KEREK. 
386 
husband to buy clothes or articles of dress for his wife ; she is, in 
consequence, obliged to apply to her own family, in order to ap 
pear decently in public, or to rob her husband of his wheat and 
barley, and sell it clandestinely in small quantities ; nor does she 
inherit the smallest trifle of her husband’s property. The Kere 
kein never sleep under the same blanket with their wives ; and to 
be accused of doing so, is considered as greut an insult as to be 
called a coward. 
The domestic manners of the Christians of Kerek are the same 
as those of the Turks ; their laws are also the same, excepting 
those relating to marriage ; and in cases of litigation, even amongst 
themselves, they repair to the tribunal of the Kadhy, or judge of 
the town, instead of submitting their differences to their own 
Sheikhs. The Kadhy is elected by the Sheikhs. With respect 
to their religious duties, they observe them much less than any 
other Greeks in Syria; few of them frequent the church, alleg 
ing, not without reason, that it is of no use to them, because 
they do not understand one word of the Greek forms of prayer. 
Neither are they rigid observers of Lent, which is natural enough, 
as they would be obliged to live almost entirely on dry bread, 
were they to abstain wholly from animal food. Though so in 
timately united with the Turks both by common interests and 
manners, as to be considered the same tribe, yet there exists 
much jealousy among the adherents of the two religions, which is 
farther increased by the Sheikh’s predilection for the Christians. 
The Turks seeing that the latter prosper, have devised a curious 
method of participating in the favours which Providence may be 
stow on the Christians on account of their religion : many of them 
baptise their male children in the church of St. George, and take 
Christian godfathers for their sons. There is neither Mollah nor 
fanatic Kadhy to prevent this practice, and the Greek priest, who