BONGAR-BONGO.

For much antiquarian lore on this subject, see Brand's Popular Antiquities, edited by Sir Henry Ellis, vol. i. The origin of the word B. has been very puzzling to etymologists. In Scotland, the popular term is banefire or bain fire, which Jamieson says is apparently a corruption of bailfire, or of baal-fire, which may be doubted.

Skeat holds the word was first used of the fires for burning the bones of saints and other relics in the time of Henry VIII. Another etymology is the Welsh ban, high, whence ban-fagl, a lofty blaze, a bonfire. The hills that in English are called Beacons, are in Welsh Bans or Vans.

BONGAR, bon gâr (Bungarus or Pseudoboa): genus of venomous serpents, allied to the genera Elaps and Naja, and distinguished by a much keeled back, which has a row of hexagonal scales larger than the rest. The head is broad and depressed, with very strong bones. The species,

Bongar, or Rock Snake.

which appear to be few-only two being certainly known -are natives of the East Indies, where they are called Rock Snakes. B. annularis, which has the body surrounded with rings of black and yellow, attains a length of six or eight feet.

BONGAR DIA: genus of herbaceous plants of the nat. ord. Berberidea (q.v.), natives of the East. One species (B. Rauwolfi) produces tubers, which are eaten, either boiled or roasted, in Persia; and the leaves of another (B. chrysogonum) have an acid taste, and are eaten as a salad. BONGAY, bon-gā': island of the East Indian archipelago, e. of Celebes. It gives name to a group of islets, which supplies the neighborhood with slaves and wood.

BON'GO: a barbarous people of central Africa inhabiting the territory between 6 and 8 n. lat., and 27° and 29 e. long., and watered by five important tributaries of the White Nile. The B. area short-headed race, with black hair, of red-brown complexion, and medium height. Sorghum is the grain most generally cultivated by them. They eat all kinds of reptiles and birds; and of beasts, they refuse only the dog. They raise poultry, goats, and dogs; but sheep and cattle are rare. Tobacco is everywhere raised and smoked among them. They work iron with skill, using it as currency, and for spears, knives, rings, and other useful and ornamental purposes. They take great delight in songs and instrumental music.

BONHEUR-BONIFACE.

BONHEUR, bon-ér', ROSALIE (called ROSA): painter of animal life: b. Bordeaux, 1822, Mar. 22. She studied painting with her father; first exhibited in Paris 1841; has been director of the free school of design for girls in Paris since 1849; and has received decorations from the French, Spanish, and Belgian govts. Her most famous painting, The Horse Fair (1855), bought by A. T. Stewart, afterward by Cornelius Vanderbilt, is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

BONHOMIE, n. bòn'-òm-ĕ'[F.-from bon, good; homme, man]: good-nature; simplicity. BON-MOT, n. bằng-mō [F. good word]: a witty saying or reply; a jest; a joke. BoNsMOTS, n. plu. bong-moz. BON-VIVANT, n. bỡng-vẽv-âng' [F. good living], a high feeder or liver. BONS-VIVANTS, ǹ. plu. băng vẽ tăngz, good companions.

BONI, bō'ně, or Bo'NY: kingdom of the s.w. peninsula of the island of Celebes, in the s. Pacific ocean; formerly the most powerful state in Celebes, but since 1859 practically a Dutch dependency. In the n., the scenery is fine, and the soil fertile-rice, sago, and cassia being produced. The inhabitants engage in agriculture and in the manufacture of cotton, and articles of gold and iron, in which they have a large trade. Their institutions, said to be very ancient, partake of the character of a constitutional monarchy. The British have twice attacked the Bonese for injuring their commerce, and selling the crews of British ships into slavery. In the second attack, 1814, the Bonese king was killed. Pop. 200,000.

BONI, or BONY, GULF OF: bay separating the s.e. and s.w. peninsulas of the island of Celebes. It is 200 m. long, and 40-80 m. broad. Numerous shoals render its navigation difficult.

BONIFACE, n. bŏn'i-fãs [L. bõnus, good, pleasant; făcies, face, appearance]: in familiar language, a sleek, jolly, goodtempered landlord of an inn or tavern.

BONIFACE: name of nine popes, some of whom are of no historic note.

