a small but very curious and interesting town of Hindostan, the modern capital of the province of Kumaon. It is built on a ridge of the Himalaya Mountains, 3337 feet above the level of the sea, and consists chiefly of a single street, about three fourths of a mile long, and about 50 feet wide, which runs along the ridge of the mountain, with scattered dwellings, chiefly inhabited by Europeans, to the right and left hand on the descent of the hill. The main street has a gate at each end; and Bishop Heber mentions that it reminded him, on a small scale, of Chester. The houses all stand on a lower story of stone, where the shops are. This is open in front, while the upper stories are faced with a framework of wood, occasionally carved and painted, supported on the projecting side-walls below, and surmounted by a sloping roof of heavy grey slate, on which many of the inhabitants pile up their hay in small stacks, as winter provender for their cattle. The town is very neat, and the street has a natural pavement of slaty rock, which is kept beautifully clean. It is very strongly situated, and is approached by a long, steep, and winding road, which a handful of men might defend against an army. From Almorah the vast range of the Himalaya Mountains bounds the prospect to the north. Nundidevi, one of the highest peaks in the world, being 25,689 feet above the level of the sea, is within 40 miles from Almorah in a direct line, though it is a nine days' journey by the only accessible road, through the mountains. Almorah was conquered in 1790 by the Ghorkhas, who were favoured by the dissensions of the people. It was taken from them by the British in 1815; and in this more recent conquest the inhabitants were also aiding, owing to the cruel treatment they had received from their former masters, who were in the habit of selling, for arrears of rent, the wives and children of the peasants into slavery. There is an old Ghorkha citadel, which stands on a commanding point of the ridge, at the eastern extremity; and several martello towers have been erected in peaks to the eastward. A new citadel, named Fort Moira, has been constructed on a small eminence at the western extremity of the town. It is, according to Bishop Heber, very ill contrived, and incapable of defence against a resolute enemy. The surrounding country is of a bleak and desolate character, and there is scarcely a tree within a circuit of four miles from the walls. The number of houses is about 1000. Almorah is 90 miles north by east from the city of Bareilly, and about 106 miles travelling distance north-east from Moradabad, by the route of the Bamoree Pass and Rampour. Long. 79. 44. E. Lat. 29. 35. N. (Heber's Narrative of a Journey through the Upper Provinces of India, &c.; Hamilton's East India Gazetteer.)

AMORAVIDES, the name of an Arab tribe, who took possession of a district of Africa under the pretence of living in retirement, that their minds might not be distracted from the rigid observance of the precepts of the Koran. Hence they assumed the name of Morabites, which was changed by the Spaniards into that of Almoravides. Abubeker ben Omair, called by the Spanish authors Abu Texefen, was the first chief of this tribe. Supported by a powerful army of malcontents from the provinces of Numidia and Libya, which was assembled by the influence of the Morabites or Marabouts, he founded the dynasty of the Almoravides in Barbary, in the year 1051. Texefen was succeeded by his son Yusef or Joseph, who, after having reduced to a state of vassalage the kingdoms of Tremece, Fez, and Tunis, passed over into Spain during the time of the civil wars, vigorously repulsed the Christians, and soon saw the greater part of the kingdoms of Murcia, Granada, Cordova, Leon, and some parts of Valencia, subjected to his power. He then returned into Africa, and left his newly acquired dominions, with a considerable army, under the government of his nephew Mohammed. On his arrival in Africa, with a view to prosecute and extend his conquest in Spain, he announced, in a public declaration, a general gaza, or religious war; assembled a numerous army, with which he embarked at Ceuta; and rejoining his nephew in Andalusia, soon laid waste that province with fire and sword.

In the year 1107, five years afterwards, he undertook another invasion, penetrated into the kingdom of Portugal, and reduced the city of Lisbon, with a considerable part of the kingdom. At this time he lost the cities of Alguazir and Gibraltar, which he had formerly taken. On his return to Barbary he was defeated at sea. This induced him to propose a truce, which was agreed to only on condition of his submitting to become the tributary of the Spanish king. Indignant at these humiliating terms, Yusef made a vow that he would never desist in his attempts till he had utterly rooted out the Christian religion in Spain. Accordingly he made preparations for a fresh invasion, embarked his army, and landing at Malaga, marched into the enemy's country. His progress was rapid; but his measures were inconsiderately planned and rashly executed. In the famous battle of the Seven Counts he was indeed victorious, but after a terrible slaughter, and the loss of a great part of his army. This disastrous victory obliged him to return to Africa; and he died soon after at his capital of Morocco. Ali, his son, succeeded to the sovereignty in 1110. This prince, who seems to have been of a less warlike disposition than his father, neglecting his Spanish conquests, turned his attention to the arts of peace, and erected many sumptuous buildings, and in particular the great mosque of Morocco. Alphonso, then king of Arragon, retook from him some considerable cities, which obliged him to undertake an expedition to Spain in support of the Moorish princes. But all his attempts proved unfortunate; and in his last enterprise, though powerfully assisted by the Moorish chiefs, with the loss of 30,000 men he was defeated and slain by Alphonso, in the sixth year of his reign.

He was succeeded by his son Al Abraham, who devoted himself entirely to pleasure. His subjects were harassed and oppressed with heavy taxes, which excited discontent and open rebellion. A revolution was soon effected, and, in the 25th year of his reign, the government was transferred from the tribe of the Almoravides to the Almohedes. See Almohedes.