piastres Tithes upon all income 7,000,000 ” ” land 400,000 Land tax (tolls upon product) 5,000,000 Military taxes upon Christians 550,000 Head money upon sheep 700,000 Weighing taxes upon sales 300,000 Customs upon salt 1,500,000 ” ” wines 1,000,000 ” exported silk 200,000 ” fish 20,000 —————————— Total 16,670,000 Truly, for a country so large, so luxurious, and so rich (when we consider the small value of the piastre), this is but a sorry income. From this, moreover, must be deducted the cost of the mosques, Mohammedan schools, and other similar institutions, which even in Cyprus are distributed over a considerable portion of the island. These are placed under the superintendence of the Mohammedan priesthood, and there is a proverb which says, “Sooner will the eyes of the dead shed tears, than priests give up money.” In Cyprus it is well understood that, of all these taxes, not above two or three millions of piastres find their way to Constantinople; nay, that the inhabitants have, in addition to these imposts, to pay considerable sums to the Turkish officials to keep them in a good humour. Moreover, the Turks are constantly obliged to bribe one another, in order to keep themselves in office, and to maintain the dignity of their position. The sums expended upon roads, bridges, and public buildings, are of very trifling amount. Even the cost of the military establishment is exceedingly small. The population is too weak and too lazy to require much of a garrison, and the Turks come willingly from other places, to fulfil the military duties in so quiet a spot. CHAPTER XXVII. AMATHUS.