ASIA MINOR. 



99 



peasant to sell a most beautiful little copper coin, containing on one 

 side the full face of a female, and on the reverse two owls. 



The inhabitants of this village are all Christians of the Greek 

 church, and appeared miserably poor and squalid ; and their curiosity 

 was so obtrusive, that we almost wished for the tranquillity of a 

 Turkish conac ; however, as I had made some progress in the verna- 

 cular Greek of the Levant, I endeavoured to carrv on a little conver- 

 sation without the aid of our interpreter, with the Papas, our host, 

 and he became very communicative respecting his own history and 

 situation. 



Yenicher or Ghiour-Keui, he told me, is divided into two parishes, 

 of one of which he is officiating priest, his income amounting to 

 about 350 piastres, or 261. sterling per annum ; out of which, how- 

 ever, he was forced every year to pay about 150 piastres to his 

 Bishop and Metropolitan. His fees were, for a christening, five 

 paras, or twopence-halfpenny ; but weddings and funerals were better 

 paid. For the latter he had seldom less than seven piastres, or half- 

 a-guinea ; for which, however, he was bound to some scores of masses 

 for the repose of the defuncts, and to consume a few wax-lights. 



The plain of Troy and its immediate vicinity he stated to produce 

 annually from three to four thousand okes of wool, above 10,000 lbs. 

 worth ; on an average, about twelve or fourteen paras an oke, nearly 

 twopence-halfpenny per lb. avoirdupoise. Some cotton is grown in 

 the neighbourhood, and when picked and dressed sells for about fifty 

 to sixty paras an oke, or eleven-pence per lb. 



As we proposed to ride over the plain next morning, it was neces- 

 sary to procure horses ; and here Mustapha began the exercise of his 

 authority by putting four in requisition for us, but, as we observed the 

 owners to be dissatisfied, we privately told them we would ourselves 

 pay at the rate of two and a half piastres (four shillings) per day, for 

 each horse, with which promise they were so satisfied, that instead 

 of sending one boy to bring them back, each owner agreed to ac- 

 company his horse, and to act as a guide. 



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