MOUNT ATHOS. 



219 



one hundred and thirteen thousand piastres to the I'orte, besides 

 occasional contributions in time of war and other demands, one of 

 which in the preceding month amounted to forty-eight purses, or 

 twenty-four thousand piastres. In consequence of these perpetual 

 extortions, the convents have been obliged to borrow large sums, 

 for which they give from four to eight ^^er cent., according to the 

 exigency of the moment, or the piety of the lender. The general 

 debt is supposed to amount to a milHon of piastres, or nearly eighty 

 thousand pounds sterling. Father Gerasimos said that some of the 

 monasteries were unable to raise even the interest of their borrowed 

 money, and that the whole commimity must soon become bankrupt. 

 Of the population of this peninsula we heard various accounts. 

 It pays charatch or capitation-tax for three thousand, but the actual 

 number of resident caloyers, including the labourers, workmen, 

 hermits, is calculated at six thousand. Each convent pays for a 

 certain proportion of the former number, according to an old 

 schedule ; so that Batopaidi, Laura, Chiliantari, and other flourishing 

 convents pay for fewer numbers than they actually have, while 

 others, which iiave fallen into decay, pay for more than they 

 contain. The temporal affairs of the Holy mountain are thus 

 managed : The twenty monasteries are divided into four classes of 

 five each, according to their respective sizes, and one convent of 

 each class by rotation annually sends a deputy to Chariess. This 

 council of four deputies settles all the business of the peninsula, 

 and regulates the proportion of money which each convent is to 

 give on extraordinary contributions. Their office is annual ; they 

 live with no external pomp, and they receive but a trifling salary for 

 their trouble. 



The vineyards, corn-fields, and gardens of Chiliantari, as well as 

 the buildings are kept in such excellent condition, as to evince the 

 superintendance of an able abbot. The walks around it are very 

 beautiful ; and in them Mr. Carlyle and myself frequently wandered, 

 listening to the songs of the nightingales, almost regretting that the 



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