Were the least encouragement given to agriculture in this island, and were its advantages of soil and climate in any degree appreciated by the Turks, it would soon be come the granary of the surrounding nations. But every species of improvement is here so disgraced and perse cuted, and indolence and effeminacy have so destroyed all spirit of emulation and exertion, that the inhabitants of this fertile region are compelled to draw from other lands the means of their subsistence. Public granaries are erected near some of the principal towns, for contain ing the corn which is annually imported from Volo, Salo nica, the Morea, Syria, and The few prices that are under cultivation, notwithstanding the deficiency proper culture, produce most luxuriant crop•: Whr-at is sown after a single ploughing, and they content them selves with scattering the barley on the stubble, and then going over it with the plough. Whole fields are sown with lupins, which is a very common food with the Candians ; but many useful plants, for which no soil or climate is more propitious than that of Candia, arc al most completely neglected. The mulberry tree, which thrives wonderfully in this island, is very scarce ; and most of their silk is brought from Syria. Flax is tolera bly plentiful, but not sufficient for the wants of the inha bitants ; and they draw their cotton from Smyrna, and the environs of Ephesus. Sesamum occupies some spots in the plains ; but instead of extracting oil from its seed, the inhabitants use it only for mixing with their bread, to give it more flavour. Olive trees, however, grow here in great plenty ; and their fruit is the chief article, both of the industry and commerce of the Can dians. The annual produce of oil in this island, in a good season, is estimated at 200,000 millcroles, or 13,200,000 pints, Paris measure.
The ancients asserted, that this happy region, the birth place of Jupiter, was freed by the indulgence of the gods, from every noxious animal. It is true, no quadrupeds of a ferocious temper belong to the island. Lions, ti gers, bears, wolves, and foxes, arc here unknown. The wild goat is the only inhabitant of the forest and the lofty mountains, and have nothing to fear but the ball of the hunter. Sheep overspread the hills and the plains, and graze in security, undisturbed by their ravenous enemies. Birds of prey, however, are to be found here, and also some venomous reptiles. Pliny,* indeed, mentions the tarantula as an inhabitant of Crete ; and I3elon enume rates three species of serpents which were known here, —the ophis, the ad:m(1ra, and the ephloti.t The taran tula is a kind of spider, about eight or ten inches in length, with a scaly skin. Its sting is mortal, and it ge nerally lodges, during winter, in a deep hole, formed in the declivity of small hillocks ; but, in the summer, it keeps in the air, and spins its web. M. Sonnini men tions another species of spider, equally dangerous with the tarantula, which is of the same size, but lives con stantly in subterraneous retreats.
Among their domestic animals are, the horse, which is of the Barbary breed, but is much neglected, and ill used, and has greatly degenerated, both in form and beauty, from the original stock. They arc, however, strong and nice footed, and traverse, with great facility and safety, the roughest descents over steep and rocky mountains. The dog of Candia is a species of large grey-hound, which, for fleetness and agility, was for merly reckoned the best in Greece, after those of Sparta ; but, since the Turks have made themselves masters of the country, this faithful friend of man is repulsed, beat en, and almost starved. Oxen are little used here, except in rural labour, and beef is scarce ; hogs are also not very common, but lambs and kids arc excellent and cheap, and turkt-ys and poulta y at( ill great ph ray, and sold at a moderate price. Notwithstanding, how ever, the abundance of every article of subsistence in this favoured country, the Greeks are obliged to live, through the whole year, on bad( y bread, salted olives, lupins, and wild plants ;1—the most valuable produce of their labour being reserved to discharge their taxes, and to pay the frequent and exorbitant c xtortions of their A gas.
This Hand is divided into three pachaliks, or govern ; iz. Candia, Canea, and Itethno. In the first resides a pacIta of three rails, who is scraskicr, or corn niandei -in-( hiel of all the forces in the island. Ile nominates to all military employments, and is intrusted with the inspection of the forts and arsenals. In Canea and It etnno arc paellas of o tails, who, except in military concerns, are entirely independent of the paella scraskier. The power of these officers is absolute with in the bounds of their respective provinces. The jus tice of their decisions arc never called in question ; and their sentences arc instantly carried into execution. As their chief object is to get rich as speedily as possible, they practise all the arts and cruelties of oppression to squeeze money from the unfortunate Greeks, v% Ito have become so habituated to misfortune, that they seem to have lost all desire of deliverance. Under these gover nors are the agas and aoubachia, who are appointed over a certain number of villages, and arc equally rapacious with their superiors, but still more troublesome inquisi tors, being incessantly occupied in setting the inhabitants at variance, and then seizing the property of both. The Greeks have a ca/titan, or primate, chosen by themselves from their own nation, who acts as a justice of peace, in deciding all private disputes, and in watching over the interests of his countrymen. his opinion is generally submitted to without hesitation, in order to save them selves from the severe and more formidable decisions of the Turkish cadis, to whose tribunal all litigious affairs are carried as a last resort. They have, also, a daacalas, or writer, who keeps a register of all the names of the Greek inhabitants, and of the sums which every one must pay for their carech§, and to the aga, after each harvest Besides these, and other exactions, which are altogether arbitrary, and the amount of which depends upon the population and circumstances of the inhabitants ; the Greeks, in common with the Turki,d, land owners, are taxed with a seventh of tic produce of their lands and UI thcir But what renders their situation most is the power which the agas assume over their personal liberty and domestic connections. No married man is allowed to quit the island, unless a mariner or a merchant ; and every bachelor, before he is permitted to gu and work in the Morea, must pay a tax of sixty parats, or two piastres. No Greek can marry without permission from the aga, and this must be put-chased by a present, which, however, is not always successful. Should the young woman please this petty tyrant, he keeps her for himself. The disappointed lover must bear his misfortune in silence. are unavailing, for the cudgel is always ready to strike the reluctant slave, and should he presume to apply for redress to the pacha or the purte, he vs uuld pay for his presumption with his fortune or his life. But so des titute are this unhappy people of every gcocrous feel ing or moral sentiment, and so seductive is vanity to the female sex, that it is uncommon for a Greek wome,1 not to be flattered with such an exaltation, which however, is but of short continuance, for, in a few years, she is turned off to make way for some more fortunate rival, and married to some Greek who dares not refuse her. Such is the shameful slavery in which this country is immersed ; and Candia, once famed for the happiness of its inhabitants, and the equity of its laws, and where liberty in a manner took its birth, is now a prey to law less oppression, and bent under the yoke of a most insult ing bondage.