BONIFACE I: (reigned 418-422); appointed, contrary to canonical rule, by the Emperor Theodosius II., on account of prevailing party divisions. He was the first who assumed as Bp. of Rome the title of First Bp. of Christendom. BONIFACE III.: pope for ten months in 607; the first to whom the title of Universal Bishop of Christendom was conceded by the Greek emperor (Phocas).

BONIFACE VIII. (previously Benedict Cajetan): native of Anagni; elected pope, 1294, Dec. 24. His inauguration was distinguished by great pomp; the kings of Hungary and Sicily held the reins of his horse as he proceeded to the Lateran, and, with their crowns upon their heads, served him at table. He failed, however, in his attempts to assert a feudal superiority over Sicily, and to exercise his papal authority in the disputes between France and England. Philip the Fair of France, supported by his states and clergy, maintained the independence of his kingdom, disregarding many bulls and briefs, and even the sentence of

BONIFACE.

excommunication to which the pope proceeded. Philip at last, with the aid of Italian enemies of B, made him prisoner at Anagni, to which he had fled; and although he was liberated by the people of Anagni after two days' imprisonment, he died within about a month (1303), (as some say) of grief and mortification; as others report, in consequence of having refused food during these two days, through fear of poison. He instituted the Roman jubilee in 1300. If the charges, which Philip the Fair brought against B. in self-defense-viz., heresy, simony, licentiousness, etc.—were well founded, and regarding the second there can be no doubt, Dante was not far from at least a poetic justice in giving him a place in hell. Apart from the question of his personal character, B. was undoubtedly one of those dangerous ecclesiastics in whose downfall civilization exults.

BONIFACE IX. (Peter Tomacelli): d. 1404: native of Naples, succeeded Urban VI. as pope at Rome 1389, while Clement VII. was pope at Avignon. He exceeded all his predecessors in the shameless sale of ecclesiastical offices and benefices, and of dispensations and indulgences. He acquired, after a struggle, a most despotic power in Rome, which he kept in awe by fortressses; but to secure himself against external enemies, particularly Louis of Anjou, whose claim to the crown of Naples he had opposed, he was obliged to give away part of his territory in fiefs, as Ferrara to the House of Este.

BONIFACE, bim'e füs, SAINT, 'the Apostle of Germany,' (original name, Winfried): abt. 680–755; b. Devonshire, England. He entered a monastery in Exeter, at the age of 13; afterward removed to that of Ñutcell, where he taught rhetoric, history, and theology, and became a priest at the age of 30. At that time, a movement proceeded from England and Ireland, for the conversion of the still heathen peoples of Europe; in 614, Gallus and Emmeran had been sent to Alemannia, Kilian (murdered 689) to Bavaria, Willibrord (died 696) to the country of the Franks, Swidvert to Friesland, and Siegfried to Sweden. Winfried also took the resolution (715) of preaching Christianity to the Frisians, among whom it had as yet found no entrance. But a war broke out between Charles Martel and the king of the Frisians, and Winfried returned from Utrecht to his convent, of which he became abbot. Still bent upon his design, he repaired to Rome, 718, and received the authorization of Pope Gregory II. to preach the gospel to all the tribes of Germany. He went first to Thuringia and Bavaria, then labored three years in Friesland, and travelled through Hesse and Saxony, everywhere baptizing multitudes, and consecrating their idolatrous groves as churches. In 723, Gregory II. called him to Rome; made him bishop, with the name of Bonifacius; furnished him with new instructions or canons, and with letters to Charles Martel and all princes and bishops, requesting their aid in his pious work. Returning to Hesse (724), he destroyed the objects of heathen worship (among which are mentioned on oak near Geismar, sacred to Thor, and an idol named

BONIFACIO-BONIN ISLANDS.

