Encyclopædia americana. A popular dictionary of arts, sciences, literature, history, politics and biography, a new ed.; including a copious collection of original articles in American biography; on the basis of the 7th ed. of the German Conversations-lexicon. Ed. by Francis Lieber, assisted by E. Wigglesworth ...

CABIRIR-CABOT. 371
selves with those of their priests, the which the mystic phallus or lingam., and
oracular law, which enjoined the preser- the yoni (aJzoTov yvvauaCEov), were introduced,
vation of ancient barbaric names, and closed the ceremony.
thus led to a double nomenclature, sacred CABLE, in architecture; 1. wreathed ci.and profane, together with the profound cular mouldings, resembling a robe; also.
secrecy of the rites, have involved the the staff which is left in the lower part of'
subject in great obscurity. Some have the flutings of some examples of the Cothought that the Eastern mythology and rinthian and Composite orders.-2. In nathe Druidism of Western Europe contain val affairs, it is a long, thick rope, formed
traces of the Cabiri. Herodotus (ii. 51) of 3 strands of hemp, which is employed
says that their worship was brought to for confining a vessel to its place by
Samlothrace by the Pelasgi. Strabo (x. means of an anchor or other fixed -body.
4I72) says they are the same as the Cory- The long and heavy chains, which have
bantes. Others have identified them with been recently introduced for this purpose,
the Titans, the Dii Magni, the Penates, are also called cables. Large vessels have
the Dioscuri, &c. Some say there were ready for service 3 cables-the sheet cable,
6, 3 male and 3 female, children of Vul- the best bower cable, and the small bower
canl and Cabira, daughter of Proteus. cable. They should be at least 100-120
Others make 2, sons of Jupiter or fathoms in length. A best bower cable,
Bacchus. In Samothrace, 4 were vene- of 25 inches in circumference, is formed
rated. In Egypt, their temple was never of 3240 threads. The invention of iron
entered by any but the priests. In Phce- cables is of recent date, and they have
nicia, Rome (where, according to Pausa- supplanted those of hemp in ships of war.
nias, they had an altar in the circus maxi- They are stronger, less liable to be demus), and other countries of Europe and stroyed on rocks, &c. It is sometimes
Asia, traces of their worship are found. desirable to cut the cable when of hemp:
But the mysteries (Cabiria) celebrated at this contingency is provided for in iron
Samothrace were the most famous. The cables by a bolt and shackle at short dismysteries of Isis, Ceres, Mithras, Tropho- tances, so that, by striking out the bolt, the
nius, Bacchus, Rhea, Adonis, Osiris, and cable is easily detached.-Cable's length
all the similar customs of Egypt, Greece, is used to signify the measure of' 120
Hindostan and: Britain, seem: to be merely fathoms, the usual length of a cable.
varieties of the Samothracian rites, which CABOOSE; the cook-room or kitchen of
were celebrated in the obscurity of night, a ship. In smaller vessels, it is an enclosed
and with the most profound secrecy. fireplace, hearth or stove, for cooking, on
(See Faber on the.Mysteries of the Cabiri, the main deck. In a ship of war, the
Oxford, 1803, 2 vols. Svo.; Potter's GOre- cook-room is called a galley.-Caboose
cian dntiquities, ii. c. 20.) After a pre- also signifies the box that covers the chimvious probation of abstinence, chastity ney in a ship.
and silence, the candidates for initiation CABOT, George, was born in Salem,
were purified by water and blood; they Massachusetts, in the year 1752, and
then offered a sacrifice of a bull or ram, early manifested distinguished talents.
and were made to drink of two fountains, Hie spent the early part of his life in the
called Lethe (oblivion) and Mnemosyne employment of a shipmaster. But he
(memory), to wash away the memory of did not neglect the improvement of his
their former guilt, and to enable them to mind, even amid the restlessness and danremember the new instructions. They ger of a seafaring career. Before he was
were then transported into a dark tower twenty-six years of age, he was chosen
or cavern, where their ears were assailed to the provincial congress, which met at
by the most appalling sounds, the rushing Concord, with the visionary project of
of waters, the roar of thunder, dreadful ordaining a maximum of prices, in order
yells, with occasional gleams of light that commodities might be cheapened by
flashing through the darkness, and dis- constraining the owners to sell at reduced
playing the most horrible phantoms, with and fixed rates; and there he first disa dead body exposed on a bier. Thus played that intimate acquaintance with
filled with terror, they were suddenly hur- the true principles of political economy,
ried into other scenes; light and cheerful for which he was thenceforward preemimusic succeeded to darkness and the dis- nent. Before Adam Smith was known
mal sounds, the dead body revived, and the in the U. States, and Say and the other
temple resounded with rejoicings. The continental writers had formed any corhidden doctrines and secret rites were rect notions on the subject, Mr. Cabot
now communicated. Dances and orgies, in maintained the present enlightened dot