PINZON. 44 ably of privations encountered during the voyage, lie died soon after at the Convent of La R/ibida. Consult Asensio, Martin .llonso Pinzdn, estudio historico (Madrid, 1802). PINZON, Vicente Yanez (c.1463-c.1519). A coni|iai]ioii of Cohiiiibus. lie was born in Palos, and was a younger brother of JIartin Alonso Pinzon (q.v. ). I'inzon eonmianded the A'lilrt on the first voyage, and afterwards became the greatest of the seafaring men engaged in dis- coveries in the New World, down to the time of Magellan. He appears to have made several independent voyages before the close of the cen- tury, and it is probable that in 1497 (accompa- nied perhaps by Vespucius) he readied the main- land of America (discovering Central America) almost simultaneously with Caliol's landing on the continent. He .sailed again on November 18, 1499, returning the following September, after discovering the coast of Brazil and the mouth of the .iiiazon. In l.iO.i he was ap- pointed to commaiul an expedition to the .Spice Islands, but Portuguese intrigues prevented him from sailing, and instead he was given cliarge over the fortifications (o be erected in Porto Rico. He was also ma<lc Governor of the island with authority to colonize it. He was, how- ever, a seaman rather than an administrator, and he .sjient the next year or two trying to get the command o£ a Meet, which the Portuguese pre- vented, as he was suspected of designs against their territories. In .luiic, loOS. lie fiiiall.v got away, with .Juan Diaz dc Soils. Tlu'y reluriicd in November. 1.509, but no record survives as to where they secured their cargo of gold and other New World products. Consult Harrisse, Discov- er;/ nf America (London, 1.S92). PIOMBINO, |).Aiii-be'ni'i. Formerly an in- depciicleiit principality of Northern Italy, now a part of the Province <if Pisa. It belonged to Pisa before 1399, when it became independent under rulers of the House of Appiani. In 1700 it came into the possession of tli<' Huonconipagiii. U was incorporated with !■' ranee in l.SOl. Init from LSOfi to 1814 was ruled as a |iiiiicipality by Klisa Haeciochi. the sister of Napole(m. In 'lSl."> it was united with the Duchy of Tuscany. PIOMBINO. A town in the Province of Pisa, Italy, situated on a ]iroiiiontory ])rojectiiig into the Tyrrhenian Sea, 40 miles iiv rail southeast of Leghorn (Map: Ital.v, E .5). Its ancient walls and ruins of an old castle still remain. The town has a Imsy harbor, and manufactures ironware and oil. Population (commune) in 1901, S.'iOO. To the north are Etruscan "and Roman remains of the town of Populonia, whose site still preserves Hie ancient name. PIOMBO, pf-('.m1)A, Sebastiano del. Sec .Se- nAsri.v.No DEI. PioMno. PIONEER (Fr. pionnier, OP. peonnier, foot- soldier, sajiper. from OF. peon, paon, pioti, foot- soldier. Fr. piim. pawn, from ML. pedo. foot sol- dier, from Lat. pes. foot; ultimately connected with Fng. foot). A military mc'clianic, or laborer. Originally (lioneers were ordinary laliorers of the country in which the army was operating. Their name was undoubtedly derived from the fact that their principal duty was to prepare the way for the advance of the troops, cutting down trees, building bridges, removing obstacles, etc. They were the forerunners of the modern military PIOZZI. engineer (see Engineer Corp.s), the engineers or technical troops of (iermany being still known as pioneers. In the British Army there are two pioneers to every company of infantry, who col- lectively are under a pioneer sergeant, a regi- mental staff non-commissioned ollicer. Their cciuipiiient consists of either a pick, shovel, or a.< and a one-edged, pointed sword, the Other edge of which is cut like a saw. Pioneers are the only soldiers allowed to wear lieards. On the march, or on occasions of eereiiioiiy, they parade with the noii-conimissioned staff; and in column of route, precede the band. To he a pioneer, a soldier must be a skilled mechanic, and have liassed the pioneer instruction course at Chatham. He receives working pay. See Engineehing, Military. PIONEERS, The. A novel by .James Feni- more Cooper (1823). Though the earliest pub- lislied. it is the last but one in order of the Leiilheriitovl;imj Talcs, giving the old age of Natty liumjipo and the death of Chingaehgook. PIORRY, p6'6'rf', I^ierbe Adolphe (1794- 1879). A French physician, born in Paris. He was educated theic, became doctor of medicine in 1811). and in 1840 was appointed professor of patliology and in ISoO of clinical medicine. He devised a new nomenclature which met with no success and invented the pleximeter for mediate percussion, for which he received the Montyon jirize in 1828. He wrote: Dc I'hcrMiU dans' les nialadioi (1840); Traill dc mfdecine pratique (1S42-.')1) : and Traile de plessimetrisme (18tlG). PIOTRKOW, p.yc'/tr'-kAv. A government of Russian Poland, bounded on the north by the Government of Warsaw. Area, 473.5 square miles. The surface is mostly level and somewhat undu- lating toward the south. Coal and iron are found ill some jiarts of the govcriiiiient and mined to some extent. The cliief rivers are the Warta and the Pilica. Although the soil is not well adapted for agriculture, this is the chief industry. Stock- raising is also of some importance. Textiles rcjiresent the leading manufacturing industry, of which Lodz and Piotrkow are the two centres in Russian Pidand. Population, in 1897, l,40(),9ol. PIOTRKOW. The capital of the government of the same name in Russian Poland, situated on the Warsaw-Vienna Railway, about 16 miles southeast of Lodz (Map: Russia, A 4). It has a number of old churches and monasteries, an old castle, two gymn;isia, and a fine town hall. The chief manufactures an' farm implements and textiles. Population, in 1897. 30,400. Piotr- kow is one of the oldest towns of Polanil, being mentioned as early as the twelfth century. It was fortified by Casimir the Great and re- ceived Magdeburg rights in 1404. It was the scene of frequent diets and in 1.577 became the seat of the highest tribunal of Great Poland. PIOZZI, peot'sf, Mrs. Hester Ltnch, better known as Mrs. Tiirale (1741-1821). A noted friend of Dr. Samuel .Johnson. She was born at Jiodvel, in Carnarvimshire, W'ales. In her girlhood she learned Latin. French, and Italian, wrote for the Kaiiil .faiiies'.i Chronicle, and was known among her friends for her cleverness and lively disposition. In 1763 she married Henry Thrale. a well-to-do Southwark brewer, her senior by thirteen .years. It was no love uuitcli; but, except for some flirtations of the husband, the
