(1.) * PORTCULLIS. PORTCLUSE. n.f.[porte coulife, Fr. quafi porta claufa.] A fort of machine like a harrow, hung over the gates of a city, to be let down to keep out an enemy.

Over it a fair portcullis hong,

Which to the gate directly did incline. Spenfer. -The cannon against St Stephen's gate executed fo well, that the portcullis and gate were broken, and entry opened into the city. Hayward.

She the huge portcullis high up drew. Milt. Pyrrhus comes; neither men nor walls His force fuftain; the torn portcullis falls.

Denham.

-The upper eyelid claps down, and is as good a fence as a portcullis against the importunity of the enemy. More.

The gates are opened, the portcullis drawn. Dryden. (2.) PORTCULLIS, or PORTCULLICE, în fortifications, is an affemblage of several large pieces of wood, joined across one another like a harrow, and each pointed with iron at the bottom. They are sometimes hung over the gate-way of old fortified towns, ready to let down in case of surprise, when the gates could not be shut.

To PORTCULLIS. v. a. [from the noun.] bar; to shut up.—

To

Within my mouth you have engaol'd my tongue,

Doubly portcullis'd with my teeth and lips.

Shak. PORTE, a title given, or rather taken by the Grand Signior. In fome of his late proclamations and manifeftos, we find it used with the relative it, inftead of he, which is fingular, unless it be the fault of the translator. See OTTOMAN PORTE. The origin of this title is faid to be derived from the principal port or gate of Conftantinople, which has 9 gates in all, one or two of which are fo uncommonly magnificent, that the Turks fuppofe them to have no equal in the world. Such is the origin of the title of the Sublime Porte.

PORTEASY, a village of Scotland, in Banfffhire, in the parish of Rathven, 4 miles from Buckie; containing 178 inhabitants in 1794.

*PORTED. adj. [porter, Fr.] Borne in a certain or regular order.

PORTELET, an ifland near the N. coaft of Jerfey; half a mile NW. of Novrmont Point.

*To PORTEND. v. a. [portendo, Lat.] To foretoken; to forefhow as omens.-As many as remained, he earneftly exhorted to prevent portended calamities. Hooker

Shak,

Doth this churlifh fuperfcription Portend some alteration in good will, -A moift and à cool fummer portendeth a hard winter. Bacon.~

Much better feems this vifion, and more hope Of peaceful days portends than those two paft. Milton.

True poets are the guardians of a state, And when they fail, portend approaching fate. Rofcommon. -The ruin of the state in the deftruction of the church, is not only portended as its fign, but also inferred from it as its caufe. South.

* PORTENSION. n. S. [from portend.] The

Rofcommon.

No beat of more portentous fize In the Hercinian foreft lies. Let us look upon them as fo many portentous animals, like the strange unnatural productions of Africa. South.-The petticoat will shrink at your firft coming to town; at leaft a touch of your pen will make it contract itself, and by that means oblige feveral who are terrified or aftonifhed at this portentous novelty. Addifon.

(i.) * PORTER. n. f. [portier, Fr. from porta, Lat. a gate.] 1. One that has the charge of the gate.

Porter, remember what I give in charge.

Shak.

Arm all my household presently, and charge The porter he let no man in till day. B. Jonson. -Nic. Frog demanded to be his porter and his fishmonger. Arbuthnot. 2. One who waits at the door to receive messages.

A fav'rite porter with his mafter vie. Pope. 3. [Porteur, Fr. from porto, Lat. to carry One who carries burthens for hire. It is with kings fometimes as with porters, whofe packs may joftle one against the other, yet remain good friends ftill. Howel-By porter, who can tell whether I mean a man who bears burthens, or a fervant who waits at a gate? Watts.

(2.) PORTER, a kind of malt liquor which dif fers from ale and pale beer, in its being made with high dried malt. See ALE, BEER, and BREW

ING.

(3.) PORTER, in geography, a lake of Nova Scotia, 15 miles E. of Halifax, 15 miles long, and half a mile broad.

* PORTERAGE. n. f. [from porter.] Money paid for carriage.

PORTES, Philip DEs, a French poet, born at Chartres, in 1546. K. Henry III. of France gave him 10,000 crowns to enable him to publish his poems; and Admiral Joyeuse gave him an abbey for a fonnet. He died in 1606.

*PORTESSE. n. J. A breviary. See PORT

ASS.

