and south of these points the coasts on botli sides rapidly diverge. They are steep and rocky, and considerably indented. The Asiatic coast, extending from Cape Serdtzy to Cape Chukotzky, a distance of about 400 miles, presents several large and commodious bays. The strait is in general from 23 to 30 fathoms in depth, and contains a few small islands known as the Diomede Islands. Haze and fogs greatly prevail, and the temperature is low. The strait derives its name from Vitus Bering or Behring, a German in the Russian service, who discovered it in the year 1728. It was subsequently explored and described with great accuracy by Captain Cook, in 1788. (See Arctic Papers
for Expedition 0/1875.)BEIRA, a province of Portugal, bounded on the N. by the provinces of Traz-os-Montes and Minho, E. by Spain, S. by Alemtejo and Portuguese Estremadura, and W. by the Atlantic. Area about 8586 square miles. Population in 1871, 1,294,282. It is administratively divided into the districts of Aveiro, Coihibra, Vizeu, Guarda, and Castello Branco, while it is popularly regarded as consisting of the three sections of Beira-Alta or Upper Beira, Beira- Baixa, or Lower Beira, and Beira-Mar, or Maritime Beira. Excent along the coast, the surface is for the most part mountainous, the highest point, in the Serra de Estrella, being 7524 feet. Besides the Douro, which is far the largest, the Aguada, the Mondego, the Youga, and the Zezere are the principal rivers. The soil, except in the valleys, is dry and rocky, and large stretches are covered with heath. The principal agricultural productions are maize, wheat, garden vegetables, and fruit. The olive is largely cultivated, the oil forming one of the chief articles of export ; and good wine is also produced. In the flat country between Coimbra and Aveiro the marshy land is laid out in rice-fields, or in pastures for herds of cattle and horses. The rearing of sheep is not so well attended to as formerly, except in Upper Beira. In the neighbourhood of Lamego swine are reared in considerable numbers, and furnish the well-known Lisbon hams. There is compara tively little manufacturing industry in the province, with the exception of the production of woollen cloth, which occupies a large part of the population in the district of Castello Branco or Covilhao. Silver and lead ores exist in the mountains, but are neglected. Iron, coal, and marble are worked to some extent, and millstones are quarried in some places. Salt is obtained in considerable quantities from the lagunes along the coast. There is a striking difference of character between the inhabitants of the lower and more elevated regions of Beira, the former being sociable and courteous, if also indolent and lax in morals ; while the latter are grave and reserved, hardy and industri ous. The principal towns in the province are Coinibra, Vizeu, Aveiro, Omar, and Lamego. The heir-apparent to the throne of Portugal has the title of Prince of Beira.
BEIT EL FAKIH (i.e., House of the Saint}, an un- walled town in Arabia, in the province of Yemen, 77 miles N.E. of Mocha, and about 17 from the coast, in 43 23 E. long., 13 32 K lat. It is situated on a barren, sandy plain, protected against the predatory incursions of the Arabs by a castle, in which the governor resides. It was founded in the 17th century by the inhabitants of the seaboard town of Alafaka, who were led to seek a new settlement from their once famous harbour being rendered useless by coral banks ; and it soon became the greatest seat of the coffee-trade in the world. The prosperity of the city was considerably diminished under the Wahabees and Mehemet AH of Egypt, though even during his domination it is stated to have had 30,000 inhabitants. It is still engaged in the coffee-trade, and also deals in incense, gum, and pearls. Most of the common houses are mere grass-roofed huts, but here and there are ancient stone buildings. The most remarkable of these is the mosque of Akhmed-lbn-Musa, which is older than the city itself. The principal ports at which the exports are shipped are Lohaya, about 32 miles N.W., and Hodeida, 37 miles S. Population, 8000.
BEJA, a city of the province of Alemtejo, in Portugal, 3G miles S. of Evora. It is surrounded with walls, is the see of a bishop, and contains about 6600 inhabitants, who are for the most part occupied in cultivation, and especially in breeding cattle.
BEJAR, a fortified town of Spain, in the province of Salamanca, situated on the River Cuerpo de Hombre, in a deep and fertile valley of the Sierra de Bejar, about 45 miles S. of the provincial capital. Its streets are narrow, but well paved, and most of the houses are old. The manufacture of cloth is carried on, and there is a consider able trade in cattle at the annual fair. There are saline springs, with a temperature of 104 to 108 F. A ducal family takes its title from the city, and has a palace with in its walls. Population, 10,683.
BEKE, Charles Tilstone, a distinguished English traveller, geographer, and Biblical critic, was born in London, October 10, 1800. Educated for the pursuits of commerce, he afterwards studied law for a short time at Lincoln s Inn, but finally devoted himself to the study of historical, geographical, and ethnographical subjects. The first-fruits of his researches appeared in his work entitled Oriyiites Biblic<je, or Researches in Primeval History, which was published in 1834. As an attempt to reconstruct the early history of the human race from geological dates, it naturally raised a storm of opposition on the part of those who felt it their duty to defend the traditional readings of the book of Genesis. For about two years (1836 to 1838) Dr Bekeheld the post of British Consul in Saxony. From that time till his death his attention was devoted to geographical studies, chiefly of Africa and the Nile Valley. Aided by private friends, ho visited Abyssinia in connec tion with the political mission under Major Harris, and explored districts which up to that time had remained unknown to Europeans. The valuable results of this journey, which occupied him from 1840 to 1843, he gave to the world in 1845 in the work entitled Alyssinia, a Statement of Facts, &c. Once again, after an interval of more than twenty years, he went to Abyssinia, for the purpose of obtaining from King Theodore the release of Mr Rassam. and other British captives. In this he succeeded, but the king afterwards changed his mind and continued to detain the prisoners. In 1848 he made an unsuccessful attempt to explore the Upper Nile ; his labour was repaid, however, by a large amount of information about the countries which he traversed. The ardour with which he pursued his chosen path was shown by his undertaking in his seventy-fourth year a journey to Palestine, for the purpose of determining the real position of Mount Sinai. He con ceived that it was on the eastern side of the Gulf of Akabah ; and his exploration convinced him that his view was right. It has not, however, commended itself to general acceptance. Dr Beke died at Bromley, in Kent, July 31, 1874.
Dr Beke's writings are very numerous. Among the more impor tant, besides those already named, are An Essay on the Nile and its Tributaries, 1847 ; On the Soiirccs of the Nile, 1849 ; and The British Captives in Abyssinia, 1865. He contributed a large num ber of Memoirs and Papers to the Royal Geographical Society, the British Association, the Philological Society, the Athenaeum, the Archaeologia, the Edinburgh New Philoso2>hical Journal, &c. , &c. He vas a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and for his con tributions to our knowledge of Abyssinia received its gold medal, and also that of the Geographical Society of France. For his Origincs BMicce the degree of Ph.D. was conferred on him by the University of Tiibingen. He was also a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. In 1870 he received the grant of a pension on the civil list.
