'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎556] (647/905)

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taxes.
[chap. xxi.
also monopolies of salt, wine, spirits, &c. The salian, which
in old times had been levied by the sheikhs and others for
the support of passing strangers ; and another tax, called Firdeh,
were re-established. The latter was a war tax levied on houses
and property to an amount varying between 15 and 500 pias
tres, according to the supposed ability of the individual. All
males above fifteen years of age were subject to this tax, and
also to the intolerable grievance of a forced conscription,
amounting to 10 per cent, of the most active men: But these
oppressions have vanished with the restoration of the Sultans
authority, and things have returned to their former state. The
Land and tole- principal imposts now are the min, or land-tax, and the
ration taxes. j ( } lara j j or toleration tax; the latter was exacted by Ibrahim
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. on the male rayahs, or subjects who were not Muslims,
at the rate of from 15 to 60 piastres for each person, instead
of 3, 5, or 11, as formerly levied, 1 The former is a tax on as
as much land as can be ploughed by a pair of oxen in eight
hours; and according to the laws of the Sultans 'Omar and
Selim, 2 it varies from a nominal rent of some barleycorns to
as much as half of the produce. The import and other duties
are particularly moderate, and, with the exception of the arbi-
Avaniaa trary levies called avanias, which are too often oppressively
increased by the local authorities for their own benefit, the
inhabitants of Syria have but little of which they ought to
complain ; still less have the slaves, who, as elsewhere in the
East, form part of the family, and are treated as such.
Condition of The total absence of that foresight which might arrest the
the peasantry. marc ] 1 0 f destruction, added to an inertness of character which
induces the Turk to leave things to chance and decay, and
particularly an abhorrence of everything like improvement, are
not without some benefit to the rayahs of this country, who
are in a great measure left to themselves ; and the condition of
the labouring classes in Syria may in consequence be consi
dered good, although they rarely possess anything beyond their
immediate and moderate wants. The peasants generally have
sufficient food and clothing, and either a horse or a mule; and
■ Volney's Travels, vol. 11., p. 410. For the taxes in the time of 'Omar
see ahove, p. 253, &c. Ibid.