Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VI.djvu/739

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ESKI-SAGRA the junction of the Black and White Esk, runs S. E. to the English boundary, enters Cum- berland, and falls into the Solway frith, after a course of about 30 m. II. A river of Edin- burgh shire, formed 1 m. N. of Dalkeith by the junction of two head streams called the N. and S. Esk, flows N., and empties into the frith of Forth at Musselburgh. III. North Esk, a river of Forfarshire, rises among the Grampain hills, flows S. E., chiefly along the boundary between Forfarshire and Kincar- dineshire, and enters the North .sea near Mont- rose ; length about 25 m. It has valuable sal- mon fisheries. IV. South Esk, a river of Forfar- shire, rises in the Grampians, flows S. E. and E., and enters the North sea near the mouth of the North Esk. It forms a large basin at Montrose, but is navigable only a short dis- tance from the sea. It has salmon fisheries. ESKI-SAGRA, a town of European Turkey, in the province of Roumelia, on the S. slope of the Balkan, 70 m. N. W. of Adrianople ; pop. about 20,000. It is in a fertile region, and near it are several mineral springs. It con- tains several mosques ; but its general aspect is even more wretched than that of most Turkish towns. The principal manufactures are carpets and leather. Large quantities of roses are raised in the vicinity. ESMERALDA, a S. W. county of Nevada, bor- dering on California ; area, 7,850 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 1,553, of whom 56 were Chinese. It contains Walker lake, and is watered by East and West Walker rivers. The land along the rivers and lake is fertile. In this county is the great salt basin, 16m. long and 3 m. wide, which is covered with pure salt. The White mountains are in the S. W. part. Gold and copper are found. Nine quartz mills are in operation, mostly for the production of silver. The chief productions in 1870 were 185,400 bushels of wheat, 103,920 of barley, and 4,405 tons of hay. There were 2,191 horses, and 6,078 cattle. Capital, Aurora. ESMERALDAS. I. A river of Ecuador, the largest of those emptying into the Pacific. Its head waters are said to descend from the moun- tains Cotopaxi, Sincholagoa, Tiopullo, and Moreta, but it does not take the name Esme- raldas until the junction of the Guaillabamba and Blanco in lat. 30' N., from which point it holds a nearly N. course, almost wholly through dense forests, and falls into the ocean 10 m. below the town of Esmeraldas. Its mouth, on the W. side, is obstructed by sand banks, and it is not navigable for more than one third of its length, owing to cataracts and the inequality of its bed. The circumstance to which it owes its name really belongs to the Rio Quininde, one of its. tributaries, on the banks of which were once extensive mines of gold and emeralds. II. A province occupying the N. W. portion of Ecuador, and watered by the preceding river, bounded N. by Colombia, and W. by the Pacific ocean ; area and popula- tion uncertain. On its coasts are the bay of ESNE 727 Ancon and the port of Pailon, besides that of its own name. The province is chiefly covered with forests, affording excellent timber for building, and various ornamental woods ; which, with ca- cao, little inferior to that of Caracas, and tobacco of good quality, form the chief products. The inhabitants, almost exclusively mulattoes and zambos, live mainly on the banks of the rivers, and are occupied in the preparation of cacao and tobacco, and the manufacture of rum. There are few facilities for transport besides the rivers and a wretched road over the Cordil- lera to Quito. Education is at the lowest ebb ; and although there are, rich deposits of gold, iron, and emeralds, and a soil of unsurpassed fertility, the province is in a very primitive condition. It has five villages: Esmeraldas, Atacames, Rioverde, La Tola, and Ooncepcion. The new town of Esmeraldas, the present capi- tal, is on the river Esmeraldas, 10 m. from its mouth, and 110 m. N. W. of Quito, with an excellent harbor. The old town of the same name, the former capital, is 6 m. further up the river. The climate is very hot, and both towns have not more than 1,500 inhabitants. ESNE, or Esneh (anc. Lato or Latopolis), a town of Upper Egypt, on the left bank of the Nile, lat. 25 20' N., 28 m. S. S. W. of Thebes ; pop. in 1870 estimated at 12,000. Until within a few years it was a dirty, poverty-stricken place, with mud houses, and in 1834 it was se- lected as a place of banishment for the ghawazi or dancing women of Cairo, and other femalea Remains at Esne. obnoxious to the laws. It is the emporium of the Abyssinian trade, contains manufactories of cotton goods, shawls, and pottery, and is a celebrated camel market. It is the seat of a Coptic bishop, and has three Coptic church- es. The ancient city was large and important,