into an irregular lake, with low, marshy shores and many
islands. North-west is the Store Vildmose, a swamp where the
mirage is seen in summer. South-east lies the similar Lille
Vildmose. A railway connects Aalborg with Hjorring,
Frederikshavn and Skagen to the north, and with Aarhus and
the lines from Germany to the south. The harbour is good
and safe, though difficult of access. Aalborg is a growing
industrial and commercial centre, exporting grain and
fish. An old castle and some picturesque houses of the
17th century remain. The Budolphi church dates mostly from
the middle of the 18th century, while the Frue church was
partially burnt in 1894, but the foundation of both is of
the 14th century or earlier. There are also an ancient
hospital and a museum of art and antiquities. On the north
side of the fjord is Norre Sundby, connected with Aalborg
by a pontoon and also by an iron railway bridge, one of the
finest engineering works in the kingdom. Aabborgt received
town privileges in 1342 and the bishopric dates from 1554.
AALEN, a town of Germany, in the kingdom of Wurttemberg,
pleasantly situated on the Kocher, at the foot of the Swabian
Alps, about 50 m. E. of Stuttgart, and with direct railway
communication with Ulm and Cannstatt. Pop. 10,000. Woollen
and linen goods are manufactured, and there are ribbon
looms and tanneries in the town, and large iron works in the
neighbourhood. There are several schools and churches, and a
statue of the poet Christian Schubart. Aalen was a free imperial
city from 1360 to 1802, when it was annexed to Wurttemberg.
AALESUND, a seaport of Norway, in Romsdal amt (county), 145
m. N. by E. from Bergen. Pop. (1900) 11,672. It occupies
two of the outer islands of the west coast, Aspo and
Norvo, which enclose the picturesque harbour. Founded
in 1824, it is the principal shipping-place of Sondmore
district, and one of the chief stations of the herring
fishery. Aalesund is adjacent to the Jorund and Geiranger
fjords, frequented by tourists. From Oje at the head of
Jorund a driving-route strikes south to the Nordfjord, and
from Merck on Geiranger another strikes inland to Otta, on
the railway to Liilehammer and Christiania. Aalesund is a
port of call for steamers between Bergen, Hull, Newcastle
and Hamburg, and Trondhjem. A little to the south of the
town are the ruins of the reputed castle of Rollo, the
founder, in the 9th century, of the dynasty of the dukes of
Normandy. On the 23rd of January 1904, Aalesund was the
scene of one of the most terrible of the many conflagrations
to which Norwegian towns, built largely of wood, have been
subject. Practically the whole town was destroyed, a gale aiding
the flames, and the population had to leave the place in the
night at the notice of a few minutes. Hardly any lives were
lost, but the sufferings of the people were so terrible that
assistance was sent from all parts of the kingdom, and by the
German government, while the British government also offered it.
AALI, MEHEMET, Pasha (1815-1871), Turkish statesman, was born
at Constantinople in 1815, the son of a government official.
Entering the diplomatic service of his country soon after reaching
manhood, he became successively secretary of the Embassy in
Vienna, minister in London, and foreign minister under Reshid
Pasha. In 1852 he was promoted to the post of grand vizier,
but after a short time retired into private life. During the
Crimean War he was recalled in order to take the portfolio
of foreign affairs for a second time under Reshid Pasha,
and in this capacity took part in 1855 in the conference of
Vienna. Again becoming in that year grand vizier, an office
he filled no less than five times, he represented Turkey
at the congress of Paris in 1856. In 1867 he was appointed
regent of Turkey during the sultan's visit to the Paris
Exhibition. Aali Pasha was one of the most zealous advocates
of the introduction of Western reforms under the sultans Abdul
Mejid and Abdul Aziz. A scholar and a linguist, he was a
match for the diplomats of the Christian powers, against whom
he successfully defended the interests of his country. He
died at Erenkeni in Asia Minor on the 6th of September 1871.
AAR, or AARE, the most considerable river which both
rises and ends entirely within Switzerland. Its total
length (including all bends) from its source to its junction
with the Rhine is about 181 m., during which distance it
descends 5135 ft., while its drainage area is 6804 sq.
m. It rises in the great Aar glaciers, in the canton of
Bern, and W. of the Grimsel Pass. It runs E. to the Grimsel
Hospice, and then N.W. through the Hasli valley, forming on the
way the magnificent waterfall of the Handegg (151 ft.), past
Guttannen, and pierces the limestone barrier of the Kirchet
by a grand gorge, before reaching Meiringen, situated in a
plain. A little beyond, near Brienz, the river expands
into the lake of Brienz, where it becomes navigable. Near
the west end of that lake it receives its first important
affluent, the Lutschine (left), and then runs across the
swampy plain of the Bodoli, between Interlaken (left) and
Unterseen (right), before again expanding in order to form
the Lake of Thun. Near the west end of that lake it receives
on the left the Kander, which has just before been joined
by the Simme; on flowing out of the lake it passes Thun, and
then circles the lofty bluff on which the town of Bern is
built. It soon changes its north-westerly for a due westerly
direction, but after receiving the Saane or Sarine (left)
turns N. till near Aarberg its stream is diverted W. by the
Hagneck Canal into the Lake of Bienne, from the upper end of
which it issues through the Nidau Canal and then runs E. to
Buren. Henceforth its course is N.E. for a long distance,
past Soleure (below which the Grosse Emme flows in on the
right), Aarburg (where it is joined by the Wigger, right),
Olten, Aarau, near which is the junction with the Suhr on the
right, and Wildegg, where the Hallwiler Aa falls in on the
right. A short way beyond, below Brugg, it receives first the
Reuss (right), and very shortly afterwards the Limmat or Linth
(right). It now turns due N., and soon becomes itself an
affluent of the Rhine (left), which it surpasses in volume
when they unite at Coblenz, opposite Waldshut. (W. A. B. C.)
