a ghost which comes out of the grave at night and sucks the blood of men and women. In the mythology of the ancient Greeks beings of a similar nature existed, called the Lamias. These were beautiful women who allured youths to their embrace in order to feed on their flesh and blood. During the middle ages there was a prevailing belief that all persons who died under the ban of the church were sent forth by the devil at night to destroy other people; and it was thought that the only way to escape these vampires was by digging up their unwashed corpses and burying them.
Van, a fortified town and province of Turkey in Asia, stands near the southeast shore of Lake Van, 140 miles from Erzrum. It is overlooked by a citadel now much dilapidated, but which from its lofty height could easily be rendered almost impregnable. The principal public buildings, in addition to the citadel, are the mosques, the Armenian churches, the caravansaries and the bazaars. Van contains numerous ancient ruins, and cuneal inscriptions are found in which the name of Xerxes frequently occurs. Population 30,000, Lake Van is an inland sea, 80 miles in length and 50 miles in extreme breadth. It is fed by about eight streams, and has no visible outlet. Its waters are salt, and the only fish caught are a kind of sardines, which are salted and exported throughout Asia Minor.
Van Bu′ren, Martin, eighth president of the United States, was born at Kinderhook, N. Y., Dec. 5, 1782. He commenced the practice of law at a very early age, and was elected to the New York state senate in 1812. After filling a number of other offices and taking an active part in the politics of the state, in 1821 he was chosen United States senator. He served a term of six years in that capacity, and was then chosen governor of New York. When General Jackson became president in 1829, Mr. Van Buren was appointed secretary of state, but he resigned the office in 1831 in order to accept the position of minister to England. This appointment being made during the recess of Congress, Mr. Van Buren proceeded to England, but as the senate refused to confirm the appointment he returned home soon after. This rejection by the senate probably caused his nomination and election to the office of vice-president in 1832, General Jackson being re-elected president at the same time. In 1836 he was elected president of the United States, receiving 170 electoral votes out of 283; but, although nominated for a second term by his party in 1840, he was overwhelmingly defeated by Gen. William Henry Harrison, the electoral vote standing for Harrison, 234; Van Buren, 60. Mr. Van Buren was brought before the Democratic national convention of 1844 as a candidate, but his nomination was prevented by the adoption of the rule requiring a vote of two thirds of the delegates to secure a nomination. In 1848 he was the candidate of the Free Soil party, but received no electoral votes. He died at Kinderhook, July 24, 1862.
Vancou′ver, Can., the largest city in British Columbia. It was founded by James Douglas in 1843. It is situated on Burrard Inlet, and is one of the best deep-water harbors on the Pacific coast. It is the western terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway, also a terminus of the Seattle and Vancouver branch of the Great Northern Railway. Its population exceeds 60,000 and is rapidly increasing. Steamers for all ports, China, Japan etc., regularly leave Vancouver. Vancouver is destined to be a large city. It is a gateway of world-wide commerce. The first Canadian Pacific Railway steamer arrived at Vancouver from Yokohama in 1887. The surveys of the Canadian Pacific, Railway which made Vancouver accessible were begun in 1871. A visitor to Vancouver, noticing wide streets and handsome structures, a score of chartered banks, with vessels from many lands in the harbor and business active everywhere, wonders at the change wrought in a single generation.
Vancouver Island, not the least important portion of British Columbia, which, from its great wealth of natural resources and its commanding position on the Pacific coast, is fast becoming one of the richest and most prosperous districts of the province. Coal-mining and lumbering are the chief industries, and fishing, quartz-mining, copper-smelting, ship-building, whaling and other branches are being rapidly developed. The Esquimault and Nanaimo Railway, running from Victoria to Wellington, serves a section of country which it will be difficult to surpass anywhere in the world for beauty of scenery and natural wealth. There are prosperous agricultural communities along the railway and in the Comox District, and several mines are being developed. There is quite a large area of agricultural land, but it is heavily timbered and costly to clear by individual effort. The Esquimault and Nanaimo Railway Company has arranged for the clearing of large blocks of its land-grant (which consists of about 1,500,000 acres) and it is expected, through the exercise of economical methods in removing the timber, that the company will be enabled to sell the cleared land to settlers at moderate prices.
