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 RIAD RIBBON 305 tonic and stomachic. As a purgative its ac- tion is moderate, and affects rather the mus- cular fibre than the secretory vessels. Its use is obviously indicated for relaxed conditions of the bowels, when the stomach is enfeebled, and a gentle cathartic is required, as in cer- tain cases of dyspepsia, diarrhoea, dysentery, &c. It is much used in combination with magnesia, calomel, and other cathartics, when greater purgative action is required. This ac- tion may be reduced by roasting or long boil- ing. It is exhibited in powder, sometimes made into pills with soap, also in infusion, sirup, and tincture. RIAD. See KIYAD. RIANZARES, Duke of. See Muffoz. Rl A/AX, or Riezan. I. A central government of European Russia, bordering on Vladimir, Tambov, Tula, and Moscow ; area, 16,249 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 1,477,433. The most important river is the Oka, which enters it in the north, and is connected with the Don by the Upa and the Ivanov canal. The soil is fertile in the south, but marshy in the north. There are ex- tensive pastures; the principal products are grain, fruits, hops, and tobacco. The inhabi- tants are nearly all Russians, but there are a few Mordvins and Tartars. There are manu- factories of coarse linen and woollen goods and of glass and iron. II. A city, capital of the government, on the Oka, 110 m. S. W. of Mos- cow, with which it is connected by rail ; pop. in 1867, 17,950. It is the seat of a Greek archbishop, and has a theological seminary, a gymnasium, a school for young noblemen, and manufactories of cloth, linen, and iron ware. RIB. See SKELETON. RIBACLT, Jean, a French navigator, born in Dieppe, killed in Florida in 1565. When Ad- miral Coligni had obtained from Charles IX. a patent authorizing him to send an expedition to Florida, two vessels under command of Ri- bault sailed from Dieppe Feb. 18, 1562, and, leaving the usual track so as not to touch at any of the islands held by the Spaniards, came on April 30 in sight of the coast of Florida. Sailing northward along the coast, Ribault an- chored in Port Royal harbor in the present state of South Carolina. A fort was built, probably not far south of the present site of Beaufort, and named Fort Charles in honor of the king of France, and 26 colonists were left to keep possession of the country. Returning home, Ribault found France distracted by a civil war, and no aid could be procured for the new colony, the members of which were soon reduced by violence and starvation, and at last the few survivors set sail for their native coun- try in a crazy bark and were picked up by an English ship. A new expedition under Ren6 de Laudonniere sailed in April, 1564, and made a settlement on the river May, now called the St. John's, building a fort which they called Caroline. Affairs were mismanaged, no ground was cultivated, some engaged in depredations upon the Spaniards, and all were on the point of returning to France when Ribault, who had sailed from Dieppe on May 22, 1565, arrived with a fleet of seven vessels, and superseded Laudon- niere in the government of the colony. Scarcely had he anchored when, on Sept. 4, five Span- ish vessels under Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles made their appearance. His name and objects were demanded. "I am Menendez of Spain," was the haughty answer, " sent with strict orders from my king to gibbet and behead all the Protestants in these regions. The French- man who is a Catholic I will spare ; every heretic shall die." The French fleet, unpre- pared for battle, cut its cables ; and the Span- iards after an ineffectual chase entered the harbor of St. Augustine. Against the advice of his officers, especially Laudonniere, Ribault determined to sail for St. Augustine with all the available forces of the colony, and there at- tack the Spaniards. He had scarcely reached the open sea when a terrible storm arose, by which his squadron was all wrecked on the coast of Florida not far from Cape Canaveral. In the mean time Menendez marched over land, surprised Fort Caroline, and massacred nearly 200 of both sexes. Ignorant of this, Ribault and more than 500 men set out for their fort, travelling through an unknown country. They divided into two parties, the first of which, consisting of 200 men, went in advance of the others, and after coming within a few leagues of St. Augustine surrendered to Menendez at discretion, and were executed. Ribault was with the second party, most of which also fell into the hands of Menendez, who massacred nearly all of them, among them their com- mander, "not as Frenchmen, but as Luther- ans." The French and Spanish accounts differ in some particulars, but agree in the leading facts. In London a volume of 42 pages, now extremely rare, consisting of an English trans- lation of the report of his first voyage made by Ribault to Coligni, was published under the title of " The whole and true Discoverye of Terra Florida (Englished the Florishing Land), con- teyning as well the wonderful straunge Na- tures and Maners of the People, with the mer- veylous Commodities and Treasures of the Country; as also the pleasaunt Fortes and Havens, and Wayes thereunto never found out before the last year, 1562. Written in French, by Captain Ribauld, the fyrst that whollye dis- covered the same, and now newly set forthe in Englishe, the xxx. of May, 1563." RIBBON (formerly spelled riband and riban ; Fr. rubari), a narrow strip of woven silk, either plain or ornamented. The manufacture of rib- bons first-attained great importance in the 17th century. About 1680 embossed ribbons were much in fashion, as they are again becoming (1875). They are stamped with hot plates of steel, each piece having a portion of the pattern engraved upon it. Figured ribbons were made chiefly at Paris, but Lyons and Avignon were also largely engaged in the manufacture until after 1723, when the former had secured most