140 



ASIA MINOR. 



the red sells at eight paras, or four-pence the oke of 2| lb. ; the white 

 muscadel at thirty. Wine pays a custom-house duty of two paras an 

 oke ; and rackee, the common raw spirit, pays four paras an oke on 

 exportation. 



The government exacts from the Turks one-tenth of the produce, 

 from the Greeks an eighth : the latter pay also an annual poll-tax, 

 or Charatch ; the men 5| piastres, boys of ten years old and upwards 

 about two. Besides these permanent taxes, extraordinary contributions 

 are raised in time of war. The Vaivode or governor, the Janissaries, 

 who are in garrison, and those who act as police guardians in the 

 town, are paid by a tax levied on the vineyards ; from the Greeks 

 eleven paras (or five-pence-halfpenny), are taken for every thousand 

 vines ; from the Turks five. 



The harbour was full of ships under Ragusan, Austrian, and Turkish 

 colours ; they were taking in cargoes of wine for the English expedition 

 under Sir R. Abercrombie, at that time in Marmorice bay, opposite 

 to Rhodes. The goverment had monopolized the whole vintage of 

 the island, giving six paras and a half for the oke. 



The Greek church at Tenedos has lately been rebuilt, and although 

 the imperial firman states that the favour had been granted by the 

 mere good will of the Sultan, yet we found that it had cost the Greeks 

 of the town 5000 piastres in bribes and fees to officers of the Porte. 

 There are three officiating priests for this church, each of whom de- 

 rives an income of about 350 piastres a-year, a hundred of which is 

 taken from them by their diocesan, the Bishop of Mytilene. 



The Protoyero, or chief magistrate of the Greeks, is annually chosen 

 by the inhabitants of that class ; and if his administration gives satis- 

 faction, he is appointed a second time, or perhaps oftener. 



The general appearance of the island is unpicturesque and parched ; 

 it abounds with few trees, and presents little verdure. We could 

 find no traces of temples or ancient edifices. In the market-place 

 near the port is a granite sarcophagus, now used as a cistern. On 

 one side of it is an inscription, which was copied by Chandler. 