PORT-FIRE, a compofition for fetting fire to powder, &c. Port-fires are frequently used by artillery people in preference to matches; and they are diftinguished into wet and dry port-fires,

The

The compofition of the former is faltpetre 4 parts, fulphur one, and mealed powder 4. When thefe, materials are thoroughly mixed and fifted, the whole is to be moistened with a little linfeed oil, and rubbed between the hands till all the oil is imbibed by the compofition. The preparation for dry port-fires is faltpetre 4 parts, fulphur one, mealed powder two, and antimony one. Thefe compofitions are driven into small paper cafes, to be used when neceffary.

PORT-FOLIO. n. f. A large cafe made of pafteboard, and covered with leather, more or lefs ornamented, for keeping and carrying from place to place papers in folio, without folding, for drawing, writing, &c.

*PORTGLAVE. n. f. [porter and glaive, Fr. and Erfe.] A fword-bearer. Ainsworth. (1.)* PORTGRAVĖ Į n. f. 【 porta, Lat. and (1.) PORTGREVE. grave, Teut a keeper.) The keeper of a gate. Obfolete.

*

(2.) PORTGREVE, or PORTGRAVE, was anciently the principal magiftrate in ports and other maritime towns. The word is formed from the Saxon port, a port or town; and geref, a governor. It is fometimes alfo written PORT-REVE. Camden obferves, that the chief magiftrate of London was anciently called port-greve: inftead of whom, Richard I. ordained two bailiffs; and foon afterwards King John granted them a mayor for their yearly magiftrates.

PORTHDINLLEYN HEAD, a cape of N, Wales, in Caernarvonshire; 6 miles W. of Pulhely.

PORTHEUS, the name given by Homer to Parthaon. See PARTHAON.

PORTHILLY, a sea port and fishing town of Cornwall, with a harbour; E. of Padstow Haven. * PORTHOLES. n. f. [from port and hole.] Holes cut like windows in a ship's fides where the guns are placed.

PORTHORION, a bay or road in the Irish Sea; near the SW. extremity of Caernarvonfhire.

PORTH-TOWAN, a bay of England, on the NW. coaft of Cornwall; 12 miles NW. of St lves.

PORTHYNON POINT, a cape of S. Wales, in Glamorganshire; 6 miles SSW. of Penryfe. PORTICI, a town and palace of Naples, in Lavora; 6 miles from the capital, charmingly fituated on the sea fide, near mount Vefuvius. It is enriched with a vaft number of fine ftatues, and other remains of antiquity, taken out of the ruins of Herculaneum. The mufeum confifts of 16 rooms, in which the different articles are arranged with very great taste. The floors are paved with Mofaic, taken from the recovered towns, and the walls of the court are lined with infcrip. tions. Befides bufts, ftatues, medals, intaglios, lamps, and tripods, there is fcarcely an article ufed by the ancients of which a fpecimen may not be feen in this mufeum. But the most valuable room is the library, from the numerous MS. rolls which it contains. They are so hard and brittle, that the greateft caution must be used in unrolling them, left they crumble to duft; nevertheless, an it genious friar of Genoa, named Raggio, under

took to unroll them; and, by a moft curiousthough tedious procefs, fo far fucceeded as to tranfcribe three Greek Treatifes on Philofophy and Mufic; but finding no other encouragement than his falary, which was but little more than common fervants wages, the work was unhappily difcontinued. The work was refumed in 1801, under the special patronage of the Prince of Wales, and at the expence of the British government. An account of the progrefs made was given lately in a work by Sir William Drummond, &c. and an additional work by the Rev. Mr Hayter, chaplain to the Prince.

(1.)* PORTICO. n. f. [ porticus, Lat. portico,. Italian; portique, Fr.] A covered walk; a piazza.-

The rich their wealth bestow On fome expenfive airy portico. Dryden. (2.) A PORTICO, in architecture, is a kind of gallery on the ground; or a piazza encompassed with arches fupported by columns, where people walk under covert. The roof is ufually vaulted, fometimes flat. The ancients called it lacunar. Though the word portico be derived from porta, a gate, or door; yet it is applied to any difpofition of columns which form a gallery, without any immediate relation to doors or gates. The most celebrated porticoes of antiquity were, those of Solomon's temple, which formed the atrium or court, and encompaffed the fanctuary; that of Athens, built for the people to divert themselves in, and wherein the philofophers held their disputes and converfations, (fee PORCH); and that of Pompey at Rome, raifed merely for magnificence, confifting of feveral rows of columns fupporting a platform of vaft extent; a draught whereof Serlio gives us in his antique buildings. Among the modern porticoes, the most celebrated is the piazza of St Peter of the Vatican.-That of Covent-Garden, London, the work of Inigo Jones, is also much admired.

