Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/790

 762 YADKIN YAKUTSK vessels, and under the same penalties, are pro- hibited from going to a foreign port with such papers only. A yacht belonging to an incor- porated or organized club may be sent abroad without taking out an ordinary certificate of registry ; but in such cases special application must be made to the treasury department, through a collector of customs, for a commis- sion. This is in the nature of a sea letter, or passport, as evidence of the nationality of the vessel. A treasury circular dated Dec. 5, 1874, gives the following rules relating to the lights to be carried by yachts, and no others shall be carried, in all weathers, between sunset and sunrise while under way or being towed : on the starboard side, a green light, of such a character as to be visible on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at least two miles, so constructed as to show uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, and so fixed as to throw the light ahead two points abaft the beam on the starboard side ; on the port side, a red light, of the same character and in all respects similar to the starboard light, and so fixed as to throw it two points abaft the beam on the port side. The green and red lights shall be fitted with inboard screens, pro- jecting at least three feet forward from the lights, so as to prevent them from being seen across the bow. YADKIN, a river of North Carolina, which rises at the foot of the Blue Ridge in Galdwell co., and runs E. to Stokes co., whence it flows 8. S. E. into South Carolina, where it receives the name of Great Pedee. (See PEDEE, GREAT.) In North Carolina it receives several affluents, the most considerable of which are Rocky river and Abbot's creek. Its descent is rapid, and it is often obstructed by shoals. YADKIN, a N. VV. county of North Carolina, bounded N. and E. by the Yadkin river; area, 310 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 10,697, of whom 1,444 were colored. It has a diversified sur- face and a productive soil. Iron ore is found. The chief productions in 1870 were 42,109 bushels of wheat, 223,856 of Indian corn, 63,- 159 of oats, 12,172 of Irish and 10,139 of sweet potatoes, 63,389 Ibs. of butter, 11,123 of wool, 98,493 of tobacco, and 884 tons of hay. There were 1,435 horses, 2,283 milch cows, 2,995 other cattle, 5,941 sheep, and 12,682 svin. . Capital, Yadkinvillo. YAK. (polphagm grunnient, Gray), an animal of the ox tribe, inhabiting the mountains of Thibet and central Asia. The wild yak is larger than domestic cattle, generally black, and characterized by a thick fringe of long hair hanging from the lower part of the body nearly to the ground; the general covering is long, thick, and soft, the head short, horns round and smooth, ears, nose, and nostrils small, forehead apparently prominent on ac- count of the curling hair, eyes large and full, neck short, shoulders high and arched, rump low, and legs very short; the hair of the tail is long and fine as in the horse ; they seem heavier than they really are, and have rutlu-r a downcast, sullen, and suspicious look ; they are found only near the line of perpetual snow. The domesticated yak is nearly 4 ft. high at the shoulders, and 7 ft. long from nose to tail ; they vary in size and color, probably from in- termixture with common cattle, but have the fringe on the lower parts; they make a grunt- Tlk (PoO-phagus grunniens). ing noise, whence the specific name. They are strong and sure-footed, and are used in agriculture and as beasts of burden ; tents and ropes are made of the hair, and caps and jack- ets of the skins ; the milk is rich and the but- ter excellent ; the latter is kept in skins and bladders for a year, and forms an important article of merchandise. Their tails are esteem- ed in India as brushes for driving off flies and other insects from men, horses, and elephants; they are often set in costly handles, and are called chowries; the Chinese dye them red, and wear them in their hats. Those with white tails are most esteemed, and the horns are sometimes as white as ivory. YAKIMA, a S. county of Washington territory, on the E. slope of the Cascade mountains and extending into the valley of the Columbia; area, about 5,000 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 432. It embraces the valley of the Yakima river, and contains excellent grazing lands, fertile and productive tracts, and abundant timber. The chief productions in 1870 were 1,250 bushels of wheat, 1,270 of oats, 3,973 Ibs. of wool, and 518 tons of hay. There were 429 horses, 104 mules and asses, 1,621 milch cows, 2,547 other cattle, 1,861 sheep, and 87 swine. Capital, Yakima City. YAKUTSK. I. A province of E. Siberia, bounded N. by the Arctic ocean, E. and S. E. by the Littoral province, 8. by the Amoor and the Transbaikal provinces, S. W. by the gov- ernment of Irkutsk, and W. by that of Yeni- seisk ; area, 1,517,077 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 231,977. The coast, which is deeply indented, is a dreary region of frozen plains and swamps, called the tundra, covered with moss, on which reindeer feed. It abounds in fossil remains, and the tusks of mammoths washed out by the