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 272 BANIM BANJO in width, and are downy on both sides when young, becoming smooth and brilliant as they grow. The Brahmins use the leaves as plates and dishes. The bark is supposed by the Hin- doos to be a powerful tonic ; and they use the white gum of the tree as a cure for the tooth- ache, or apply it as a healing plaster to the feet when chafed or bruised. Bird-lime is also made from this gum. The wood of the tree ia porous and almost useless. i:Mll. I. John, an Irish novelist, born in Kilkenny, April 3, 1798, died near Kilkenny, Aug. 1, 1842. In his youth he went to Dub- lin and afterward to London to seek literary employment, was befriended by Shiel, and in his 24th year won a brilliant success by his 'tragedy of " Damon and Pythias," played by Macready and Kemble at Covent Garden. Soon afterward he began with his brother Michael a series of novels illustrative of Irish life, which appeared in 1825 under the title of "Tales by the O'Hara Family," and were followed in 1826 by a second series. " The Bit o' Writin'," "Boyne Water," "The Denounced," "The Nowlans," "The Smug- gler," and other stories appeared at short in- tervals, and nearly all became very popular. Banim died in poverty, and in his latter years was supported chiefly by a pension from the government. II. Michael, brother of the pre- ceding, born in August, 1796. He assisted his brother in the "Tales by the O'Hara Family," and is the author of "The Croppy," "Father Connell," "Crohoore of Bill-hook," "TheGhost- hunter," " The Mayor of Wind Gap," &c. BANISTER, or Halifax Court House, a post vil- lage of Halifax co., Virginia, on the Banister river, 10 m. above its confluence with the Dan, and 120 m. by rail S.W. of Richmond ; pop. in 1870, 3,731. The Richmond and Danville rail- road passes through it, and the river is navi- gable for bateaux from its mouth to Meadville, 10m. above Banister. Six miles from the vil- lage there is a plumbago mine. BANJERDIASSIN, or Banjarmassin. I. A large state of S. E. Borneo, governed by a sultan subordinate to the Dutch government; pop. vaguely estimated at about 300,000, nearly all Mohammedans. It borders on the strait of Macassar, and is bounded W. by the Ban.KT river. A range of mountains, some of them over 3,000 ft. high, runs through the district. Iron, diamonds, and excellent coal are found, and the natives are noted for their skill in making all kinds of arms. Pepper is the most im- portant product of the soil. The trade is con- trolled by the Chinese. The Dutch settled here in 1747, and in 1787 made a treaty with the sultan by which their supremacy was recognized in consideration of their aid in re- pelling an invasion from Celebes. The British East India company seized Banjermassin in 1811, but restored it in 1817. II. The chief town of the preceding state, and capital of the Dutch residency of the S. and E. consts, situ- ated on the left bank of the river Banjer, about 15 m. from its mouth in the Java sea ; lat. 3 23' S., Ion. 114 37' E. ; pop. about 15,000. The houses are raised on piles, the site being fre- quently inundated, and most of the traffic is carried on in boats. There is a fort, winch encloses the Dutch resident's house, barracks, &c. Pepper, benzoin, bezoar, rattans, iron, and birds' nests are exported. The imports include rice, salt, sugar, opium, gunpowder, silk, <fcc. BANJO (corrupted from bandore, a species of guitar), a musical stringed instrument much esteemed by the negroes of the southern