"New Geological Map of Wisconsin." In 1873 he was appointed chief geologist of Wisconsin, but a subsequent legislature refusing to confirm him, the office was vacated in February, 1875. In other ways he did much to increase the scientific knowl- edge of Wisconsin, and he was also one of the founders of Milwaukee female college, long presi- dent of its board of trustees, and a frequent con- tributor to the collections of the University of Wis- consin. In 1860 he received the degree of LL. D. from Amherst, and he was a member of various sci- entific societies. He was one of the founders of the Wisconsin historical society and the Wisconsin academy of sciences, arts, and letters, being presi- dent of the former organization for many years. His bibliography, in addition to the worksalready mentioned, includes nearly fifty papers contributed to scientific publications. See "A Biographical Sketch," by Samuel S. Sherman (Milwaukee, 1876).
LAPHAM, William Berry, physician, b. in
Greenwood, Me., 21 Aug., 1828. He entered Wa-
terville college (now Colby university) in 1851, and,
although he was not graduated in course, received
the honorary degree of A. M. in 1873. He studied
medicine and began practice in 1856, served dur-
ing the civil war in the National army, and edited
"The Maine Farmer" in 1872-'83, the "Maine
Genealogist" in 1875-'8. and " Farm and Hearth "
since 1885. Dr. Lapham is the author of several
pamphlet genealogies and of histories of Wood-
stock, Me. (Portland, 1882) ; Paris, Me. (Paris, 1884) ;
and Norway, Me. (Portland, 1886).
LA PUERTA, Luis (lah-poo-air'-tah), Peruvian
statesman, b. in Cuzco in August, 1811. He studied
in the College of San Bernardo, in his native city,
and in 1827 entered the army. For services in the
battle of Yanacochea he was appointed lieutenant-
colonel on the field, and afterward served as gen-
eral secretary of the presidency of the council of
state and in other important posts. He was pro-
moted general on 2 Jan., 1855, after the battle of
Miraflores, where he defeated Gen. Echenique, who
was in arms against the government. He served
successively as prefect of the provinces of Cuzco
and Ayacueho. minister of war, marine, and for-
eign affairs, president of the council of ministers,
senator, and deputy in several legislatures. In
1876 he became vice-president of the republic, and
on 16 May, 1879, when President Prado assumed
command of the army against Chili, he took charge
of the executive till 29 Nov., when Prado returned.
On 18 Dec, Prado abandoned the government and
the country, and La Puerta again occupied the
presidency, but on the 23d was deposed by Nicolas
de Pierola, and has since lived in retirement.
LA RAVARDIERE, Daniel de la Tousche, Sieur de, French explorer, b. in Poitou about 1570; d. after 1631. He was trained to a military life, and served against the Duke of Parma. After returning from a voyage to Maranhao about
1609, he enlisted the interest of people of the court
in the island, which had hitherto been neglected
by the Portuguese, and departed as one of the
commanders of an expedition for its colonization.
Arriving with three vessels in the beginning of
1612, he built four forts and a convent, persuaded
the natives to abandon cannibalism, and entered
into amicable relations with the tribes on the
island and the neighboring parts of the continent.
When the colony was established he undertook the
exploration of Amazon river, and thereby excited
the jealousy of the Spaniards, who compelled him
to take refuge in his fortified post. Soon after-
ward the Portuguese commanders were ordered to
effect the conquest of the growing French colony.
In August, 1614, they concentrated their forces in
front of Maranhao, and constructed a fort on the
opposite shore. On 19 Nov., 1614, La Ravardiere
attacked the position with 200 Frenchmen and 500
Indians, and was beaten. The two commanders
made a truce pending the settlement of the ques-
tion of the right of possession between the two
courts. On 3 Nov., 1615, the French colonists
evacuated the island. La Ravardiere. who was a
Protestant, was vice-admiral of the fleet of La
Rochelle in 1621, and under Razilly, his old col-
league in the command of Maranhao, in 1629.
LARCOM, Lucy, poet, b. in Beverly, Mass., in
1826. As a child of seven years she wrote sto-
ries and poems for her own' amusement. When
she was ten years
old her father died,
and her mother es-
tablished a factory
boarding-house at
Lowell, where, af-
ter spending two
or three years in
school, Lucy en-
tered the mills.
While working as
a cotton-operative
she contributed
largely to the
"Lowell Offering."
writing for the first
volumes a series of
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parables that attracted attention. John G. Whittier, then conducting a Free-soil paper in Lowell, encouraged her literary efforts. W hen about twenty years of age she went to Illinois with a married sister, taught there for some time, and was for three years a pu- pil in Monticello female seminary. On her return to Massachusetts she was employed for six years in a seminary at Norton, but desisted on the fail- ure of her health, only taking classes occasionally in Boston schools. During the civil war she wrote many patriotic poems. When "Our Young Folks" was established in Boston in 1865, she became an assistant and in the following year chief editor, conducting the magazine till 1874. Miss Larcom has subsequently resided at Beverly, Mass. Her published works are "Ships in the Mist, and other Stories" (Boston, 1859); "Poems" (1868): "An Idyl of Work, a Story in Verse " (1875) ; " Childhood Songs " (1877) ; and " Wild Roses of Cape Ann. and other Poems " (1880). A complete collection of her " Poetical Works " appeared in 1884. She has edit- ed several collections of poetrv, including " Breath- ings of a Better Life" (Boston, 1867); "Hillside and Seaside in Poetry" (1876); and "Roadside Poems for Summer Travellers" (1877).
LARDNER, Dionysius, British physicist, b. in Dublin, Ireland, 3 April, 1793; d. in Paris, France, 29 April, 1859. After spending four years in the office of his father, a solicitor, he entered Trinity college. Dublin, gained many prizes in mathematics and metaphysics, was graduated in 1817, and continued a resident member of the university till 1827. During his college career he evinced an extraordinary aptitude for mathematical studies. He
took orders, and was for some time chaplain at his college, but subsequently desisted from clerical functions. Upon the establishment of the London university he accepted the professorship of natural philosophy and astronomy, to which chair he was appointed in 1828. In 1840 he eloped with
the wife of an officer in the army and came to the United States. He was sued for damages, and