stuffo, on a summit of the Harz, still called Stuffenberg), founded churches and convents, and called to his aid priests, monks, and nuns from England, whom he distributed through the various countries. In recognition of his eminent services, Gregory III. sent him (732) the pallium, and named him archbishop and primate of all Germany, with power to establish bishoprics wherever he saw fit. B. now made a third journey to Rome (738), and was appointed papal legate for Germany. The bishoprics of Regensburg, Erfurt, Paderborn, Würzburg, Eichstädt, Salzburg, and several others, owe their establishment to St. B. The famous Abbey of Fulda is also one of his foundations. He was named Abp. of Mainz by Pipin, whom he consecrated as king of the Franks at Soissons (752), and he presided in the council held at that place. In 754 he resumed anew his apostolical labors among the Frisians; and at Dokkum, about 18 m. n.e. of Leeuwarden, in West Friesland, this venerable Christian hero was fallen upon by a mob of armed heathens, and killed, with the congregation of converts that were with him (755). His remains were taken first to Utrecht, then to Mainz, and finally to Fulda. In the abbey, there are still shown a copy of the gospels written by him, and a leaf stained with his blood. A collection of his letters, and the canons that he promulgated for the discipline of the newly established churches, have been preserved, and are instructive as to the state of Germany at the time. The completest edition of the Letters (Epistolæ) is that of Würdtwein (Mainz, 1789). In 1811, a monument was erected to St. B. on a hill near Altenberga, in the principality of Gotha, where, according to tradition, he had erected (724) the first Christian church in n. Germany. A statue by Henschel was also erected to him at Fulda, 1842. See works on B. by Seiters (1845), Werner (1875), Fischer (1881), and Ebrard (1882).

BONIFACIO, bo-ne-fa'cho, STRAIT OF: modern name of the strait between Corsica and Sardinia, the Fretum Gallicum of the Romans. At the narrowest part, it is only 7 m.) wide. The navigation is difficult, owing to the great, number of rocks, which, however, are favorable to the production of coral, and the coral and tunny fisheries are actively prosecuted. At the eastern entrance of the strait lie the Bucinaric or Magdalen Islands, the Insula Canicularia of the ancients, principally inhabited by Corsicans, but belonging mostly to Sardinia.

The strait receives its name from the small town of Bonifacio in Corsica, strongly situated upon a rocky promontory, with an excellent harbor. It was a place of much consequence to the Genoese for the security of their trade in these seas, and a number of very fine churches still attest its former greatness. Pop. 3,300.

BONILLO, bo-nel' yo: town of Spain, province of Albacete, 34 m. w.n. w. from Albacete. Pop. about 5,000.

BONIN, bo-nen', or ARCHBISHOP, ISL'ANDS: in the Pacific; in n. lat. between 26° 30'-27° 44', and in e. long. between 142°-143°. They were discovered 1827 by Captain

BONITO BONN.

Beechey of the Blossom, who took formal possession of them for England. They appear to have been then uninhabited, though previously a Japanse colony. In 1830, however, Peel Island, near the centre of the group, was settled in connection with the whaling business, by a motley colony-an Englishman, an Italian a Dane, two Americans, and 15 Sandwich Islanders (5 men and 10 women)-under the auspices of a union jack': area 324 sq. m.; pop. (1881) 151. Besides pigs, goats, and fowls, Peel Island produces sweet potatoes, maize, onions, yams, pumpkins, melons, lemons, tobacco, and sugar-cane. since 1876, the islands have belonged to Japan.

BONITO, bo-ni'to, [Sp.]: name common to several fishes of the mackerel family, or Scomberida (q.v.). One of these, Gymnosarda pelamis, the Stripe-bellied Tunny, but of another genus than the Albacore or Great Tunny

(q.v.), is well known to sailors as an inhabitant of tropical seas, and as one of the fishes most frequently seen pursuing the flying-fish. It is often taken by an imitation flyingfish made to skim along and touch the waves. Its flesh, although relished by those who have been previously confined to salt provisions, is dry. It is rarely caught on the British coasts. It is a very beautiful fish, seldom exceeding thirty inches in length, of a beautiful steel-blue color, darker on the back, and whitish below. Four dark lines extend along each side of the belly. The general form resembles that of the mackerel, but less compressed.-The B. of the Atlantic (Sarda sarda) n. to Cape Cod, is very similar to this, but of an allied genus, distinguished by its comparatively large and strong teeth. It has dark transverse bars reaching obliquely forward, downward to the lateral line. It is plentiful in the Black Sea. The Plain B. (Auxis thazard), or Frigate Mackerel, may be distinguished at once from both of these by its more uniform blue color, without stripes or bands, and by the widely separated dorsal fins. It has only one row of minute teeth in each jaw. It is found in the Mediterranean, and in some places seems to bear, in common with the last-mentioned species, the name B. Its flesh is little esteemed when fresh; it is generally used either salted or pickled. It is occasional on our coast. The Little B. (G. allaterrata), rare at the n., bas wavy dark streaks above the lateral line, and 5 spots below the pectoral fin; length 2 feet.

BONN, bon: town of Rhenish Prussia, beautifully situ