed to be that of Ananias: which the Turks hold in fuch veneration, that they keep a lamp continually burning over it. There is a eastle belonging to Damafcus, which is like a lit

́ DAMASENA, a town of Africa, in the country of Jagra, fituated on a river of that name which runs into the Gambia.

DAMASIA, in ancient geography a town of Vindelicia on the Licus; afterwards called AuGUSTA; now AUGSBURG in Suabia, on the Lech. Lon. 10. 50. E. Lat. 48. 20. N.

(1.)* DAMASK ̧n.j. [dama,quin, Fr. damaschino Ital. from Damafcus.] 1. Linen or filk woven in a manner invented at Damafcus, by which, part by a various direction of the threads, exhibits flowers or other forms.

Not any weaver which his work doth boast In diaper, damask, or in lyne. -Wipe your fhoes, for want of a cleut, with a

Spenfer.

dama fr

damak napkin. Swift. 2. It is ufed for red coJour in Fairfax, from the damask rofe.

And for fome deale perplexed was her fpirit; Her damask late, now chang'd to pureft white. Fairfax. (2.) DAMASK, (1, def. 1,) should be of dreffed filks, both in warp and woof.

(3.) DAMASK is alfo a kind of wrought linen, made in the ci-devant province of Flanders; fo called, because its large flowers refemble thofe of damasks. It is chiefly used for tables.

(4.) DAMASK is alfo applied to a very fine fteel, in fome parts of the Levant, chiefly at Damafcus in Syria whence its name. It is ufed for fword and cutlafs blades, and is finely tempered.

(5.) DAMASK CAFFART, a stuff made in France, in imitation of the true damafk, having woof of hair, coarse filk, thread, wool, or cotton. Some have the warp of filk and the woof of thread; others are all thread or all wool.

(6.) DAMASK-PLUM. See PLUM.

(7) DAMASK PLUM, is a fpecies of PRUNUS. (8.) DAMASK-ROSE. n.. The rofe of Damafcus; a red rose. See RosE.-Damafk-rofes have not been known in England above 100 years, and now are so common. Bacon.

(9.) DAMASK SERVICE, a table-cloth and a dozen of napkins made of damask linen.

*To DAMASK. v. a. [from the noun.] 1. To form flowers upon stuffs. 2. To variegate; to diverfify.

ers.

They fat recline

On the foft downy bank, damask'd with flow. Milton. 3. To adorn fteel-work with figures; practifed, I fuppofe, firft at Damafcus.

(1.) DAMASKENING. n. f. [from damafquiner, Fr. The art or act of adorning iron or fteel, by making incifions, and filling them up with gold or filver wire: ufed in enriching the blades of fwords, and locks of piftols. Chambers.

(2.) DAMASKENING, OF DAMASKING, partakes of the mofaic, of engraving, and of carving, like the mosaic, it has inlaid work: 'like engraving, it cuts the metal, reprefenting divers figures; and, as in chafing gold and filver is wrought in relievo. There are two ways of Damafking: the one, which is the fineft, is when the metal is cut deep with proper inftruments, and inlaid with gold and fik ver wire: the other is fuperficial only.

lake (N° 2.) 320 miles W. of the Red Sea. Los. 34. 20. E. Lat. 14. 40. N.

DAMBEC, or DAMKE, a town of Germany, in the circle of Upper Saxony, and Old Mark of Brandenburg, 4 miles S. of Saltwedel.

DAMBLAIN, a town of France, in the depart ment of Vofges, 5 miles E. of La Marche.

DAMBROUCZA, a town of Poland, in the palatinate of Lemberg, 8 miles NE. of Lemberg.

* DAME. n. f. (dame, French, dama, Spanish:1 i. The old title of honour to women.-The word dame originally fignified a mistress of a family, who was a lady; and it is used ftill in the English law to fignify a lady: but in common ufe, now a-days, it reprefents a farmer's wife, or a miftrefs of a family of the lower rank in the country. Watts. 2. It is ftill ufed in poetry for women of rank.

His father Faunns: a Lurentian dame His mother, fair Maria was her name. Dryden. 3. Miftrefs of a low family.-They killed the poor cock; for, fay they, if it were not for his waking our dame the would not wake us. L'Eftrange. 4. Women in general.—

We've willing dames enough; there cannot be That vulture in you to devour fo many,

As will to greatness dedicate themfelves. Shak. DAMEL, or KAYO, a country of Africa, on the coaft of the Atlantic, between the rivers Se negal and Gambia.

