(anc. geog.), a small island in the Adriatic, opposite to Brundifium: the Pharos of Mela. Also a frith or arm of the sea of Britannia Secunda (Ptolemy); supposed to be the Murray-frith.

of the Hebrides or Western Islands of Scotland. It is a small rock, only a quarter of a mile in circumference, being part of a chain called the Long Island, the whole cluster appearing at low water as one island. Bara is altogether barren; but abounds with great numbers of sea-fowl, such as solon geese, guillemotes, puffins, &c.

name of a festival celebrated with much magnificence at Messina, and representing the assumption of the Virgin. The bara, though used as the general denomination of this festival, signifies more particularly a vast machine 50 feet high, at the top of which a young girl of 14, representing the Virgin, stands upon the hand of an image of Jesus Christ.

Round him turn vertically, in a circle, 12 little children which represent the seraphims; below them, in another circle, which turns horizontally, are 12 more representing the cherubims: below these a sun turns vertically, with a child at the extremity of each of the four principal radii of his circle, who ascend and descend with his rotation, yet still stand upright. Below the sun is the lowest circle, about seven feet from the ground, in which 12 boys turn horizontally with &c. out interruption: these are intended for the twelve apostles, who are supposed to surround the tomb of the Virgin at the moment when she ascends into heaven. This complication of superstitious whirligigs may have already nearly turned the stomachs of some of our readers, or at least rendered them squeamish. But think of the poor little cherubims, seraphims, and apostles, who are twirled about in this procession! for, says Mr Houel, "some of them fall asleep, many of them vomit, and several do still worse:" but these unseemly effusions are no drawback upon the edification of the people; and nothing is more common than to see fathers and mothers soliciting with ardour for their boys and girls the pious distinction of playing at the bara. This machine is not drawn by asses or mules, but by a multitude of robust monks.