324 



SYLAWX SKETCHES. 



from all extraneous matter ; and the dust which flies 

 from them adheres so strongly to the faces of those who 

 work at it, that they are obhged to wash their faces 

 with oil. ]\Iastick is consumed chiefly by the ladies of 

 the seraglio, who masticate it, not only to sweeten the 

 breath, but also to strengthen the gums and to whiten 

 the teeth. They put a few grains of it into their per- 

 fuming pans, and into the bread before it goes into the 

 oven. 



The Grand Seignior has a claim upon all the mastick 

 trees cultivated by his subjects ; and the trees cannot be 

 sold but upon condition that the same portion shall be 

 paid by the purchaser as was paid by the former owner. 

 Sometimes an aga is sent from Constantinople to receive 

 the mastick due to the Grand Seignior ; sometimes this 

 is done bv the ofiicers of the custom-house of Cliios. 

 An officer goes into three or four of the principal villages, 

 and gives notice to the inhabitants to bring in their re- 

 spective portions. All the villages together pay t^vo 

 hundred and eighty-six chests of mastick, weighing each 

 a hundred and twenty-five oques. The cadi of Chios 

 receives three chests, each w^eighing eighty oques : a 

 chest goes to the clerk of the villages, who keeps the 

 registers of the persons who pay the mastick; and the 

 custom-house officer who v/eighs it takes a handful from 

 each chest, for his omi portion. 



If any one is surprised carrying mastick to the citv, 

 or to those villages where it is not cultivated, he is con- 

 demned to the galleys, and his goods are confiscated. 

 The peasants who do not gather mastick enough to pay 

 the required portion, buy or borrow it of then- neigh- 

 bours ; and those who have more than enough, either 

 sell it secretly, or save it for the following year. Some- 



