Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume II.djvu/386

 366 BASUAGE DE BEAUVAL BASQUES artist's purpose, skill, and materials. When whole rods or twigs are not adapted to the kind of work required, they are divided into splits and skeins. Splits are made by cleaving the rod lengthwise into four parts, by means of an implement consisting of two blades, cross- ing each other at right angles, the intersection of which passes down the pith of the rod. These splits are next drawn through an imple- ment resembling a common spoke-shave, keep- ing the pith presented to the edge of the iron, and the back of the split against the wood of the implement. The split is then passed through another implement, called an upright, to bring it to a more uniform shape. This consists of a flat piece of steel, each end of which has a cut- ting edge, like that of an ordinary chisel ; this piece is bent round, and the edges are made to approach each other as near as desired by means of screws, the whole being fixed into a handle. By passing the splits between these two edges, they are reduced to any required thickness. The implements required in basket making are few and simple, consisting, besides those just mentioned, of knives, bodkins, and drills for boring, leads for steadying the work while in progress, and when it is of small di- mensions, and a piece of iron called a beater. The splints of various kinds of wood, particu- larly certain species of ash, elm, and birch, are extensively employed in basket work. These splints are obtained by beating logs of the wood with a maul, thus loosening and separating the different layers or rings into narrow strips. This is the simple and primitive process, and is necessarily slow, and restricted to woods of a free texture. Several machines have been in- vented and are now employed for the manu- facture of splints, by which different kinds of wood, prepared by steaming or otherwise, are cut or rived into the required form. Basket willow and osier are terms commonly applied to the species of salix most used in basket work. (See OSIEB.) BASNAGE DE BEAUVAL, Jaeqnes, a French au- thor and diplomatist, born in Rouen in 1653, died at the Hague in 1722 or 1723. He received an excellent theological and classical education, was Protestant minister at Eouen from 1676 to 1685, and on the suppression of the Reformed church in that city was pensioned and permitted to go to Rotterdam, where he had charge of the Walloon church till 1709. He afterward pre- sided over the same denomination at the Hague at the request of Heinsius, whose influence also led to his being employed diplomatically. In 1717 he cooperated with the abbe Dubois in con- cluding a defensive alliance between the states general and France and Great Britain, after which his confiscated Rouen estates were re- stored to him. He was the author of various theological and other works, the best of which is his Huttoire des Juifs, depute Jesus-Christ rmqrfau present, pour serqir de supplement d I HMoire de Josephe (5 volL Rotterdam, 1706 : new ed., Paris, 1710). / BASQUE I'ROVl.MKS. See BASQUES. BASQUES, a peculiar race, who from time immemorial have inhabited both slopes of the Pyrenees. They number about 800,000, of whom about 150,000 are in the French depart- ment of Basses-Pyrenees, the remainder in the Spanish provinces of Navarre, Biscay, Guipuz- coa, and Alava. The last three provinces are usually styled the Basque provinces. From the remotest times the Basques have remained unsubdued in their mountain homes, and nei- ther Carthaginian, Roman, Gothic, Saracen, French, nor Spanish domination has been able to efface their distinctive characteristics. They are of middle size, compactly built, robust and agile, of a darker complexion than the Span- iards, with gray eyes and black hair. They are simple, but proud, impetuous, merry, and hospitable. The women are beautiful, skilful in performing men's work, and remarkable for Basques. their vivacity and grace. The Basques are much attached to dancing, and are very fond of the music of the bagpipe. The national dress is a red jacket, long breeches, a red or brown sash, a square-knotted neck tie, hempen shoes, and pointed caps. The women wear head- dresses of gay colors over their variously braided and twisted hair. In the social rela- tions of the Basques patriarchal manners and habits prevail. The art of agriculture is but little advanced, yet the fertility of the soil and the industry of the occupants produce an abun- dance. Among the Spanish Basques there is an almost universal equality of conditions, the nobility being few in number. There are few cities or villages, but small houses lie scattered upon nearly all the heights. In their political constitution, they are divided into districts, each of which chooses annually an alcalde, who is both a civil and military officer, and a mem- ber of the supreme junta, which meets every