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The Spanish monks are sent for six years to the 
Holy Land, and the Italians for three. 
The fixed contributions which they pay yearly to the 
Turkish government in virtue of existing treaties, are 
as follows: 
To the Pacha of Damascus - 7,000 piastres. 
To the same, for the convent at Da- 
mascus - - 1,000 d° 
To the Pacha of Acre - - - 10,000 d° 
Total, 18,000 piastres. 
They are also obliged to pay extraordinary imposi- 
tions, gratifications to the governors, private exactions, 
&c. The mufti of Jerusalem alone has exacted from 
them forty thousand piastres in the course of eight 
years. 
The convents of the Holy Land must each furnish 
monks for the service of the holy sepulchre. For this 
purpose the religious are relieved every six months, 
which is the period that each of them ought to pass in 
the house of the holy sepulchre. There are, however, 
some among them who remain there several years 
through devotion: the prelate of Nazareth has lived 
there six years. 
I must own that this abode, notwithstanding its me-' 
lancholy gloom, and the want of air, would be support- 
able, were it not for the vicinity of the Mussulman 
monks, whose windows look into the temple and con- 
vent, and who being accustomed to obtain douceurs 
and presents from the Christian monks, and constantly 
eager to increase these exactions, neglect no means to 
accomplish their end. Whenever it is requisite to as- 
cend the roof for the purpose of repairing it, their per- 
