a kingdom or province of Zaara in Africa, extending from 12 to 22 degrees of east longitude, and from 17 to 21 degrees of north latitude. The northern part is poor, and like the rest of the provinces of Zaara; but all the rest is well watered by springs and rivers that tumble down with a dreadful noise from the mountains; rendering the country prolific in corn, grapes, and fruits, and giving it a pleasing aspect. The eastern and western frontiers are divided into mountains and valleys, the latter being all covered with flocks of cattle, fields of rice and millet, and many of the mountains with wood, fruit-trees, and cotton. On the north-west stands the mountain of Tarton, having plenty of good iron mines; and on the south flows the river Niger, which, it is said, after running a great many leagues under a long chain of mountains, rears up its head again, and mingles its stream with the waters of the lake Bornou in its course, from whence it washes the walls of the capital of this kingdom. The compilers of the Universal History, however, are of opinion, that in these mountains the river Niger hath its source, because no river hath been traced to the eastward, except the Nile, which runs in a different course from north to south, and the White river, on the western frontiers of Abyfllinia, which is a branch of the Nile. The eastern and western parts of Bornou are inhabited by a people of a roving disposition, who live in tents, and have their women, children, and everything else, in common; the word property, or any idea equivalent to it, being utterly unknown among them. They have neither religion, laws, government, nor any degree of subordination; and hence they have been supposed by Cluverius to be the lineal descendents of the ancient Garamantes, and this to have been the residence of that people. In these parts, the natives are almost to a man shepherds and husbandmen. In summer they go naked, except a short apron before; but in winter they are warmly clothed with the softest sheepskins, of which they also form their bed-cloaths; and indeed this is scarce a sufficient defence against the inclemency of the weather at certain seasons of the year, when a cold piercing wind blows from the northern mountains, that chills the blood in proportion as the pores of the body have been opened by the scorching heats of summer. Baudrand and Daper affirm that the natives are scarce superior in their understanding to brutes; not even having any names whereby to distinguish each other, except what they take from some personal defect or singularity; such as lean, fat, squatting, hump-backed, &c. In the towns, however, it is acknowledged that they are something more civilized and polite, being many of them merchants; but of these towns, or indeed of the kingdom in general, very little is known.

BOROMÆUS (Frederic), cardinal and archbishop of Milan. He, in 1609, celebrated the council of Milan. He founded the Ambrofian library, which he enriched with 9000 manuscripts. He left several works behind him, and died in 1632.

BORONDON (St.), an island in the Atlantic Ocean, mentioned by some writers, particularly Linchotten, in their description of the Canary islands, as something supernatural. It is said to be about 100 leagues distant from Ferro, probably well, though no writer has pretended to lay down its exact situation. Here it is affirmed several ships have touched by accident, and all agree in their relations of the state of the inhabitants and island. They affirm, that it is perpetually clothed with a great variety of wood, chiefly fruit-trees; that the valleys are in a perpetual state of verdure; and continually decked with flowers, grapes, and plants, the spontaneous productions of the earth; or with corn and pulse, cultivated with great care by the inhabitants; that the soil is so prolific as to raise large quantities of corn for exportation; and that the ships that call here never fail of meeting with refreshments of every kind. It is said to be peopled by Christians, who have a language of their own, apparently combined of a variety of modern languages; for, say they, whoever understands the European tongues may make shift to hold conversation with this people. It is remarkable, that no ships, expressly sent upon this discovery, were ever fortunate enough to fall in with the island of St. Borondon, though the Spaniards have several times attempted it from the Canaries. Hence it has been called the marvellous island; and hence indeed we may conclude, either that it exists wholly in imagination, or at least that it is surrounded with such currents as infallibly carry ships out of their course, and prevent their meeting with it. Some writers affirm that it actually disappears upon certain occasions, and shifts its position; while others, with more appearance of truth, allege, that it is frequently overset with thick and impenetrable clouds, which occasion the disappointment of all the adventurers who have gone in search of it.