a genus of plants belonging to the monoeia class; and in the natural method ranking under the 49th order, Compositae. See Botany Index.

IVAHAH is the name of a canoe of the South sea islanders for short excursions to sea: it is wall-sided, flat-bottomed, and of different sizes, from 72 feet to 10: but their breadth is by no means in proportion; for those of ten feet are about a foot wide, and those of more than 70 are scarcely two. The fighting ivahah is the longest, with its head and stern considerably raised. The fishing ivahahs are from 40 feet long to 10; those of 25 feet and upwards occasionally carry sail. The travelling ivahah is always double, and furnished with a small neat house.

JUAN DE FUCA, a strait on the north-west coast of America, was surveyed by Captain Vancouver, and the entrance of which he places in N. Lat. 48. 20. and W. Long. 124. The object of this survey was to discover a communication between the North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans; but none of the inlets or channels in this broken coast was found to extend more than 100 miles to the eastward of the entrance into the strait.

Thus it appeared, that the land forming the north side of that strait is part of an island, or of an archipelago, extending nearly 100 leagues in length from south-east to north-west; and on the side of this land, most distant from the continent, is situated Nootka sound. The most peculiar circumstance of this navigation is the extreme depth of water, when contrasted with the narrowness of the channels.

The people of Juan de Fuca are said to be well acquainted with the principles of trade, which they carry on in a very fair and honourable manner. The commodities most prized by them are copper, fire-arms, and great-coats. Their dresses, besides skins, are a kind of woollen garments. According to Vancouver, the dogs belonging to this tribe of Indians are numerous, resembling those of Pomerania, though larger in general. The population even in the greatest towns or villages does not exceed 600, and the smallpox is reckoned to be a disease very fatal among them. Their method of disposing of their dead is singular. "Basket (says Vancouver) were found suspended on high trees, each containing the skeleton of a young child, in some of which were also small square boxes filled with a kind of white paste, resembling such as I had seen the natives eat, supposed to be made of the saranee root: some of these boxes were quite full; others were nearly empty, eaten probably by the mice, squirrels, or birds."

Juan, St., de la Frontera, a town of South America, in Chili, in the province of Chiquito, near the lake Guanaco. The territory of this town is inhabited by 20,000 native Americans, who are tributary to Spain. It contains mines of gold, and produces a kind of almonds that are very delicate. It is seated at the foot of the Andes, in W. Long. 66. 35. S. Lat. 23. 25.

JUAN de Porto Rico, an island of America, and one of the Caribbees, being 100 miles in length and 50 in breadth. It belongs to the Spaniards; and is full of very high mountains, and extremely fertile valleys, interspersed with woods, and well watered with springs and rivulets. It produces sugar, rum, ginger, corn, and fruits; partly proper to the climate, and partly introduced from Spain. Besides, there are so many cattle, that they often kill them for the sake of the skins alone. Here are a great number of uncommon trees, and there is a little gold in the north part of the island. It is commonly said that the air is healthy; and yet the earl of Cumberland, when he had taken this island, lost most of his men by sickness; and for that reason was forced to abandon it. This happened in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. It is subject to storms and hurricanes, like the rest of these islands. It lies to the east of Hispaniola, at the distance of 50 miles.

JUAN de Porto Rico, the capital town of the island of Porto Rico, with a good harbour defended by several forts, and a bishop's see. It is seated on the north coast of the island, in W. Long. 65. 35. N. Lat. 18. 30.

JUAN Fernandez, an island in the great South sea, in S. Lat. 33. 40. and W. Long. 78. 30. from London. It was formerly a place of resort for the buccaneers who annoyed the western coast of the Spanish continent. They were led to resort hither from the multitude of goats which it nourished; to deprive their enemies of which advantage, the Spaniards transported a considerable number of dogs, which increasing greatly, have almost extirpated the goats, who now only find security among the steep mountains in the northern parts, which are inaccessible to their pursuers. There are instances of two men living, at different times, alone on this island for many years; the one a Mucquito Indian; the other Alexander Selkirk, a Scotchman, who was, after five years, taken on board an English ship, which touched here in 1710, and brought back to Europe. From the history of this recluse, Daniel Defoe is said to have conceived the idea of writing the Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. This island was very propitious to the remains of Commodore Anson's squadron in 1741, after having been buffeted with tempests, and debilitated by an inveterate scurvy, during a three months passage round Cape Horn: they continued here three months; during which time the dying crews, who on their arrival could scarcely with one united effort heave the anchor, were restored to perfect health. Captain Carteret, in the Swallow, in 1767, having met with many difficulties and impediments in his passage into the South sea, by the straits of Magelhaens, attempted to make this island in order to recruit the health of his men; but he found it fortified by the Spaniards, and therefore chose rather to proceed to the island of Mafuero. But M. de Bougainville that same year is said to have touched here for refreshments, although in the narrative of the voyage the fact is cautiously suppressed. This island is not quite 15 miles long and about six broad; its only safe harbour is on the north side. It is said to have plenty of excellent water, and to abound with a great variety of succulent vegetables highly antiscorbutic; besides which, Commodore Anson sowed a variety of garden-seeds, and planted the stones of plums, apricots, and peaches, which he was many years afterwards informed had thriven greatly; and now doubtless furnish a very valuable addition to the natural productions of this spot. Vast shoals of fish of various various kinds frequent this coast, particularly cod of a prodigious size. There are but few birds here, and those few are of species well known and common.