DAMELEN, a town of Upper Saxony, and Middle Mark of Brandenburg, 6 m. W. of Belitz. (1.) DAMELINGTOUN, or DALMELLING TON, [originally Dame Helen's Town, from a lady named Helen, who built a caftle in it,] a parish of Scotland in Ayrshire, 8 miles long and not 3 broad. The foil is partly rich clay, partly hard and rocky A large morafs has been drained, which has rendered the parish much more healthy than formerly, Coal, free-ftone, and iron-ftone abound. The po pulation in 1801, was 758.

༣

(2.) DAMELINGTOUN, a village in the above parish (N° 1.) which contained about 500 inhab bitants in 1792. Seven fairs are held in it annu ally, and it has 6 public houfes.

DAMELOPRE, a kind of bilander, ufed in Holland for conveying merchandise from one ca nal to another; being very commodious for paffing under the bridges.

DAMERHAM, a village in Wiltshire.

(2.) DAMBACH, a town of Germany, in the archduchy of Auftria, 8 miles ESE. of Freuftadt. DAMBANNA, a town of Africa, in the kingdom of Kontu.

(1.) DAMBEA, or DEMBEA, a province of A. byffinia, fituated N. of the lake. (N° 2.) It is a flat country and fubject to inundations.

(2)DAMBEA, an extenfive lake of Abyffinia, containing many fertile islands, with plenty of fith and river horses. It is 100 miles from the fource of the Nile.

(3)DAMBEA, the capital of Abyffinia, is feated in the above province, (N° 1.) at the head of the VOL. VII. PART I

(1.) DAMERISCOTTA, a river of the United States, in the diftrict of Maine, which runs into Booth Bay.

(2.) DAMERISCOTTA GRET BAY, a bay on the coaft of Lincoln county, and district of Maine, a bout 4 miles in circumference.

DAMERSHEIM, a town of Bavaria, in the principality of Neuburg, 10 m. NW. of Neuburg. (1.) DAME'S VIOLET. n.. A plant, called alfo queen's gillyflower. Miller.

(2) DAME'S VIOLET. See HESPERIS.

DAMGARTEN, a town of Swedish Pomera nia, on the Recknitz. It was taken by the Swedes in the year 16:0, retaken by the Imperialifts, in 1637, and restored to the Swedes in the year 1633. It is 22 miles SW. of Stralfund.

DAMIANISTS, in church hiftory, a branch of C

the ancient Acephali Severitæ. They agreed with the catholics in admitting the VIth council, but difowned any diftinction of perfons in the Godhead; and profeffed one fingle nature, incapable of any difference: yet they called God "the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft."

DAMIANO, ST. a town of Italy in Montferrat, 18 miles W. by N. of Vercelli. In 1553, it fuftained a fiege of 3 months. Lon. 8. o. E. Lat. 45. 33. N.

DAMIANOVITZ, a town of Croatia, 64 miles S. of Varafdin, and 52 ESE. of Carlstadt.

DAMIATTE, a town of France, in the department of the Tarn, io miles W. of Caftres. DAMICOTTA, a town of Hindooftan, in the Coimbetore country, 30 miles N. of Coimbetore, and 60 S. of Seringapatam. Lon. 77. 11. E. Lat.

II. 28. N.

(1.) DAMIETTA, a port town of Egypt, fituated on the E. mouth of the Nile, 4 miles from the fea coaft. The prefent town ftands upon a different fite from the ancient Damietta fo repeat, edly attacked by the European princes. The latter, according to Abulfeda, was "a town furrounded by walls, and fituated at the mouth of the eastern branch of the Nile." Stephen of Byzantium informs us, that it was called Thamiatis under the government of the Greeks of the lower empire, but that it was then very inconfiderable. It increafed in importance every day, in proper tion as Pelufium, which was frequently plundered, loft it's power. The total ruin of that ancient town occafioned the commerce of the eastern parts of the Delta to be transferred to Damietta. It was, however, no longer a place of ftrength, when, about the year 238 of the Hegira, the emperors of Conftantinople took poffelson of it a fecond time. The importance of a harbour fo favourably fituated opened the eyes of the caliphs. In the year 244 of the Hegira, Elmetouakkel furrounded it with strong walls. This obftacle did not prevent Roger king of Sicily from taking it from the Mahometans,, in the year 550 of the Hegira. He did not, however, long enjoy his conqueft, Salah Eddin, who about that period mounted the throne of Egypt, expelled the Europeans from Damietta. They returned to befiege it 15 years after; but the fultan baffled all their efforts. Not withstanding their land army was fupported by a fleet of 1200 fail, they were obliged to make a difgraceful retreat. It was the fate of this place to be often befieged. In the year 615 of the Hegira, under the reign of Eladel, the crufaders attacked it with a very confiderable force. They landed on the western fhore of the Nile, and their firft care was to furround their camp with a ditch and palifado. The mouth of the river was defended by two towers, furnished with numerous garrifons. An enormous iron chain, ftretching from one fide to the other, hindered the approach of veffels. The crufaders carried by ftorm the tower on the fame fide with their camp, broke the chain, and opened the entrance of the river for their fleet. Nejm Eddin, the fultan's fon, who was encamp. ed near Damietta, covered it with an army. To fop the enemies veffels he threw a bridge over the Nile. The Franks overturned it, and the prince adopted the measure of choaking up the mouth

