54 JOURNEY THROUGH THE SOUTH-WESTERN QUARTER

which have already been difcovered, fhould be diligentlyfearched for, and reftored ; becaufe tbe fpring, which a fewyears fince was attempted to be conducted hither from a placecalled the Eating-houfe, or Cook-fhop, at the diftance of fixor feven verfts, would fcarcely furnifh fufficient water for thispopulous town.

Laftly, there is an abufe practifed at Akhtiar, which re-quires an immediate remedy; though the removal of it mightbe attended with greater difficulty, than that of the incon-venience before ftated. The petty dealers in this place, beingmoftly Greeks, are not contented with moderate profits, butgreatly opprefs the fubaltern naval officers and feamen; notonly by the arbitrary and exorbitant rates of their goods, butalfo by illicit modes of difcounting bank-notes and Turkifhfilver currency. Inftances have fometimes occurred, in whichfailors have been paid in paper-money that bore a difcount offrom 10 to 12 per cent. when they were obliged to exchange itfor copper coin. Farther, Turkifh currency, that formerlyabounded in the Crimea, was by the fame ufurers reduced to15 per cent. lower than its ufual value; and, befides, the pricesof all merchandize were advanced. This unprincipled conducl:,which furpaffes even that of Jews, has often been carried tofuch extent, that the mariners have nearly been induced tocommit riots and other exceifes.

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