ALEPPO, The Pachalic of, one of the five governments into which Syria is divided. It comprehends the country extending from the Euphrates to the Mediterranean, between two lines, one drawn from Scanderoon to Beer, along the mountains: the other from Beles to the sea, by Mara and the bridge of Shoger. This space principally consists of two plains, that of Antioch to the west, and that of Aleppo to the east: the north and the sea-coast are occupied by considerably high mountains, known to the ancients by the names of Amanus and of Rhofus. In general, the soil of this government is fat and loamy. The lofty and vigorous plants which shoot up everywhere after the winter rains prove its fertility, but its actual fruitfulness is but little. The greatest part of the lands lie
waste; scarcely can we trace any marks of cultivation in the environs of the towns and villages. Its principal produce consists in wheat, barley, and cotton, which are found especially in the flat country. In the mountains, they rather choose to cultivate the vine, mulberry, olive, and fig trees. The fides of the hills towards the sea-coast are appropriated to tobacco, and the territory of Aleppo to pistachios. The pasturage is not to be reckoned, because that is abandoned to the wandering hordes of the Turcomans and Kurds.
In the greater part of the pachalies the pacha is, as his title imports, at once the vicerey and farmer-general of the country; but in that of Aleppo he does not possess the latter office. This the Porte has bestowed on a mehassel or collector, who is immediately accountable for what he receives. His lease is only for a year. The present rent of his farm is 800 purses (above 40,000l.); but to this must be added the price of the babouches (Turkish slippers), or a present of three or four thousand pounds, to purchase the favour of the vizier, and men in office. For these two sums the farmer receives all the duties of the government; which are, first, The produce of import and export duties on merchandise coming from Europe, India, and Constantinople, and on that exported in exchange. Secondly, The taxes paid by the herds of cattle brought every year by the Turcomans and Kurds from Armenia and Diarbekar, to be sold in Syria. Thirdly, The fifth of the salt-works of Djeboul. And, lastly, The miri, or land-tax. These united may produce about 60,000l.
The pacha, deprived of this lucrative branch of the administration, receives a fixed allowance of about 8300l. This revenue has always been inadequate to the expenses; for besides the troops he is obliged to maintain and the reparation of the highways and fortresses, the expenses of which he is obliged to defray, he is under the necessity of making large presents to the ministers, in order to keep his place; but the Porte adds to the account the contributions he may levy on the Kurds and Turcomans, and his extortions from the villages and individuals; nor do the pachas come short of this calculation. Abdi Pacha, who governed 13 or 14 years ago, carried off, at the end of 15 months, upwards of 160,000l. by laying under contribution every trade, even the very cleaners of tobacco-pipes; and very lately another of the same name has been obliged to fly for similar oppressions. The former was rewarded by the divan with the command of an army against the Russians; but if the latter has not enriched himself, he will be strangled as an extortioner. Such is the ordinary progress of affairs in Turkey!
In consequence of such wretched government, the greater part of the pachalies in the empire are impoverished and laid waste. This is the case in particular with that of Aleppo. In the ancient destars, or registers of imports, upwards of 3200 villages were reckoned; but at present the collector can scarcely find 400. Such of our merchants as have resided there 20 years, have themselves seen the greater part of the environs of Aleppo become depopulated. The traveller meets with nothing but houses in ruins, cisterns rendered useless, and fields abandoned. Those who cultivated them have fled into the towns, where the po-
pulation is absorbed, but where at least the individual conceals himself among the crowd from the rapacious hands of despotism.