a considerable town in southern Africa, situated in 26° 30' S. Lat. and 27° E. Long. A river runs through the midst of it, which from the extent of the channel must be sometimes of considerable magnitude. This town, which was discovered by a mission from the Cape of Good Hope in 1801 and 1802, is computed to be fully of as great extent as Cape Town; but the exact number of the houses, says Mr Barrow, could not be ascertained, owing to the irregularity of the streets and the lowness of the buildings. It contains, according to some, about 10,000 inhabitants of all descriptions, while others make them amount to nearly 15,000. The ground plan of every house is a complete circle, from 12 to 15 feet diameter; the floor consists of hard beaten clay, raised four inches above the surface of the enclosure. One-fourth of it, commonly facing the east, is entirely open, the other three-fourths walled up with clay and stones, to the height of about five feet. The people deposit their valuable articles in another apartment described with the same radius as the former, such as skin clothing, ivory ornaments, knives and other articles, which to them are of essential service. In this also the elder part of the family take their repose, and the children sleep in the half-closet veranda.

The whole house is covered with a roof in the form of a tent, supported by poles built into the wall. The roof is thatched with reeds, bound together with leathern thongs. The inhabitants preserve their grain and pulse in large clay vessels adjacent to the house, exhibiting the appearance of large oil jars, and some of them containing about 200 gallons.

The regularity and decorum with which the people of Leetakoo conduct themselves, give a very favourable opinion of them, as being greatly superior to savages, and evince them to be bordering on a state of civilization, which it would be no difficult matter to introduce among them. They are friendly, peaceable, and offensive, and appear to live under a government which may be denominated purely patriarchal, and the chief of consequence must be the idol of the people. They do not appear to have any particular form of religious worship, in the common acceptation of that word, yet they circumcise all male children, and dance in a circle the whole night of the full moon. They seem also to believe that there is a power directing the operations of nature, who is infinitely superior to themselves, and to whose influence they are subject. Barrow's Travels to Cochim-China. Appendix.

LEEWARD Ship, a vessel that falls much to leeward of her course, when sailing close hauled, and consequently loses much ground.

To LEEWARD, towards that part of the horizon which lies under the lee, or whither the wind bloweth. Thus, "We saw a fleet under the lee," and, "We saw a fleet to leeward," are synonymous expressions.