a great lake of Siberia, in the government of Irkutsk; 366 miles in length from south-west to north-east, and from twenty to fifty-three miles in breadth. This vast reservoir is, according to accurate observations, about 1715 feet above the level of the sea. It is fed by several large rivers, namely, the Upper Angara, Selenga, Bargazin, and others; while the only visible outlet is by the Lower Angara, which is incapable of carrying off anything like the quantity of water which is received. The water is excellent and extremely clear, so that the bottom can be seen at the depth of eight fathoms. The depth of the lake varies from twenty-two to ninety fathoms. It yields abundance of fish, and there is a profitable fishery of seals on its shores during the whole summer. The climate is extremely severe; the waters of this great inland sea are frozen over about the beginning of January, and the ice does not break up till May. This lake facilitates the Russian trade with China, and also between Irkutsk and Dauria. It is navigated by the Russians in summer, and in winter they travel across it on the ice. Several hot springs and mineral waters are seen on the margin, and naphtha is sometimes found floating on the surface. It lies between the 52d and 55th degrees of north latitude.

BAILLIF, BAILLIE, (from the French bailleur, which is derived from the Greek βαλλειν, and signifies to deliver into hands), is used in our common law for the freeing or setting at liberty of one arrested or imprisoned upon any action, either civil or criminal, on surety taken for his appearance at a day and place certain.

BAILLIFF, or BAILLIE, in a general sense, denotes an officer appointed for the administration of justice in a certain district or bailiwick. The term is formed from the French word bailiff, that is, prefectus provinciae. The chief magistrates in divers towns are called bailiffs or bailies; and sometimes the persons to whom the king's castles are committed are termed bailiffs, as the bailiff of Dover Castle.

Of ordinary bailiffs there are several sorts, viz. sheriffs' bailiffs, bailiffs of liberties, &c. Sheriffs' bailiffs, or sheriffs' officers, are either bailiffs of hundreds or special bailiffs. Bailiffs of hundreds are officers appointed over those districts by the sheriffs, to collect fines, to summon juries, to attend the judges and justices at the assizes and quarter-sessions, and also to execute writs and process in the several hundreds. Bailiffs of liberties were those bailiffs appointed by every lord within his liberty, to execute process, and do such offices as the bailiffs-errant were wont to do at large in the county.

BAILLI, DAVID, painter of perspective views and portraits, was the son of Peter Bailii, an artist of some note, and was born at Leyden in 1584. From his father he learned to draw and design; but he was afterwards placed under the care of Adrian Verburg, and continued with him for some time; and when he quitted that master, he studied to much greater advantage with Cornelius Vansdervoort, an excellent portrait painter, and with him he spent about six years. As Vansdervoort possessed many capital paintings of some great masters, Bailii, for his own improvement, copied them with critical care and observation; and particularly copied one perspective view of the inside of a church, originally painted by Stenwyck, which he finished with such accuracy, that even Stenwyck himself could scarcely determine which was the original or which the copy, when both were placed before him. He travelled through several parts of Italy to see the works of the celebrated masters of that country, and resided a few years at Rome; and abroad, as well as in his own country, the correctness of his drawing, and the delicate handling of his pictures, procured him employment, admirers, and friends. In the latter part of his life he discontinued painting, and only drew portraits on vellum with a pen, which he heightened with black lead, and thus gave them wonderful force and roundness. He died in 1638.