PENTLAND or PICTLAND FRITH, is a narrow strait of six miles between the mainland of Scotland and the Orkney isles. This strait is the great thoroughfare of shipping between the eastern and western seas, the terror of the boldest mariners, and the grave of thousands; where the winter's storms afford many natives on the opposite shores a better livelihood than they could obtain by fishing or husbandry. They search from place to place, and from one cavern to another, in the hopes of finding timber, casks, and other floating articles of the wrecked vessels, of whom six or eight are thus sacrificed sometimes in one night. The navigation of this pass is rendered more dangerous by the island of Stroma, and two rocks called the Skerries, lying near the middle of it. See Pictland.

PEPIS, among the ancient Romans, was a coarse garment or cloak worn in cold or rainy weather. It was shorter than the lacerna, and therefore more proper for travellers. It was generally brown, and succeeded the toga after the state became monarchical. Augustus abolished the custom of wearing the pepis over the toga, considering it as too effeminate for Romans; and the ediles had orders to suffer none to appear in the circus or forum with the lacerna or pepis. Writers are not agreed as to the precise difference between these two articles of dress; but we are told that they were chiefly worn by the lower orders of people. See Lacerna.

PEPULTIMA, or PEPLUMATE SYLLABLE, in grammar, denotes the last syllable but one of a word; and hence the antepenultimate syllable is the last but two, or that immediately before the penultimate.