*PORTION. n. f. [portion, Fr. portio, Latin.] 1. A part. How little a portion is heard of him Job, xxvi. 14.

Like favour find the Irish, with like fate Advanc'd to be a portion of our state. Waller. Soldiers have their portion in the fame.

A portion to your share would fall!

Milton.

Waller.

A poetical genius is a rare portion amongst them. Dryden.-As foon as any good appears to make a part of their portion of happiness, they begin to defire it. Locke.-When he confiders the temptations of poverty and riches, he will join with Agur in petitioning God for the fafer portion of a moderate convenience. Rogers.-One or two faults are easily to be remedied with a very small portion of abilities. Swift. 3. Part of an inheritance given to a child; a fortune.

Leave

(1.) PORTLAND, an inland or peninfula in Dorfetfhire, of great strength both by nature and art, being furrounded with inacceffible rocks, except at the landing place, where there is a ftrong caftle, called Portland castle, built by king Henry VIII. There is but one church in the ifland; and that stands so near the sea that it is often in danger from it. It is now chiefly noted for the free-ftone which is found there, and which is greatly employed in London, and other parts of England, for building the finest ftructures. St Paul's church, in particular, was built therewith. A very uncommon cuftom has prevailed in this ifland, with regard to marriage, from time imme. morial. They all marry very young, but no young woman is ever married till the is pregnant. Yet there is neither a whore nor a bastard in the whole island, nor a married couple without a family of children. And the whole face are uncommonly ftout, handsome, and healthy. The men never go out of the peninfula to feek a wife, and the young women never admit of the addreffes of more than one lover at a time.

(2.) PORTLAND, a poft town of Main, in Cumberland county, and capital of the diftri&t. It has an excellent, safe, and capacious harbour, which is feldom or never completely frozen over. It is near the ocean, and eafy of accefs. The citizens carry on a great foreign trade; build fhips, and are largely concerned in the fisheries. Nearly three fourths of this town were burnt by the Britifh fleet in 1775; but it has fince been entirely rebuilt; and contained 2300 citizens in 1795. It has 3 churches, and a court-house. A fort, a citadel, and battery, with ten cannons, an artillery ftore and guard-house, &c. were erected in 1795. It is 123 miles NNE. of Bofton, and 471 NE. by N. of Philadelphia. Lon. 69. 50. W. Lat. 44. 2. N.

(3.) PORTLAND CREEK, a bay on the W. coaft of Newfoundland; 25 miles S. of Port Rich.

(4.) PORTLAND HEAD, a cape at the entrance of the above harbour, on which a light-house was erected in 1790; built of stone, 72 feet high, befides the lan horn.

(5.) PORTLAND ISLAND, an island in the S. Pacific Ocean, near the coaft of New Zealand. Lon. 178. 11. E. Lat. 39. 25. S.

(6.) PORTLAND ISLANDS, a cluster of islands, in the S. Pacific Ocean. They are low and covered with wood. The central one lies in Lon. 149. 8. E. Lat. 2. 38. S.

(7.) PORTLAND KEY, an ifland on the S. coal of Jamaica; 2 miles from Portland Point.

(8.) PORTLAND POINT, a cape on the S. coaf of Jamaica, and the most southern land in it. Lon 77 42. W. Lat. 17. 48. N.

(9.) PORTLAND POINT, a cape in Hudson' Bay.

(10.) PORTLAND VASE, a celebrated funera vafe which was long in poffeffion of the Barberin family; but which was lately purchased for 1000 guineas by the Duke of Portland, from whom i has derived its present name. Its height is abou ten inches, and its diameter where broadeft fix There are a variety of figures upon it of moft ex quifite workmanship, in bafs relief of white opak glafs, raised on a ground of deep blue glass, whic appears black except when held against the light It appears to have been the work of many years and there are antiquarians who date its produc tion feveral centuries before the Chriftian era fince, as has been said, sculpture was declining i excellence in the time of Alexander the Great Dr Darwin supposes it to represent a part of th Eleufinian myfteries.

PORTLANDIA, in botany, a genus of th monogynia order, belonging to the pentandri clafs of plants; and in the natural method rank ing with those of which the order is doubtfu The corolla is elevated and funnel-fhaped; th antheræ are longitudinal; the capfule pentago nal, and retufe at top; bilocular, and crowne with a pentaphyllous calyx. There are two spe cies, viz.

