Egypt, and became one of the most popular of military leaders. After the French were driven out, he fought with the Turks against the Mamelukes, and finally was made pasha or chief ruler by the people of Cairo and confirmed in his power by the sultan of Turkey. After many contests with the Mamelukes, aided during part of the time by the British, he in 1811 enticed a large number into Cairo and treacherously murdered 470 of his guests, following it by a general massacre of the Mamelukes throughout the country. In 1816 he conquered part of Arabia, in 1820 Nubia and part of Sudan. His armies, under his son Ibrahim (q. v.), invaded Syria, which Turkey ceded to Egypt on condition of tribute. His conquests were checked when within six days' march of Constantinople, by the allied forces of the European powers. In 1840 he was compelled by Great Britain, Russia, Austria and Prussia to accept terms of peace, by which Egypt was secured to him and his descendants on condition of yielding Syria to the sultan and paying tribute. He introduced many modern improvements into Egypt, maintained a standing army, and increased irrigation, the cultivation of cotton and manufactures. He died at Cairo, Aug. 2, 1849.
Moha've Desert. This desert region lies in southern California, a triangle bounded to the east by Mohave River and to the south by the San Bernardino Mountains. It is northeast of Los Angeles, and includes parts of San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Kern Counties
Mo'hawks, American Indians, one of the Five Nations or Iroquois, They were friends of the Dutch in New York and afterwards of the English, and during the French and English wars they did good service in Canada. In the Revolutionary War, under Brant, they fought with the English and massacred American settlers. Since 1784 they have been settled in Upper Canada (Ontario). See History of the Five Indian Nations by Golden and Brant and Red Jacket by Eggle-ston and Seelye.
Mohawk Valley. This valley, which is over 100 miles in length, is traversed by the Mohawk, a fine stream which joins the Hudson at Cohoes. The valley, which is a natural route between New York and the Great Lakes, was the scene of some of the chief campaigns of the War of Independence. It is a rich and prosperous agricultural district, noted for its smiling beauty.
Mohicans (mo-hefkanz) or Mohegans (mo-he'ganz), a tribe of Indians belonging to the Algonquin family, who were living on the Hudson when its valley was settled by the Dutch. They fled to Connecticut, being driven there by the Mohawks. They joined the English against the French, but during the Revolution sided with the Americans. They have since been scattered, some settling at Oneida, N. Y., some moving to Wisconsin,
and a small remnant going to Kansas. They have mostly given up their language, and have become citizens. The name has been made famous by Cooper's novel, The Last of the^ Mohicans. See Indian Mission at Stock-bridge by Jones and Indian History for Young Folks by Drake.
Moldau (mdl'dou)j the principal river in Bohemia, rises 3,870 feet above the sea, in the southwestern part of the country, and flows first southeast and then north, until, after 278 miles, it joins the Elbe about 20 miles north of Prague.
Molda'via. See RUMANIA.
Mole, a small burrowing animal with pointed head, no neck, very large, spade-like front feet, short front legs and thick clumsy body. The front paws are broad and stout and well-fitted for digging, the nose for boring and pushing. Moles are covered with a dense, velvety fur of a dark color. As they lead an underground life, their eyes are minute or rudimentary and often covered with skin. They have no external ear. They are found both in the Old and the New World in the northern hemisphere. The common Eng-* lish mole disfigures lawns, pastures and gardens extensively by the ridges and furrows it makes hunting after food, but, as it feeds on injurious larvae and insects, it compensates for the damage. The European mole lives in a colony, in a fortress that is complicated. In little hillocks of earth, called molehills, there is constructed a central chamber, surrounded by two ring-like galleries, one above the other. These circular galleries are connected by vertical passages, and the upper one has five openings into the central cavity. From the lower gallery about nine alleys lead off in different directions toward the feeding-grounds. They feed mainly on earthworms, and also eat insects, larvae and field mice Occasionally, on fine summer nights they issue from their burrows. They are great sleepers as well as great and rapid workers. Our American species are all small, and have very soft, silky fur. Our common mole is about six and one .half inches long, has glossy hair of varying shades of gray, sometimes of a rusty tinge. Its range is southern Canada and the lowlands of the eastern United States down to Florida, common in dry meadow lands. The hairy-tailed mole (Brewer's mole) belongs distinctly to the north. The star-nosed mole spends much time about the water, tunnels along brook and pond and in swampy soil, can swim under water as well as on the surface. To the prairie country belongs the prairie or silver mole. Moles are invaluable to the farmer, waging war on insect life in the soil; though often accused by him of stealing his corn-seed and vegetables.
Mole«=Cricket. See CRICKET.
Molecule (mol'e-kul) is a word which is employed in science with two rather different meanings. Experiment has shown that
