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fate for their Digdaban, a faithful imitator of his chief's injustice; but the Qazi managed cleverly to get him into his house, and quieted the people by promises that he should be punished according to law. His judicious conduct prevented any attack which might have been projected on the houses of the rich Turks, Greeks and Europeans. On November 10 the • Choqadar left for Constantinople to report to the Grand Vezir what had happened. After the murder of Chil Osman the island went on peacefully ; there was no one to exercise absolute power, but there was no motive to worry the people with heavy taxes, and everyone looked after his own affairs. At last a new Muhassil, or Governor, arrived from Constantinople, Hafiz Mohammad Efendi, a man of capacity and tact. The people were satisfied, seeing that for the present no search was made for the recusants, or for those who had taken part in the attack on his predecessor. During Ramadhan, the annual Moslem fast, he went down to Larnaca to make himself known there. On his return to Nicosia he pursued the same conciliatory policy, but his courtiers, to curry favour with him, began to furnish the names of some of those who helped to excite the insurrection of November 5, 1764. He found himself at last obliged, as it were, to abandon his attitude of indifference, particularly when he came to know the very men who had taken a personal share in the murder of Chil Osman Agha. Still, when he considered the danger of meting out condign punishment, he consulted his own interests only, and issued a proclamation to the effect that he had been appointed Governor to restore order in the island, and to behead all those who were accused of complicity in the recent riot : that this time however he would be satisfied if the people at large, Greeks and Turks alike, would purchase forgiveness by the payment of 14 piastres a head, women, minors and cripples alone being exempted. People began to pay the tax, until some Turk persuaded c. M. т. 7 xx] Insurrection 0/1764. 97

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