I. PORTLANDIA GRANDIFLORA, and

2. PORTLANDIA HEXANDRA., The former ha been particularly described by Dr Browne, wh has alfo given a good figure of it. It has fre quently flowered in the royal garden at Kew, an in Dr Pitcairn's at Iflington. The external bar is remarkably rough, furrowed, and thick; it ha no tafte. The inner bark is very thin, and of dark brown colour. Its taste is bitter and aftri gent, and its virtues are the fame as thofe of th Jefuit's bark. Infused in fpirits or wine with little orange peel, it makes an excellent ftomachi tincture.

* PORTLINESS. n. f. [from portly.] Dignit of mien; grandeur of demeanour.

Such pride his práife, fuch portlinefs his ho

Have help'd to make so portly.

* PORTMAN. n.f. {port and man.]

Sha

An i

habitant or burgefs, as thofe of the Cinque ports.

Dia.

* PORTMANTEAU. n. f. [portmanteau, Fr.] A cheft or bag in which clothes are carried.-Í defired him to carry one of my portmanteaus; but he laughed, and bid another do it. Spectator. (1.) PORTMOAK, a parish of Scotland, in Kinrofs-fhire, of an irregular figure, 7 miles long, and about 5 broad; fo named from St Moak. It contains 6404 acres Scots; of which 4054 are arable, 1400 hilly, 300 mofs, 300 meadow, and 350 moor. Hence the furface exhibits a variega. ted mixture of fertile fields, craggy mountains, rich meadows, thriving plantations, and barren mofs and muir, The foil is confequently very various, but the old mode of husbandry ftill prevails. Oats are the chief crop. The air is falubrious. The population, in 1791, was 1105; increafe 109 fince 1755: the number of horfes was 240; of theep 1384; and of black cattle 1290. There are inexhauftible quarries of lime-ftone, free-ftone, and muir-ftone. Loch-Leven is half furrounded by this parish. (See LOCH-LEVEN, N°1.) Among the learned men, natives of this parish, are enumerated Andrew Wintan, prior of Loch-Leven, under James I; John Douglas, the firft proteftant Archbishop of St Andrew's; John Mair, A. M. late rector of Perth Academy; and Michael Bruce, the poet. (See BRUCE, N° 2.; and WINTAN.) Some relics of an ancient moaftery and priory are ftill vifible; as well as of the hofpital Fontis Scotia, or Scotland's Well, founded by William Malvoifine, bfhop of St Andrew's, in the 11th century.

(1.) PORTMOAK, a village in the above parifh, containing 293 inhabitants, in 1791. PORTNEHE, a river of Canada, which runs into the St Lawrence; in Lon. 68. 5o. W. Lat. 48.45. N.

PORTNOCKIE, a fishing village of Scotland, in Banffshire, in the parish of Rathven; 4 miles E. of Porteafy; containing 243 inhabitants in 1794. (1.) PORTO, a town and bishop's fee of Italy, in Patrimonio, on the W. bank of the Tiber; on the ruins of an ancient town built by Claudius and Trajan. It is 10 miles SW. of Rome.

(2.) PORTO, a town of the Italian republic, in the dep. of the Mincio, diftrict and late duchy of Mantua; 19 miles NW. of Como.

(3.) PORTO, a town of the island St Mary, one of the AZORES.

(4.) PORTO, a town of Sicily, in the valley of Mazara; 2 miles E. of Palermo.

5.) PORTO, a town of Spain, in the province of Leon; 43 miles SW. of Aftorga. (6.) PORTO. See OPORTO.

(7.) PORTO BELLO, a town of N. America, in the province of Panama, clofe to the fea on the declivity of a mountain, which furrounds the whole harbour. This harbour is fo large, deep, and safe, that Columbus, who first difcovered it, gave it the name of Porto Bello, or the Fine Har hour, which is now applied to the town. The number of the houses is about 130; most of them of wood, large and fpacious, forming one long treet along the ftrand, with other fmaller ones reting it. The governor is always a gentleman VOL. XVHL PART I.

