OF THE TURKISH MONARCHY. 



19 



of Larissa and Salonica to bestow great attention on the cultivation 

 of their lands ; and in no province of the empire are the numbers of 

 inhabitants so great as in these districts of Greece. The best 

 peopled part of Macedonia gives 500 inhabitants to the square league. 

 (Beaujour, vol. i.) 



4. Turks, Jews, Greeks, and Armenians are associated in many 

 cities or corporations for the purpose of watching over their separate 

 interests ; and in this manner they are frequently able to check the 

 Pasha in the dishonest exercise of his power. By their united 

 exertions they have been able to obtain from the government his re- 

 moval. The hand of violence is always suspended over the rich in 

 this country, as nothing is to be gained from the inferior classes of 

 subjects ; pretences therefore for seizing the wealth of the great are 

 readily admitted ; and the governor is removed or obliged to part 

 with some of his ill-gotten treasures. 



5. Throughout the empire, those who dwell in mountainous dis- 

 tricts enjoy a security and independence which are denied to the in- 

 habitants of the plains. This is not only true with respect to the 

 various tribes professing the Mahometan faith, and the numerous 

 hordes of Yesidians, who remain yet unsubdued by the Turks, but 



quantity of corn to be exported; 300 French vessels from 20 to 200 tons were on 

 one day seen to enter Smyrna bay, to load corn : and wheat was then sold for less 

 than seventeen-pence English a bushel, with all the expenses of putting the same 

 on board included. The Janissaries and people took the alarm, pretended that all the 

 corn was going to be exported, and that they would be starved, and in Constantinople 

 grew so mutinous, that at last the Vizir was strangled. His successor carefully avoided 

 following his example ; and suffered no exportation. Many of the farmers who looked 

 on the exportation as their greatest demand, neglected tillage to save their rents, which 

 in that country are paid either in kind or in proportion to their crops, to such a degree, 

 that in less than three years, the same quantity of corn which in the time of exportation 

 sold for not quite seventeen-pence, was worth more than six shillings ; and the distress was 

 great ; and guards were placed over the bakehouses and magazines of corn. An English 

 ship in the Turkey trade was detained from sailing some time for want of bread. The 

 ill consequences of these proceedings were not removed for many years ; and the fall of 

 the first Vizir was regretted too late." 



D 2 



