ship of the state government and have missiona-
ries residing among them.

Massachusetts was first settled at Plymouth in
December 1620, and this estahlishment was the
germ of all the New England colonies. The state
received its name from Massasoit, an Indian Sa-
chem with whom the first settlers made a treaty

which was faithfully observed for 50 years. The
American revolution began in this state with the
battle at Lexington in 1775. The British were
driven from Boston the next year, and an inde-
pendent government was established which pre-
served the coloni&l form till 1790. A conven-
tion of delegates in that year framed the pres-
ent constitution, which was slightly revised in
1820.

Massachusetts is divided into 14 counties. The
pop. is 610,014. There are 305 towns in the slate.
The legislature consists of a Senate and House
of Representatives, the members of which as well
as the Governor and Lieutenant Governor are cho-
sen yearly. Elections are popular, and suffrage is
universal. Boston is the capital. The other large
towns are Salem, Newburyport, New Bedford,
'xe2x80xa2'Charlestown, Cambridge, Gloucester, Plymouth,
Lynn, Marblehead, Nantucket, Northampton,
Springfield, and Haverhill.

Massachusetts Bay, a bay of the foregoing state
between Cape Ann, and Cape Cod.

Massafra, a town of Naples, in Terra d’Otranto,
16 m. N. W.of Taranto.

Massena, p.t. St. Lawrence Co. N. Y. on the
St. Lawrence. Pop. 2,070.

Masserano, a town of the Sardinian states, in
Piedmont. 40 m. N. N. E. of Turin.

Masserne Mountains, a branch of the Ozark
range,extending east and west through the western
part of Arkansas Territory.,

Masseube, a town of France, department of Gers,
14 m. S. of Auch.

Massingales, p.v. Sullivan Co. Ten.

Masuah, a town of Abyssinia, situate on an isl-
and on the coast of the Red Sea, with an excel-
lent harbour, distributed into three divisions. The
houses, in general, are built of poles and bent

trass, as in the towns in Arabia. Long. 56. 36.

I., lat 15. 35. N.

Masulipatam, a city and sea-port of Hindoostan,^
in the district of Condapiliy, with a good harbour
and a considerable trade in chintzes, painted lin-
ens, &c. It formerly belonged to the French,
but was taken by the British in 1769. It is seated
near one ofthe months of the Kistna, 73 m. S. W.
of Rajamundry. Long 81. 15. E., lat. 19. 10. N.

Masvauz, a town of France, department of Up-
per Rhine, at the foot of the Vosges mountains,
10 m. N. ofBeTort.

Mata, a town of Spain, in Valencia. Near it is
a lake of the same name, noted for the immensi
quantity of salt that it produces. The town stands
on the sea-coast, 28 m. S. S. W. of Alicant.

Mataca, or Matanca, a commodious bay on the
N. coast of the island of Cuba, 35 m. E. of Havana.
Long. 81.16. W., lat. 23.12. N.

Matala, a town and cape on the S. coast of the
island of Candia, 30 in. S. of Candia. Long. 24.

51. E., lat. 34. 46. N.

Matamba, a country of Africa, in Congo, bound
ed on the N. by Congo Proper, E. by parts un-
known, S. by Bemba and Benguela, and W. by
Angola. The chief town is St. Maria.

Matamushet,a village in Hyde Co. N. C.

Matanzas, a sea-port on the N. coast of Cuba
60 in. E. Havana. It has a good harbour andi
large trade with the United States. Pop. 8,000.
Lat. 23. 3. N., long. 81. 30. W.

Matan, or Mactan, one of the smaller Philip-
pines, on which Magellan was killed in 1521, after
he had conquered the isle of Zebu.

Matapan, Cape, the most southern promontory
of the Morea, between the gulf of Corort and that
of Colochina. Long. 22. 20. E., lat. 36. 35. N.

Mataram, a town of the island of Java. It is
strong by situation, and is seated in a fertile and
populous country, surrounded by mountains.
Long. 111. 55. E., lat. 7. 15. S.

Mataro, a town of Spain, in Catalonia, celebrat-
ed for its glass works, and the best red wine made
in the province. Here are also manufactures of
calico, silk stuffs, laces, &c. It is seated on the
Mediterranean, 20 m. N. E. of Barcelona.

Matera, a town of Naples, capital of Basilicata,
and the see of an archbishop. It is seated on the
Canapro, 35 m. AV. N. W. of Taranto. Long. 16.

34. E., lat. 40. 50. N.

Materea. See Heliopolis.

Mathan, a town of the empire of Bornou, with
a royal palace, forming a kind of citadel; situate
on a small river, 100 m. S. AA^T. of Bornou.

Mathieu, a town of France, department ofLTpper
Vienne, l2 m. A^T. S. AA^T. of St. Junier.

Mathura, a celebrated town of Hindoostan, pro-
vince of Agra, much venerated by the Hindoos
as the birth-place of their god Krishna. It is one
continued street of temples, the resort of innu-
merable pilgrims from all parts of India, and is
seated on the Jumna. Long. 80. 40. E., lat. 27.
32. N. '

Matildaville, a village in Fairfax Co. Va.

Matlock, a village in Derbyshire, Eng. situate
on the Derwent, 4 m. N. of Wirksworth. It is
an extensive straggling place, built in a romantic
style, on the steep side of a mountain ; and near
the bridge are two chalybeate springs. A little
to the S. is Matlock Bath, famous for its warm
baths, which are much frequented from April to
October. Near the western bank of the river is a
petrifying spring.

Mattapony, a river of Virginia which passes
through N. Carolina, and joining the Pamunkey,
forms York River.

Mattcheeiz, or Matsehewice, a town of Poland,
memorable for a great victory obtained by the
Russians over the Poles in 1794. 32 m. E. of
Warsaw.

Mdttheo, St., a town of Spain, in Valencia, 10
m. from the Mediterranean, and 58 N. N. E. of
Valencia.

Matthew, St., an island in the Atlantic, 420 m.
S. by W. of Cape Palmas, on the coast of Guinea.
It was planted by the Portuguese, but is now de
serted. Long. 8. 10. W.,lat. 1. 24. S