an island, harbour, and cape of the Eastern Peninsula, is situated at the S.W. extremity of the kingdom of Pegu, in N. Lat. 16. 1., E. Long. 94. 12. The island is small, and is now deserted and overgrown with jungle; but the harbour is one of the safest in the Bay of Bengal. In 1687 a settlement was founded here by the British government of Madras, but it was soon after abandoned. In 1751 it was again for a short time occupied by the British; and in 1757 was ceded to them by the Burman emperor; but two years afterwards, the Burmese attacked it, and put to death all the inhabitants who did not succeed in effecting their escape.

NEGROES. See Ethnology, and Africa.

NEGROPONT, or Chalcis, a town of Greece, capital of Euboea, is situated on the Euripus, which separates that island from the mainland, and is here at its narrowest point only 40 yards in breadth. It is built in the form of a crescent, touching the sea at each extremity, and surrounding the citadel, or castro, as it is termed, which stands on a lofty rock overlooking the straits. The fortifications of the citadel are partly of Venetian and partly of Turkish construction; while the outer walls of the town, which are now in a state of great dilapidation, are Venetian. The streets are narrow, but there are many good houses, especially those built by the Venetians. There is also a Gothic church with square towers; and, as a few Mohammedans still remain in Negropont, one of the mosques is used by them in its former capacity, while the others have been converted into Christian churches. The gate of the citadel is surmounted by the lion of St Mark. In the middle of the straits is a small rocky islet, on which stands a tower; and this is connected with the mainland by a stone bridge about 70 feet long, and with the island by one of wood 35 feet long, with a drawbridge at each end, to allow the passage of ships. The ancient name of the town was Chalcis; and it was a place of great importance in antiquity. Strabo