the Val di Noto, Modica, Ragusa, Noto, Syracuse,
and Castro Giovanni; in the Val di Demona,
Messina, Catania, and Nicosia. This country
produces corn, wine, oil, silk, excellent fruits,
and almost every necessary of life in wonderful
abundance. The only manufacturing establish-
ments of extent are Palermo, Messina, and Cata-
nia; they consist of silk, cotton, and linen, and
some woolens, though the wool of the island is of
indifferent quality: to which we may add a few
articles, such as hats, cutlery, harness, carriages,
and household furniture, made at the principal
towns. The commerce of Sicily is comparatively
trifling, though from the variety of its products,
the excellence of several of its harbours, and the
general safety of its coast for navigation, it might,
Qnder an enlightened government, become very
extensive. In the darkness of their complexion,
and the indolence of their habits, the Sicilians
resemble the Italians and Spaniards; and educa-
tion is in a very backward state, but the new plan
of teaching (of Bell and Lancaster) is beginning
to be employed with some success. The religion
is the Catholic; and the number of ecclesiastics
is said to amount to 70,000, exclusive of the
monks and nuns. The assembly long dignified
with the name of parliament was, until 1810,
merely a feudal institution, possessing hardly any
marks of the elective franchise.

Sicily was successively occupied by the Pheni-
cians, the Carthaginians, and Romans. In the
8th and 9th centuries it was conquered by the Sa-
racens, who retained possession of the island
about 200 years. They gave way to the Nor-
mans who, attracted to Sicily on their progress to
the crusades, made the conquest of the island in
the 11th century. It passed successively into the
possession of France, Germany, and Spain. By
the peace of Utrecht, in 1713, it was given to the
duke of Savoy, with the title of king; but in
1720 the Austrians prevailed on the new possessor
of Sicily to exchange it for Sardinia, and added
the former to the kingdom of Naples. The war
carried on by France and Spain against Austria,
in 1734, transfered other crowns of Naples to a
branch of the royal family of Spain, in whose
hands it remained until the progress of the French
revolutionists, in 1799, led to the expulsion
of the royal family from Naples. They took
refuge in Sicily, where they remained till 1815,
when the overthrow of Murat, by the Aus-
trians, led to the restoration of the former family
to the throne of Naples, which they continue to
possess. In 1820 the Sicilians made an attempt
to establish a free government, hut the country
was invaded by the Austrians, and the king re-
established in all his former absolute authority.
Palermo is the capital.

Sidos, a town of Hungary, with a castle on a
mountain, in w hich the emperor Sigismund was
imprisoned. 12 m. S. of Funfkirchen.

Sidaye, a strong town on the N. coast of the is-
land of Java with a harbour. Long. 113.15. E.
lat. 6. 40. S

Siddonsburg p.v. York Co. Pa. 32. m. from Har-
risburg.

Sidding Hills, a range of eminences in Bedford
Co. Pa. extending from N. W. to S. E.

Siderocapso, a town of Macedonia, famous for a
gold mine in its neighbourhood. 5 m. from the
gulf of Contessa, and 40. E. S. E. of Salonichi.

Sidmouth, a town in Devonshire, Eng. It is
much frequented in the bathing season, and was
formerly a sea-jsort, but its harbour is now choked
up. It is seated on the English Channel, 158
W. hy S. of London.

Sidney, ph. Kennebec Co. Me. on the Ken
nebec, 8 m. above Augusta. Pop. 2,191; ph. Del
aware Co. N. Y. Pop. 1,410; ph. Shelby Co. Ohio,
80 m. N. W. Columbus. Pop. 248.

Sidra, a spacious gulf of the Mediterranean, on
the coast of Tripoli, anciently called Syrtis.

Siedenberg, a town of Hanover, in the county
of Roya, 9 m. S. W. of Hoya.

Siegberg, a town of Prussian Westphalia, in
the duchy of Berg, on the river Seig. 15 m. S. E
of Cologne.

Siegen, a town and castle of Prussian Wf stpna-
lia, formerly the capital of a principality belong-
ing to the house of Nassau. In the neighbour,
hood are iron mines, forges and founderies. It is
seated on the Sieg, 24 m. N. W. of Wetzlar,
Long. 8. 12. E., lat. 50. 47. N.

Sienna, or Siennese, a province of the grand
duchy of Tuscany, bounded by the Florentine and
the territory of Pisa. The soil is pretty fertile,
especially in mulberry trees, which feed a great
number of silk worms, and there are several min-
eral springs. It is 62 m. long and nearly the
same broad, and has an area of 3,000 square m.
with 190,000 inhabitants.

Sienna, a city of Tuscany, capital of the forego-
ing province, and an archbishop’s see, with a
university and a citadel. It is surrounded by a
wall, above 4 m. in circumference. The Gothic
metropolitan church is built with black and white
marble, and the pavement is of Mosaic work.
Sienna is not very populous ; but is adorned with
a great number of palaces, fountains, and superb
churches. The great area is round, and the
houses about it are of the same height, supported
by piazzas, under which people may walk in all
weathers. The Italian language is spoken in Si-
enna in its greatest purity. It is seated on three
eminences, 26 m. S. of Florence and 120 N. N. AV.
of Rome. Long. 11. 11. E., lat. 43. 24. N.

Sierh, a town of France, department of Moselle,
near the liver Moselle, 10 m. N. N. E. of Thion-
ville. *"

Sierra Leone, a country of Africa, in the W. part
of Guinea, so named from being mountainous, and
the mountains abounding in lions. It is situated
on the Atlantic, and is distingnished for the colo-
ny formed there by the British nation, from mo-
tives of generosity and philanthropy. This coun-
try is traversed by a considerable river, derived
from an unknown source in the interior, called the
Mitomba or Sierra Leone. Its limits are from the
Grain coast on the S. E., to Cape Verga on the
N. W.; that is. between 7. and 10. N. lat. In the
open and plain districts,on the banks of the river,
the heat of the sun, before any breeze arises, is al-
most in tolerable ; but a refreshing gale constantly
springs up about noon, which renders the country
supportable. The wet season, from May to Oc-
tober, is ushered in and terminated by stormy
weather. The whole tract, on each side the river,
is rich in rice and millet, which is the chief sus-
tenance of the inhabitants ; and, upon the whole,
it is one of the best countries on the coast. The
natives are in general ot mild external manners,
and noted for their hospitality; but they possess
a great share of pride, and are easily affected by
an insult. Of all the tribes, those who have em-
braced Mahomedism are the most civilized and
respectable ; and tnose on the coast, from the.'r
intercourse with the European slave-factors, are
much inferior in eve^y thing, except the art of