of the army, fubordinate to the prefident of Pa nama; but having under him the commandants of the forts that defend the harbour. At the E end of the town, on the road to Panama, is a place called Guinea, where all the negroes of both fexes, whether flaves or free, have their habita tions. This town is very much crowded when the galleons are here, moft of the inhabitants quitting their houfes and letting them. Towards the fea, in a large tract between the town and Gloria caftle, barracks are erected, in most of which the ships crews keep ftalls of fweet-meats, &c. brought from Spain; but at the conclufion of the fair, when the fhips put to fea, all these buildings are taken down, and the town returns to its former tranquillity and emptiefs. In 1739, the harbour was defended by a caftle and two forts; which were all demolished by admiral Vernon, who, with fix fhips only, made himself mafter of this port. The country about Porto Bello is furrounded with mountains and impene trable forests, except a few valleys, in which are some scattered farms. Except in the time of the fair, all the inhabitants of Porto Bello do not exceed 3000; half of whom are Indians, Mulattoes, and Negroes; the Spaniards of any fubftance not choofing to refide in a place fo extremely unhealthy, and fatal even to the natives. Ulloa fays, that the cattle brought hither from Panama or Carthagena, lofe their flesh fo faft in the beft paftures, as to become scarce eatable: he adds that neither horses nor affes are bred here. The heat, indeed, is exceffive; and the torrents of rain are to dreadful, fudden, and impetuous, that a stranger would dread a 2d deluge. They are accompanied with frightful tempefts of thunder and lightning, the awfulness of the scene being heightened by the repercuffions from the mountains, and the fhrieks and howlings of monkeys and wild beafts in the woods. Fresh water pours down in ftreams from the mountains, running around and through the town. Thefe waters are light and digeftive, qualities which in other countries would be very valuable, but are here pernicious, producing dyf enteries, which the patient feldom furvives. However, these rivulets, formed into refervoirs, ferve the purposes of bathing, which is conducive to health. As the forefts almoft border, on the houses of the streets, tigers often make incurfions into the streets during the night, carrying off fowls, dogs, and other domeftic animals, and fometimes even children have fallen a prey to them. Besides the fnares ufually laid for them, the Negroes and Mulattoes, who fell wood in the forests of the mountains, are very dexterous in encountering them; and fome, for a flender reward, even feek them in their retreats. Porto Bello is 60 miles N. of Panama, and 300 W. of Carthagena. Lon. 79. 45. W. Lat. 9. 42. N.

(8.) PORTO BELLO, a village of Scotland, 3 miles SE. of Edinburgh, on the coaft of the Frith of Forth, adjoining to Brickfield. The inhabitants of thefe two villages carry on a confiderable trade, in manufacturing ftone wares, bricks, tiles, and falt. There are also many neat and commodious houfes erected in them for bathing, which are much frequented.

A a.

(9.) PORTO

(9.) PORTO CAVALLO, a fea port of Terra Firma on the coaft of Caraccas. The English attempted it in 1743, but were repulfed. Lon 64. 30. W. Lat. 10. 20. N..

(10.) PORTO DE COMBOA, 3 town of Portugal, in Eftremadura, near two miles NE. of Peniche. (11.) PORTO DOS CASTELLANOS, a fea port town of S. America, in the island of St Sebastian. (12.) PORTO FARINA, a fea port of Tunis, about 12 miles from Cape Carthage, in the bay of Tunis, where formerly the large veffels belonging to the bay were fitted out, and laid up on their return from a cruize. This harbour is fafe from the weather, and, opens into a large lake, formed by the Mejerdah, which runs through it into the fea.-The NW. wind, which blows right upon the fhore, together with the foil brought down by the river, which has the fame quality as the Nile of overflowing its banks, has formed a bar, fo that only fmall veffels, can now enter. It is ftill the arfenal where the naval ftores are kept. Lon. 10. 16. E., Lat. 3.7. 12. N.

(13.) PORTO FERRARO, a handfome town of Italy, in the ine of Elba, with a good citadel. It is very frong, and feated on a long, high, fteep, point of land, W, of the bay of the fame name, which has two forts. It belongs to the king of Etruria, who always keeps a good garrifon there. It flood a ficge of near two years in the end of laft war. Lon. 10. 7. E. Lat. 43. 55. N.

(14.) PORTO FINO, a town of the Ligurian republic, between two mountains, anciently called PORTUS DELPHINI; 15 miles E, of Genoa.

(15.) PORTO GALLETO, a fea port town of Spain, on the Bay of Biscay, at the mouth of a river & miles N. of Bilboa. Lon. o. 11. W. Lat. 43.22.. N.

(16.) PORTO GRECO, a town of Naples, in Capitanata, near the coaft, 9 miles S. of Viefta.

(17.) PORTO GRUARO, a town of Maritime Auftria, in Friuli, with a bifhop's fee: feated on the Lema, 15 miles W. of Marano..

(18.) PORTO HERCOLE a fea port of Italy in the ftate of the Præfidi, on a peninfula; miles S. of Orbitello, Lat. 10. 50. E. Ferro. Lat. 44. 15. N.

