POTENTILLA. 316 POTLATCH. more species in the northern and central portions of the United States. POTENZA, p6-ten'tsa. The capital of the rrovinte of Potenza, Italy, situated on a hill near the Basento, 55 miles east of Salerno (Map: Italy, K 7). It is surrounded by a wall; it has a Doric cathedral, a gymnasium, a lyceum, a semi- nary, and an industrial school. The industries are" the cultivation of the vine and the manu- facture of bricks. Potenza has been largely re- built since the earthquake in 1857. Remains of several ancient cities, including Potentm, are in the vicinity. Popuhition (commune), in 1881, 20,281; in "1901, 16,186. POTGIETER, pot'ge-ter, Everhardus Jo- hannes (1808-75). A Dutch critic and poet, born at Zwolle. He was engaged in business in Antwerp for a time, then settled in Amsterdam, where he became one of the circle of younger authors, and in 1837 founded De Gids, in w'hich he made liimself a name by clever criticism and excellent fiction and verse. These papers were collected partly by himself (1804-69; and in many editions) and partly by Zimmermann ( 1875 et seq.) . Potgieter's further works are: Bet Noorden in omtrrkkcn en tafcreelcn (1836-40); Liedekens vmi Bontekoe (1840); a poem Flor- ence (1868), typical of his worse style because of its obscurity; and a biography of Bakhuizen van den Brink (1870; 2d ed. 1890). Consult: Groenewegen, E. J. Potgieter (Haarlem, 1893) ; and Beets, Persoonlijke herinneringen (ib., 1892). POTHIEB, po'tya', Robert Joseph (1699- 1772). A celebrated French law writer. He yftia born at Orleans ; received a thorough education in a denominational school ; studied law at the University of Orleans, attain- ing distinction in his classes ; and after his ad- mission to practice was made a judge of an inferior local court. He retained his studious habits, and in 1749 he was made a professor of law in the University of Orleans. He devoted himself to legal literature with great success. Perhaps his most important work was Pandectce Justinianew in Xomim Ordinem Digestce (Pan- dects of Justinian) (Paris, 1818-20). His works entitled Maritime Contracts (Boston, 1821), Treatise on Obligations (3d Amer. ed., Phila- delphia, 1853) and Ctmtract of Sale (Boston, 1839) were translated into English and pub- lished in the United States. Much of the Civil Code of France was compiled from his works. POTI, po'tye. A seaport on the western coast of the Caucasus, Russia, situated in a marshy and unhealthful region at the mouth of the Rion and 60 miles west of Kutais (Map: Russia, F G). Although it has only a small harbor, Poti is one of the chief seaports of the Caucasus and the ter- minus of one of the principal railway lines. Its chief exports are corn, manganese, palm wood, and grain. The imports are insignificant. Popu- lation, in 1897. 7700. PO'TID.ffi'A (Lat-., from Gk. HorlSaia. Po- tidaia). .Kn important town of Macedonian Chal- cidice. Originally a colony of Corinth, it became tributary to Athens. Its revolt from the latter city in n.c. 432 was one of the causes of the out- break of the Peloponnesian War. In B.C. 429 the town was forced to surrender to the Athe- nians. A century later it was rebuilt by Cas- sander and renamed Cassandria. POTIEB, po'tya', Alfred ( 1840— ) . A French physicist and engineer, born at Paris. He studied at the Polytechnique and the Ecole des Mines, was appointed engineer in 1863, cngineer-in-chief in 1881, in the latter year became professor of physics in the Polytechnique, and in 1891 was elected a member of the Academy of Sciences. His researches include interesting studies in geology and investigations, with Joubert, Allard, and others, to determine a means of measuring the energy dispensed by magneto and dynamo-electric machines and instruments. His published writ- ings consist of papers contributed to the Comptes Rcndiis of the Academy of Sciences, the Journal de jjliysiquc, the Annales de physique et de cliiinic, and other periodicals. POT'IPHAR PAPERS, The. A series of satires by George W. Curtis on the vulgar, vain, shallow society of his day, contributed to Put- nam's Magazine (1853). POTLATCH (Nootka Indian potlafsh, paht- latsh, gift). A custom of ceremonial gift dis- tribution on a large scale, prevalent among the Kwakiutl, Chimsyan, and other tribes of the northwest coast. The custom is the greatest of' all public ceremonies among these tribes, and the principal actor spends a lifetime of preparation in accumulating and storing up valuable prop- erty, all of which is finally to be given away in one magnificent display of generosity in the presence of the assembled tribesmen from the villages for miles around. Although to a stranger this wholesale giving appears a mere display of wasteful extravagance, it is in fact a wise in- vestment at compound interest to be repaid in double value when need shall demand and in whatever form of help may be required. Boas says : "The principle underlying a potlatch is that each man who has received a present becomes to double the amount he has received the debtor of the giver." The potlatch is in fact the recognized investment system of the northwest coast, the security being guaranteed by tribal honor. Potlatch ceremo- nies are celebrated on all important occasions, as the taking of a name or a wife, the initiation into a new dance, the installation of a chief, as well as at the will of the individual giver. When a great distribution is to be made, the announcement is first sent out by the chief to all the neighboring tribes, after which the date is fixed by council in the tribe of the giver. Mes- sengers are then again sent out to invite the guests, who come in canoes, halting at some dis- tance from the village to put on their best dress and paint. They then advance to the village in grand canoe procession, the bows of the canoes all abreast, each tribe singing its own song for the ceremony. As they draw near, the whole vil- lage goes down to the beach to welcome them, the chief's son or daughter, dressed in the mask of his clan, leading the way with a dance in their honor. A few blankets are given them, when they are escorted to the chief's house, where blankets are again distributed. They are then feasted, first bv the chief, and then by all the others of the tribe who can afford it. After the feasting is done the grand distribution takes place, with songs and ceremonial accompaniment, each guest receiving blankets and other property
