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 PENZA fruits of the harvest, and stood as the culmina- tion of the consecrated season, and was char- acterized by a hospitable liberality and re- membrance of the poor. Its distinguishing rite was the offering of two loaves of leav- ened bread from the new crop. In foreign countries, since the captivity, the Jews have prolonged it to two days, and in later times it has been kept as the commemoration of the revelation of the law on Sinai, of which it is the anniversary. The day is also kept as a festival in the Christian church, and among Latin and Greek Christians ranks next after Easter. It commemorates the day when, as related in Acts ii., the Holy Ghost descended upon the apostles, and bestowed on them the gift of tongues. The conversion of 3,000 per- sons was held to be the beginning of the preach- ing of the gospel to all nations. The festival of Pentecost was in the early ages one of the fa- vorite seasons for administering baptism ; and as those who received it were clothed in white to symbolize the spiritual purity which bap- tism confers, the day acquired the name of Whitsunday or Whitsuntide. PENZA. I. A central government of Euro- pean Russia, bordering on the governments of Nizhegorod, Simbirsk, Saratov, and Tam- bov; area, 15,035 sq. m. ; pop. in 186V, 1,197,- 393. The surface is level. There are six small lakes and several streams; but the only im- portant rivers are the Sura and the Moksha, both tributaries of the Volga. Valuable iron mines are worked near Troitzk, millstones are extensively quarried, and large quantities of sulphur are found. More than half the surface is arable or meadow land, and there are ex- tensive forests. Bee culture is one of the most important industries. There are iron works, glass works, tanneries, and numerous distil- leries. II. A city, capital of the government, at the junction of the rivers Penza and Sura, 340 m. S. E. of Moscow ; pop. about 28,000. It stands on an eminence, and is built prin- cipally of wood. Wool, linen, leather, soap, and silk are manufactured. An annual fair is held, which lasts from June 25 to July 4. PENZANCE, a seaport and the most westerly town of England, on Mount's bay, Cornwall, 24 m. S. W. of Truro and 9 m. E. K E. of Land's End; pop. in 1871, 10,406. It stands on a beautiful shore finely curved, and sur- rounded by rocky eminences. It has nine churches and several fine public buildings, the hall and museum of the Cornwall geological society, and a pier 600 ft. long with a light- house at its extremity. Tin and copper, which abound in the neighborhood, are exported in large quantities, as well as china clay and pil- chards. The climate is remarkably mild, and numerous invalids resort thither. PEON, a Spanish word signifying a day la- borer. In Spanish America it is applied es- pecially to Indian laborers. By the civil law under the Spanish colonial system, and by special statute in some countries, peons are PEORIA 277 compelled to work for their employers, provi- ded they are in debt to the latter, until the debt is paid. It is alleged that many proprie- tors, by enticing the peons in their employ- ment into needless expenditures, and by selling them goods and advancing them money, con- trive to keep them hopelessly in debt and in a consequent state of bondage. The creditor, however, has no power over the wife and chil- dren of the peon, nor can the latter be sold like a slave. Peons in New Mexico .formerly received wages at the rate of about $5 a month ; but the system of peonage there was abolished by act of congress, March 2, 1867, and it has also been abolished in the Argentine Republic and one or two other South American countries. PEORIA, a N. central county of Illinois, bounded S. E. by the Illinois river and Peoria lake, and drained by Spoon river and Kickapoo, Elbow, and Copperas creeks; area, 650 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 47,540. It is intersected by numerous railroads centring at the county seat. It has a gently undulating surface and very fertile soil. The chief productions in 1870 were 124,104 bushels of wheat, 99,592 of rye, 969,224 of Indian corn, 334,892 of oats, 108,039 of potatoes, 254,482 Ibs. of butter, and 22,036 tons of hay. There were 8,839 horses, 6,318 milch cows, 9,617 other cattle, 6,760 sheep, and 35,386 swine ; 7 manufactories of carriages and wagons, 10 of brick, 18 of cooper- age, 11 of furniture, 6 of iron castings, 11 of machinery, 9 of saddlery and harness, 16 of tin, copper, and sheet-iron ware, 11 distilleries, 6 breweries, and 9 flour mills. Capital, Peoria. PEORIA, a city and the capital of Peoria co., Illinois, on the W. bank of the Illinois river, here spanned by a drawbridge, at the foot of an expansion of that stream called Peoria lake, 62 m. K of Springfield, and 135 m. S. W. of Chicago ; pop. in 1850, 5,095 ; in 1860, 14,045 ; in 1870, 22,849, of whom 7,357 were foreign- ers. It is beautifully situated on rising ground, above the reach of floods. The country back of the city is a fertile rolling prairie. Peoria is regularly laid out, with wide and well graded streets. In the centre is a public square. It has an extensive trade in flour, starch, lumber, agricultural implements, and carriages. Regu- lar lines of steamers run to St. Louis and other points, and nine lines of railroads meet here, viz.: Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy; Chi- cago, Pekin, and Southwestern ; Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific ; Indianapolis, Bloomington> and Western ; Peoria, Pekin, and Jacksonville ; Peoria and Rock Island; Toledo, Peoria, and Warsaw; Illinois Midland ; and Toledo, Wabash, and Western. The manufactures are extensive, embracing foundery products, machinery, roll- ing mill products, steam boilers, ploughs and other agricultural implements, lumber, car- riages, and malt and distilled liquors. There are three national banks, with an aggregate capital of $500,000, three savings banks, a coun- ty normal school, graded city schools, five daily and five weekly newspapers (two of each Ger-