DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4099#0108
INSOLENCE OF THE TURKS. 99
mandatory letters, we were received with difficulty and mistrust.
Soon after our arrival, the archbishop sent to let us know that the
Mollah Effendi, the governor of the town, had ordered us to quit
the place in four-and-twenty hours ! Conceiving, however, that this
order was nothing more than a cautious deception of his grace,
Ave called upon the mollah to demand an explanation of the rea-
sons, which had induced him to treat perfect strangers with such
harsh and peremptory incivility. We delivered to him our ferman ;
and at the same time informed him that it was our intention to re-
main in Larissa as long as we thought proper. We found him sitting
in state, surrounded by a great number of attendants, who appeared
inclined to insult us, and to deride our dress and manners; but the
mollah gave us a courteous reception ; and assured us that he had
issued no orders for our departure, and that we were perfectly wel-
come to remain in the town as Ions; as we liked. We found that the
conduct of the archbishop was not occasioned by any deficiency of
hospitality, but by a fear of incurring the displeasure of the mollah,
if he entertained foreigners of whom he had no knowledge. The
Greeks at this place are treated with uncommon harshness and
tyranny ; and the Turks are more overbea.mg, and insolent, than in
any other part of Greece. The Greeks have only one church, which
is the catholicon or cathedral, and the archbishop owes his protec-
tion from insult to two Turks who are appointed by the government
to live in his house.
I had the opportunity of seeing a striking instance of the wanton
brutality which is practised by these dull tyrants, and of the in-
sensate insolence by which they are characterised. We were making
a drawing of the bridge over the Peneios, and were attended by
two Turkish guards in order to keep off the crowd, which would
have collected around us if we had been alone. Some Greeks of the
upper class happened at that time to pass by, and, attracted by the
novelty of our dress and occupation, stopped to gaze at us at a
distance. The Turks, without the least warning, assailed them with
some large stones, by which one of the Greeks received a bad
o 2
mandatory letters, we were received with difficulty and mistrust.
Soon after our arrival, the archbishop sent to let us know that the
Mollah Effendi, the governor of the town, had ordered us to quit
the place in four-and-twenty hours ! Conceiving, however, that this
order was nothing more than a cautious deception of his grace,
Ave called upon the mollah to demand an explanation of the rea-
sons, which had induced him to treat perfect strangers with such
harsh and peremptory incivility. We delivered to him our ferman ;
and at the same time informed him that it was our intention to re-
main in Larissa as long as we thought proper. We found him sitting
in state, surrounded by a great number of attendants, who appeared
inclined to insult us, and to deride our dress and manners; but the
mollah gave us a courteous reception ; and assured us that he had
issued no orders for our departure, and that we were perfectly wel-
come to remain in the town as Ions; as we liked. We found that the
conduct of the archbishop was not occasioned by any deficiency of
hospitality, but by a fear of incurring the displeasure of the mollah,
if he entertained foreigners of whom he had no knowledge. The
Greeks at this place are treated with uncommon harshness and
tyranny ; and the Turks are more overbea.mg, and insolent, than in
any other part of Greece. The Greeks have only one church, which
is the catholicon or cathedral, and the archbishop owes his protec-
tion from insult to two Turks who are appointed by the government
to live in his house.
I had the opportunity of seeing a striking instance of the wanton
brutality which is practised by these dull tyrants, and of the in-
sensate insolence by which they are characterised. We were making
a drawing of the bridge over the Peneios, and were attended by
two Turkish guards in order to keep off the crowd, which would
have collected around us if we had been alone. Some Greeks of the
upper class happened at that time to pass by, and, attracted by the
novelty of our dress and occupation, stopped to gaze at us at a
distance. The Turks, without the least warning, assailed them with
some large stones, by which one of the Greeks received a bad
o 2