of the river, which he rendered almost impaffab by feveral large boats he funk there. After alter nate fucceffes, many bloody battles, and a fiege of 17 months, the Chriftian princes took Damietta by ftorm. They did not, however, long enjoy the fruit of fo much blood fpilt, and of an armament which had coft immenfe fums. Completely invested near the canal of Achmoun, by the waters of the Nile and by the Egyptian army, they purchafed their lives and their liberty by the facri. fice of their conqueft. Thirty one years after this defeat St Louis carried Damietta without ftriking a stroke. The Arabs, however, foon recovered it; but tired of keeping a place which continually drew upon them the most warlike nations of Europe, they totally deftroyed it, and built another further up in the country. This modern Damietta, firft called Menchie, as Abulfeda tells us, has preferved the memory of its origin in a fquare still called by that name. Writers in general have confounded thefe two towns, afcribing to the one the attributes of the other, See N° 2.

2.) DAMIETTA, MODERN. The prefent Damietta is rounded in a femicircle, on the E. bank of the Nile, 7 miles from the mouth' of it. The eye, placed at one of the extremities of the cref cent, takes in its whole extent, It is reckoned to contain 80,000 fouls. It has feveral squares, the moft confiderable of which has retained the name of MENCHIE. The bazars are filled with merchants. Spacious okals or khans, collecting under their porticos the ftuffs of India, the filks of mount Lebanon, fal ammoniac, and pyramids of rice, proclaim that it is a commercial town. The houfes, thofe in particular which are on the banks of the river, are very lofty. They have in general handfome faloons built on the top of their terraces, which are cheerful belvideres, open to every wind, where the Turk, effeminately recli ning on a fopha, paffes his life in fmoaking, in looking on the fea, which bounds the horizon on one fide, on the great lake that extends itself on the other, and on the Nile, which running between them, traverfes a rich country. Several large mofques, adorned with lofty minarets, are difperfed over the town. The public baths, lined with marble, are diftributed in the fame manner as thofe of Grand Cairo. The linen is clean, and the water very pure. The heat and the treatment in them, fo far from injuring the health, ferve to ftrengthen, nay even to improve it, if ufed with moderation. This cuftom, founded on experience, is general in Egypt. The port of Damiet ta is continually filled with a multitude of boats and small veffels. Thofe called Scherm ferve to convey the merchandize on board the ships in the road, and to unload them; the others carry on the coafting trade. This town carries on a great trade with Syria, with Cyprus, and Marseilles. The rice called Mezelaoui, of the finest quality in Egypt, is cultivated in the neighbouring plains. The exports of it amount annually to about fix millions of livers. The other articles of the produce of the country are linens, fal ammoniac, corn, &c. A ruinous policy for the country prohibits the exportation of this laft article; but the law is evaded, and it passes under the name of rice. The Chriftians of Aleppo and Damafcus,

