184 Of the Checks to Population in Bk. i. 



extortion; but are always outdone by the officers 

 immediately below them, who, in their turn, leave 

 room for their subordinate agents.* 



The pacha must raise money to pay the tribute, 

 and also to indemnify himself for the purchase of 

 his office, support his dignity, and make a provi- 

 sion in case of accidents ; and as all power, both 

 military and civil, centres in his person from his 

 representing the sultan, the means are at his dis- 

 cretion, and the quickest are invariably considered 

 as the best.f Uncertain of to-morrow, he treats 

 his province as a mere transient possession, and 

 endeavours to reap, if possible, in one day the 

 fruit of many years, without the smallest regard 

 to his successor, or the injury that he may do to 

 the permanent revenue.^: 



The cultivator is necessarily more exposed to 

 these extortions than the inhabitant of the towns. 

 From the nature of his employment, he is fixed to 

 one spot, and the productions of agriculture do 

 not admit of being easily concealed. The tenure 

 of the land and the rights of succession are be- 

 sides uncertain. When a father dies, the inheri- 

 tance reverts to the sultan, and the children can 

 only redeem the succession by a considerable sum 

 of money. These considerations naturally occa- 

 sion an indifference to landed estates. The coun- 

 try is deserted ; and each person is desirous of 

 flying to the towns, where he will not only in 



* Eton's Turkish Emp. c. ii. p. 55. 



t Voy. de Volney, torn. ii. c. xxxiii. p. 347. 



% Id. p. 350. 



