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class, pay annually of taxes 24 p. each : people of the second class pay 18 p. and persons of the third rant arc taxed at 16 p. besides the other taxes they are obliged to pay for the furniture of the palace or Serai, 3 p. For a murder a man pays yearly from one to two piastres; and in like proportion for other crimes, though the pardon is previously purchased with a round sum. All these articles included a rich man pays for his person about 60 p., one of a middling fortune is not quit for less than 40, from a person of the third class they mise 30 : even the poorest sort are mercifully dealt with if they are not bastinadoed for not paying that which they are not able to raise: and these taxes are exacted from all persons between the age of 15 and 70, that is from all who are capable of labour. Ί ne method of levying these impositions is very strenge : no time is fixed for payment, but when the officer empowered shall make his demand, if the unhappy man cannot produce the money, he must undergo imprisonment, the bastinado, or some other torture: if he is possessed of any effects, houses, lands, cattle or other moveables, they are instantly sold at an undervalue, to satisfy those cormorants, who set his wife and children adrift, without remorse or compunction; nay, they even make a sport of their misery. * · ' -ài- The officers civil and military, who reside in our capital of Nicosia, where the Mnselim keeps his Court, are : The Mufti, supreme judge or Mohammadan patriarch, by whose decision every difficulty or doubt in the law is removed or determined. The Molla, who is judge ordinary, and sub-governor of the city. The Naqïbu Ί Eshraf, who is chief of the race of Mohammad in the island : a clan who enjoy the honourable distinction of wearing green turbans. The Museum's court is composed of a Kiaya, who is his deputy, lieutenant and private secretary. Divan efelidi, high chancellor and secretary of state. Khaznadar, high treasurer. Muhurdar, keeper of the seals. Ich-aghaler, grooms of the bedchamber and pages of honour, who are always near his person. Imam, chaplain iu ordinary. Embrakhor, master of the horse. Vekil-Kharj, master of the household. Qahveji, coffee maker. Sherbetji, confectioner and sherbet maker. Bukhurdanji, perfumer, and he who carries the perfume of the wood of aloes. Bash Chawnsh, keeper of the prisoners. Alay Chawnsh, buffoons, who cany batons tipt with silver, and play a thousand monkey-tricks, fitter for the entertainment of children than of sensible men. Mu'avinler, officers of an inferior rank, who have no particular department but are fit for many purposes. The military officers are : Defterdar, grand treasurer of the army, or paymaster general and high chamberlain. Alay Bey, general of the horse. Zaim, captains, or rather officers of horse, for their degrees are such as cannot be distinguished or understood by our designations and commands : they are 32 in number, and, in lieu of pay, rent villages, according to their several degrees of favour or promotion. 27ß EXCERPTA CYPRIA.

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