AARAU, the capital of the Swiss canton of Aargau. In 1900
it had 7831 inhabitants, mostly German-speaking, and mainly
Protestants. It is situated in the valley of the Aar, on the
right bank of that river, and at the southern foot of the range
of the Jura. It is about 50 m. by rail N.E. of Bern, and 31
m. N.W. of Zurich. It is a well-built modern town, with
no remarkable features about it. In the Industrial Museum
there is (besides collections of various kinds) some good
painted glass of the 16th century, taken from the neighbouring
Benedictine monastery of Muri (founded 1027, suppressed
1841---the monks are now quartered at Gries, near Botzen, in
Tirol). The cantonal library contains many works relating to
Swiss history and many MSS. coming from the suppressed Argovian
monasteries. There are many industries in the town, especially
silk-ribbon weaving, foundries, and factories for the manufacture
of cutlery and scientific instruments. The popular novelist
and historian, Heinrich Zschokke (1771-1848), spent most of
his life here, and a bronze statue has been erected to his
memory. Aarau is an important military centre. The slopes
of the Jura are covered with vineyards. Aarau, an ancient
fortress, was taken by the Bernese in 1415, and in 1798 became
for a time the capital of the Helvetic republic. Eight miles
by rail N.E. are the famous sulphur baths of Schinznach,
just above which is the ruined castle of Habsburg, the
original home of that great historical house. (W. A. B. C.)
AARD-VARK (meaning ``earth pig''), the Iyutch name for
the mammals of genus Orycteropus, confined to Africa (see
EDEN-TATAI. Several species have been named. Among them
is the typical form, O. capensis, or Cape ant-bear from
South Africa, and the northern aard-vark (O. aethiopicus)
of north-eastern Africa, extending into Egypt. In form
these animals are somewhat pig-like; the body is stout,
with arched back; the limbs are short and stout, armed with
strong, blunt claws; the ears disproportionately long; and
the tail very thick at the base and tapering gradually. The
greatly elongated head is set on a short thick neck, and at
the extremity of the snout is a disk in which the nostrils
open. The mouth is small and tubular, furnished with a long
extensile tongue. The measurements of a female taken in the
flesh, were head and body 4 ft., tail 17 1/2 in.; but a large
individual measured 6 ft. 8 in. over all. In colour the
Cape aard-vark is pale sandy or yellow, the hair being scanty
and allowing the skin to show; the northern aard-vark has
a still thinner coat, and is further distinguished by the
shorter tail and longer head and ears. These animals are of
nocturnal and burrowing habits, and generally to be found near
ant-hills. The strong claws make a hole in the side of the
ant-hill, and the insects are collected on the extensile
tongue. Aard-varks are hunted for their skins; but the
flesh is valued for food, and often salted and smoked.
AARD-WOLF (earth-wolf), a South and East African carnivorous
mammal (Proteles cristatus), in general appearance like a
small striped hyena, but with a more pointed muzzle, sharpe
ears, and a long erectile mane down the middle line of the
neck and back. It is of nocturnal and burrowing habits, and
feeds on decomposed animal substances, larvae and termites.
AARGAU (Fr. Argovie), one of the more northerly Swiss
cantons, comprising the lower course of the river Aar (q.v.),
whence its name. Its total area is 541.9 sq. m., of which
517.9 sq. m. are classed as ``productive'' (forests covering
172 sq. m. and vineyards 8.2 sq. m.). It is one of the least
mountainous Swiss cantons, forming part of a great table-land,
to the north of the Alps and the east of the Jura, above which
rise low hills. The surface of the country is beautifully
diversified, undulating tracts and well-wooded hills alternating
with fertile valleys watered mainly by the Aar and its
tributaries. It contains the famous hot sulphur springs of
Baden (q.v.) and Schinznach, while at Rheinfelden there are
very extensive saline springs. Just below Brugg the Reuss
and the Limmat join the Aar, while around Brugg are the ruined
castle of Habsburg, the old convent of Konigsfelden (with
fine painted medieval glass) and the remains of the Roman
settlement of Vindonissa [Windisch]. The total population
in 1900 was 206,498, almost exclusively German-speaking, but
numbering 114,176 Protestants to 91,039 Romanists and 990
Jews. The capital of the canton is Aarau (q.v.), while
other important towns are Baden (q.v.), Zofingen (4591
inhabitants), Reinach (3668 inhabitants), Rheinfelden (3349
inhabitants), Wohlen (3274 inhabitants), and Lenzburg (2588
inhabitants). Aargau is an industrious and prosperous canton,
straw-plaiting, tobacco-growing, silk-ribbon weaving, and
salmon-fishing in the Rhine being among the chief industries.
As this region was, up to 1415, the centre of the Habsburg
power, we find here many historical old castles (e.g.
Habsburg, Lenzburg, Wildegg), and former monasteries (e.g.
Wettingen, Muri), founded by that family, but suppressed in
1841, this act of violence being one of the main causes
of the civil war called the ``Sonderbund War,'' in 1847 in