(19.) PORTO LEGNANO. See LEGNANO, N° 3. This town, with its garrifon, of 1673 men, was taken by the French republicans on the 13th Sept. 1796.

(20.) PORTO LONGONE, a fmall but very strong town of Italy, in the ifle of Elba, with a good harbour, and a fortrefs upon a rock almoft inacceffible. It is feated on the E. end of the island, 8 miles SW. of Piombino. Lon. 10. 10. E. Lat. 42.52. N.

(21.) PORTO MAURIZIO, a town of Italy, on a fmall gulf, which divides it from Oneglia: a miles W. of Oneglia.

(22.) PORTO Novo, a town of Africa, in Benin; chiefly poffeffed by the Portuguefe.

(23.) PORTO PEDRO, a fea port of Majorca. -Lon. 2. 41. E. Lat. 30. 37. N.

(24) PORTO PRAIA, a town of St Jago, one of the Cape Verd Inlands, feated on a fharp rock, on the E. fide of the island, with a good harbour, well frequented by fhips from Guinea and the E.

5

Indies, for water and provifions. On fuch of cafions the whole coaft is like a fair, where good of all kinds are bartered for cattle and vegetables .&c. Lon. 23. 51. W. Lat. 14° 53′ 30′′ N.

(25.) PORTO PRINCIPE, a town on the N. coal of Cuba, with a good harbour; abounding cattle., Lon: 78. 15. W. Lat. 21. 51. N. (26, 27.) PORTO Rico. See JUAN, ST, N° 8, (28.) PORTO SANTO, an island of the Atlant Ocean, on the coaft of Africa, and the leaft. the MADEIRAS. It is about 15 miles in circumf rence, and produces but little corn; however there are oxen and wild hogs, and a vaft number of rabbits. There are trees which produce the gum or refin, called dragon's blood; and there likewife good honey and wax. It has no harbour but good mooring in the road. It belongs to the Portugupfe, and is 300 miles W. of the coaft Africa. Lon. 16. 20. W. Lat. 52. 58. N.. (29.) FORTO SANTO, a fea port of S. America, in Terra Firma, in the province of Cumana.

(30) PORTO SEGURO, a province of S. America, on the E. coaft of Brafil; bounded on the N. by the government of Rio dos Hilios, on the E by the North Sea, on the S. by Spiritu Santo, and on the W. by the Tupicks. It is very fertile.

(31) PORTO SEGURO, the capital of the above province, is built on the top of a rock, at the mouth of a river, on the coaft of the North Sea, and inhabited by Portuguefe. Lon. 38. 50. W. Lat, 17. c. S.

(32.) PORTO VECCHIO, a fea-port town of the Corfica, feated on a bay on the E. coaft: 12 miles from Bonifacio, and 40 N. of Sardinia. Lon. g. 20. E. Lat. 41. 42. N.

(33) PORTO VECCHIO, a town of the Ligurian republic,, on the coaft, at the entrance of the gulph of Spezia. It is feated on the fide of a hill at the top of which there is a fort. It has a very good harbour, and is 45 miles SE. of Genoa. Lon. 9. 38. E. Lat. 44. 5. N.

(34) PORTO VIco, a town of Italy, in the dep. of the Mellas diftrict and late prov. of Brefcia; 18 miles SSW. of Brescia.

*PORTOISE. n. f. In fea language, a fhip is faid to ride a portoife when he rides with her yards ftruck down to the deck. Dia..

PORTOLA, a town of Maritime Auftria, in Iftria, 10 miles S. of Cabo.

PORTOZERO, a town of Russia, in Olonetz; on the Audoma: 20 miles S. of Padoga.

(1.) PORTPATRICK, a parish of Scotland, in Wigtonfhire, on the coaft of the Irish Sea; about 44 miles (quare. The furface is hilly, the highest eminence being Cairnpat. (See CAIRNPAT.) The greater part of the foil is mofs and moorland. The population, in 1790, was 996; increase 445 fince 1755. The caftle of Dunfkey is the only remarkable building in the parish. See DUNSKEY.

(2.) PORTPATRICK, a town in the above parish, fo named from ST PATRICK, pleafantly feated on the neareft point of Great Britain to Ireland, oppofite Donaghadee; the paffage which is reckoned the best between the islands, being only 20 mile over. It has a fine expofure to the S. and is furrounded on the other fides by a ridge of fmall hills in the form of an amphitheatre. It is much fre

quented