Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 02.djvu/212

ASYMPTOTE. the distance between them, and hence, the volume of gas, become naught? Evidently, at a point infinitely distant from the line OX — that is to say, at a point representing an infinitely great pressure. For under any finite pressure, no matter how great, a gas still occupies a certain definite volume. The line OY is therefore, according to the definition, an asymptote of our curve, and so is, for analogous reasons, the line OX.

AS YOU LIKE IT. A comedy by Shakespeare, founded entirely on Lodge's romance, Rosalynde, save for the introduction of Touchstone, Audrey, and Jaques. It was written in 1599, but did not exist in folio until 1623.

ATA, a-tii', ATAA, or ITAA. A mixed Malay and Negrito people of Misamis Province, Mindanao, with separate speech. It is also the name of a mixed Vicol and Negrito people in Camarines-sur-Province, Luzon. They are not to be confounded with Æta. See.

ATACAMA, a'tU-kii'ma. A northern province of Chile, bounded by the Province of Antofa- gasta on the north, the Argentine Province of Catamarca on the east, Coquimbo on the south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Its area, excluding the desert portion, is 28,380 square miles. The surface is stony, scantily watered, and mostly barren. Its mineral riches, however, lend it considerable importance. Copper and silver are the chief minerals mined on a large scale, but there are also found considerable de- posits of gold, nickel, cobalt, and iron. The salt and saltpetre deposits of the province are almost inexhaustible. Owing to its important mineral productions Atacama is well supplied with railway lines, which connect the more im- portant mineral centres. The first railway built in Chile connects the capital with Caldera, the best ocean port of the country. Population in 1895, 59,713. Capital, Copiapó (q.v. ). Consult Suess-Margerie, Face de la terre, vol. i., p. 692 (Paris, 1897).

ATACAMA. A vast desert region in Chile and partly in Bolivia, extending along the coast of the Pacific, from the River Loa to Copiapó, and embracing the Chilean Province of Antofagasta, and a part of the Province of Atacama (Map: Chile, D 9). It rises abruptly from the coast, attaining an elevation varying between 11,000 to 18,000 feet., and containing a number of volcanoes. In spite of its extreme elevation, the character of the country is but slightly mountainous, and even in the more elevated parts are found large salt lagunes and marshes. The region is very rich in minerals, especially in copper and silver. The scanty rainfall and the scarcity of fresh water make it almost uninhabitable. Prior to 1884 the larger part of the Atacama Desert formed a department of Bolivia, with an area of over 70,000 square miles. At present Bolivia possesses only a small portion of the territory, which is incorporated in the Department of Potosi, while the remainder was ceded to Chile in 1884. Consult: L. Darapsky. "Der Puna de Atacama," vol. xxxiv., Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Erdkunde (Berlin. 1899); A. Pissis, ''El desierto de Atacama, su geologia, sus producciones y minerales. Anal. Univ. Chile,'' p. 573 (Santiago, 1877).

ATAC'AMITE. A copper hydroxychloride that crystallizes in the orthorhombic system. It is usually found as a bright green sand or incrustation. As sand it was originally discovered in the Atacama Province in northern Chile, whence its name; and it also occurs in Peru, Bolivia, and Australia. It has been found as a crust on the lavas of Vesuvius and Etna in Italy; also in Saxony and in Arizona. The deposits in South America, which contain from 50 to 60 per cent. of copper, are regarded as valuable sources of copper, and have been sent to England to be smelted. Atacamite has been ground up in Chile and sold under the name of arsenillo as sand for letters. The greenish incrustation found on antique bronze utensils, weapons, and other articles, and commonly known as ærugo nobilis, is composed of this mineral.

ATAHUALPA, a'ta-wal'p: (?-1533). Inca of Peru. He was the favorite son of Huayna Capac, who upon his death-bed made Atahualpa King of Quito, while Huascar. his eldest son, re- ceived Peru (1525). In the spring of 1530, Ata- hualpa, incensed at Huascar's demand for hom- age, declared war against him, and completely defeated Huascar on the plains of Quipaypan, in the neighborhod of Cuzco, the native Peruvian capital, in 1532, a few months before the arrival of the Spaniards. Huascar was taken prisoner and confined in the strong fortress of Xauxa. Then followed, according to Garcilasso de la Vega, a series of atrocious massacres of all the royal family of the Incas. The extent of these massacres was undoubtedly grossly exaggerated by the surviving relatives of the victims, from whom Garcilasso derived his information; but there seems to be no sufficient reason for doubt- ing that Atahualpa killed all whom he had reason to fear as future rivals. In the meantime the Spaniards had disembarked at Tumbez, and after a perilous march through the unknown country, Pizarro, at the head of his 200 cavaliers, approached the victorious camp of Atahualpa, where he found some 50.000 men assembled. By a stratagem Pizarro obtained possession of the person of the king. Atahualpa was treated with a great show of kindness at first, and more espe- cially when he offered, as a ransom, to fill the room in which he stood with gold as high as he could reach. When Atahualpa's brother, Huas- car, who was still a prisoner, heard of this he offered still more advantageous terms for him- self. To prevent this Atahualpa had him se- cretly assassinated. The golden treasure which was to constitute the ransom of Atahualpa now began to pour in, and at length Atahualpa