fettled

ettled in this town, have for several ages carried 'on its principal commerce. Turkish indolence, content with extorting from them from time to time, fuffers them to become rich. The exporta. tion of rice to foreign countries is prohibited: but by means of fome douceurs to the customhoufe officers, the people of Provence load annually feve Tal fhips with it. The Bogaz preventing them from entering the Nile, their cargoes are convey ed on board by the boats of the country. This inconveniency is the fource of endlefs vexations and abuses. The boat, which is loaded in the vening with rice of the first quality, is frequently not that which arrives at the fhip; an inferior quality is fubftituted for it during the night, The Marseilles captains, aware of their rogueries, without being able to prevent them, endeavour to play off trick against trick, fo that this commerce has become a general fcene of knavery. But the badnefs of the port is ftill more detrimental to Damietta. The road where the veffels lie being expofed to every wind, the flighteft gale obliges the captains to cut their cables and take fhelter at Cyprus, or to ftand off to fea. It would be eafy, by cutting a canal only of half a league, to open a paffage for fhips into the Nile, where there is deep water. This work, which might be executed at very little expence, would render Damietta a noble harbour: but defpotifm, infenfible to the intereft of the people, is always furrounded by destruction in its progrefs, and wants both the will and the power to create. The tongue of tand on which Damietta is fituated, ftraitened on one fide by the river, and on the other by the western extremity of lake MENZALE, is only from two to fix miles wide from E. to W. It is inter. fected by innumerable rivulets in every direction, which render it the most fertile fpot in Egypt. The foil there produces, communibus annis, 80 bushels of rice for one. The other produce is in the fame proportion. It is there that nature, lavishing profufely her pomp and riches, prefents flowers, fruits, and harvests, at every season of the year. Winter never deprives it of these ad vantages; its beauties are never impaired by fummer. Destructive heats, as well as chilling cold, are equally unknown in that happy spot. The ther. mometer varies only from 9 to 24 degrees above the freezing point. Damietta is indebted for this charming temperature to the immenfe quantity of water with which it is furrounded. The verdure is no where so fresh; the trees are no where covered with fuch quantities of fruit. The rivulets around the fields of rice are lined with feveral kinds of reeds, fome of which rife to a great height. The CALAMUS is here found in abundance, which is used for writing by the orientals. Its flender ftalk bears long narrow leaves, which hang gracefully, and fpreading branches covered with white flowers. Here alfo are to be feen forefts of papyrus, of which the ancient Egyptians made their paper. Strabo, who calls it Biblus, gives an accurate defcription of it. It is here alfo that the LOTUS, of which the Arabs have preferved the primitive name of Nuphar, exalts its lofty ftalk above the waters. Its large calyx blows either of an azure blue or of a brilliant white, and it appears with the majefty of the king of the aquatic

plants. The marshes and the canals in the interi or parts of the country are filled with this superb flower, which diffutes a most agreeable odour. There are many villages around Damietta, in most of which are manufactures where the most beautiful linens of the country are fabricated. The fineft napkins in particular are made there, fringed with filk, Thefe fmall towns, generally furrounded with little woods, or trees promifcuouf ly planted, form a whimsical and picturesque af femblage. By the fide of the fycamore and the melancholy tamarind, one fees the elegant caflia tree, with its clusters of yellow flowers. The top of the date tree, loaded with enormous bun. ches, rifes above the grove. The cafia, with its fweet fcented flower, grows under its fhade. The orange and lemon trees cover the labourer's cabin with their golden fruit. The banana tree with its long leaves, the pomegranate with its fearlet flower, and the fig tree with its fugary fruit, throws a vaft variety into thefe landfcapes. Damietta is roo miles NNE. of Cairo. Lon. 31. 50. E. Lat. 31. 15. N.

DAMINS, a town of Switzerland, 10 miles NNE. of flantz.

DAMISCHE SEA, a large lake of Germany, or rather an expanfion of the Oder, in the circle of Upper Saxony, north of the town of Damm, 8 miles long, and about 14 wide.

DAMM, a town of Germany, in the circle of Upper Saxony, and duchy of Pomerania, Gituated on the Plone, where it runs into the Damafche Sea. The inhabitants are employed chiefly in manufacturing teel. It is 5 miles E. of Stettin. Lon. 32. 25. E. Lat. 53. 21. N.

DAMMARIE, a town of France, in the department of Eure and Loire, 6 m. S. of Chartres, (1.) DAMMARTIN, a town of France, in the department of Seine and Marne, 10 m. NW. of Meaux, and 17 NE. of Paris.

(2.) DAMMARTIN, a town of France, in the department of Seine and Oife, 104 miles NW. of Montfort.

(1.) DAMME, a town of France, in the department of Lys, and ci-devant Auftrian Flanders, fituated on the canal between Bruges and Sluys. It takes its name from the ftrong dyke made here to prevent the encroachments of the fea. Damme was first surrounded with walls in 1238, and has been fince regularly fortified with feven baftions. It forms a citadel to the city of Bruges, and could at any time inundate the country, if that city was befieged. It is 3 miles NNE. of Bruges, and 6 SSW. of Sluys.

(2.) DAMME, a town of Weftphalia, and bifhopric of Munfter, 12 miles. S. of Vechta.

(3.) DAMME, a town of Holland in Groningen, fituated in the Ommelands, on the river Damfter, the capital of a country called Fivelingo, which comprehends 45 villages. Damme has a communication with Groningen by means of a canal. It was anciently fortified, before the troops of Charles V. took it by affault, in 1536, when under the dominion of the Duke of Gueldres. It was difmantled in 1639, by order of George Comte de Tautembourg. Although it be unfortified, it enjoys the privileges of a city. It fuffered much in the religious wars of the 16th C 2

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