1st. (Ska u Lashor,) Tw o per cent, on camels, horses, mules asses, cattle, sheep, goats, &c. and ten per cent, on corn and the produce o f land. T he payment o f this branch o f the revenue which is the most considerable, is made either in cash or in lcind, optional in the subject. 2nd. [Daira's and Sokra’s,) Fines and presents, v iz . Fines levied at discretion b y the bashaws o f provinces, alkaids o f cities and towns, and douars, and others employed by them ; these consist in satisfaction for offences; thus, i f two men quarrel, and blood be spilt in the fray, h a lf the property o f the aggressor is oftdn exacted as a fine for disturbing the peace. I f a traveller be robbed, the douar, or encampment, where the robbery was committed, is fined in double the sum, v iz . the sum stolen is returned to the robbed, and an equal sum is paid to the bashaw for the imperial treasury. T h e inhabitants o f the douar are then left to discover the robbers, and recover o f them the property stolen; the beneficial effects o f this salutary law must be evident to eve ry man, but particularly to those who h a v e frequently travelled through this country, and by their own experience have seen and felt the influence which it has on e ve ry in d ivid u a l, and the interest that is diffused throughout the community to protect travellers from plunder. In an extensive champaign country like this, where the population o f the provinces consists o f encampments in the plains, open to the attack o f robbers, and undefended, there would be no security were it not for the good effects o f this law, which renders e ve ry individual a guard to the property o f the person sojourning in the district o f which he is an inhabitant. A tra ve ller may exact a fine from a douar for inhospitable treatment, b y making a complaint to the bashaw under whose government the Sheik o f the douar lives. 3d. Legal disputes. Considerable sums are presented to the bashaws, alkaids, &c. to procure their attention to the interest o f the parties disputing, and to accelerate the termination. Thus a douceur to a bashaw o f a few hundred dollars, will sometimes giv e a man as much advantage o ve r his antagonist, as would be gained in England by the retaining o f an eminent counsel to plead his cause. These douceurs are often paid to ministers b y persons desirous to obtain some privilege from the Emperor, and are usually regulated according to the rank o f the applicant, and the importance o f the favour to be conferred. T h e ministers, and other persons in authority, do not conceal their operations; but will tell you what you are to pay for such a privilege or favour, which has at least this good effect, that you have a certain quid pro quo, and you are not seduced, under false promises, to attend on ministers ineffectually: y o u r business is expedited generally to yo u r satisfaction. A knowledge o f the ministers, and o f the spirit o f the court, as well as the character o f the Emperor, is, perhaps, indispensibly necessary to ensure success. When these sums and douceurs ha ve been repeatedly given, and have, b y accumulation, become considerable, a pretext is seldom wanting to attack these bashaws, cadis, alkaids, and other officers, for some misdemeanor, or for mal-administration o f justice, and they afe accordingly h e a v ily mulcted; but they readily p a y th e ’ fine, which thus u ltimately forms a part o f the imperial revenue, that they may again enter into their oppressive offices. I n c a s e s o f dispute, which come into the province o f the c iv il law, the cadi determines the case; and the retaining, in such
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