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 LEICESTER was a place of importance ; and numerous ves- tiges of those ancient times are still in exist- ence. In 1851 tessellated pavements and oth- er Roman remains were discovered. The name LEICHHARDT LEICHHARDT, Ludwlg, a German explorer, born at Trebatsch, Prussia, Oct. 23, 1813, died in Australia in 1848. He studied at Gottingen and Berlin, being aided by William Nicholson, a physician of Bristol, whom he accompanied to France, Italy, and England, and who also enabled him to go to Australia in 1841. From Sydney he made several excursions into the interior, gathering much valuable infor- mation. A subscrip- tion amounting to 125 having been raised to fit out an exploring expedition under his charge, he left Moreton bay, on the E. coast, in August, 1844, with sev- en companions, crossed what is now the colony of Queensland and the S. part of York penin- sula, rounded the gulf Magazine and Newark Gate, Leicester. Leicester is derived from the river Leire (now Soar). Leicester had formerly a mint in which were produced a succession of coins from the time of the Saxon Athelstan to Henry II. LEICESTER, Earl of. See DUDLEY, ROBERT. LEICESTER OF IIOLRHAM. See COKE, THOM- AS WILLIAM. LEICESTERSHIRE, a central county of Eng- land, bordering on the counties of Notting- ham, Lincoln, Rutland, Northampton, Warwick, Stafford, and Derby ; area, 797 sq. m. ; pop. in 1871, 269,311. The surface consists almost en- tirely of gently rising hills, but nowhere pre- sents any bold features. It is chiefly included in the basin of the Trent, the principal tributa- ry of which in Leicestershire is the Soar (anc. Leire). The Avon, a tributary of the Severn, forms the S. boundary for nearly 8 m. ; and the Welland, which falls into the Wash, for about 17 m., separating Leicester from North- amptonshire. The E. portion of the county 'belongs to the lias formation, and the W. to the sandstone. Coal exists to a considerable extent in the west. Limestone, gypsum, slate, whetstones, and clay are also found. The climate is mild and genial. The soil is loamy, and varies in fertility. The best soils are gen- erally kept in pasture, for which the county is preeminent. The principal crop is barley ; but wheat, oats, and beans are extensively cul- tivated. Leicestershire has long been famous as a hunting county, Melton-Mo wbr ay being the headquarters of the sportsmen. The chief towns are Leicester (the county town), Ash- by-de-la-Zouch, Bosworth, Market-Harbor ough, Lutterworth, Melton-Mowbray, Mount Sorrel, Whit wick, and Castle Donnington. of Carpentaria, and reached the settlement of Victoria Dec. 17, 1845, whence he returned by water to Sydney, arriving March 29, 1 846. In October he again set out. hoping to find a direct passage across Australia to the N. coast ; but he was repeatedly baffled, and was unable to carry out his project until December, 1847. His last letter was dated at Fitzroy Downs, W. of More- ton bay, April 8, 1848. Reports of his having been killed were received in 1850, and were confirmed in 1852 by the searching expedition of Hovenden Hely. In 1862 Conn and Giles discovered graves which were supposed to be those of Leichhardt and his companions ; but new expeditions under Maclntyre in 1865 and Forrest in 1869 failed to throw light upon the fate of the explorer. In 1872 the authorities of Sydney sent out Andrew Hume, who affirm- ed that in 1862 he had met with Classen, the brother-in-law of Leichhardt, and his second in command, at a native settlement near the head of Sturt's creek. Hume returned to Syd- ney in February, 1874, and reported that he had again met Classen with the same natives, who had in the mean time removed to the head waters of Fitzroy river. According to Hume's report of Classen's statement, Leichhardt's men mutinied at the head of Victoria river, and were afterward killed by the natives; Leichhardt dying from want five days after the mutiny, and being buried in a hollow tree, ac- cording to the custom of the natives, and the life of Classen being spared on account of his skill in medicine. Hume professed to have in his possession the watch and quadrant of Leichhardt, a portion of his diary, and a writ- ten statement drawn up by Classen. He also discovered a letter written by Leichhardt at