The character of the Greeks is exceedingly litigious ; they are jealous of each other's prosperity, and anxiously engage in the pursuit of gain. They live in the most parsimonious manner, and I have seen them, though employed in day labour, subsisting on onions, or garlic and bread. They are rigid observers ofthe fasts of theirown church, and as attentive rejoicers upon each festival ; often making those as great holidays, whichthe Russian calendar marks as slight ones, and ofwhich the Russian priests less peremptorily exact the observance. Though thus religiously attentive to their fasts and feasts, they do not, however, seem to consider the necessity of public worship so great, nor do they provide for it as the Tatars do, who have no village without a metchet (mosque) or place used for public worship. This, though in many cases its exterior is no better than a cottage, nor has it other decoration to boast of within, than clean walls and a matted floor ; yet as a place for religious ceremony, it is never entered without respect and solemnity.
How is it that these people rank so much higher in attention to their profession than many Christians, who wholly neglect the express injunction of the Apostles for assembling themselves together; and seem to consider, when distributed in small communities, that they are exempted from the duty of public worship?
The village Greeks content themselves with an occasional appearance at the church of the nearest town ; where, however, upon special occasions, such as the great festival of Easter, whole villages may be found. In the large towns there are Greek as well as Russian churches, but to this, Staria Grim is an exception.
The occupations of the Greeks are perhaps more various than those of most of the settlers.
In the towns they are found as respectable merchants, as small shopkeepers, keepers of the khans, &c. The Greeks also are the only fishers who adventure far for the purpose of fishing ; but notwithstanding the quantity and variety of fish which may be caught with little trouble in the Black Sea, the markets are very ill supplied. Salt-fish is furnished from Kertch alone, though eachtown on the coast affords abundance for its own consumption. Fresh fish is bought up instantly it comes into market, and double or treble the quantity that usually contents the fisherman, might readily be sold. At Kertch more attention is paid to this employment, as the fisheries form a productive part of the revenue of estates, and it becomes the interest of the proprietor to render that as profitable as possible. The sturgeon is here caught and cured ; and the mullet is frequently in the markets ofKaifa. Besides these, are mackarel ofa smaller species than the English ; several sorts of flat fish, soles, turbots of two sorts, and oysters in plenty.
In the villages they enter partially into agricultural pursuits, cultivating as much ground as will give the produce necessary for their own private consumption; but they are bad farmers, and not much skilled in the management of cattle : they, however, accumulate herds of cows and oxen, and live much upon the produce of the former : eat the milk sour as the Tatars do, and make a much better sort of cheese. Few of them keep sheep, and such as do, entrust the management ofthem to Tatars, or Bulgarians ; but the losses in small flocks make them very unprofitable.
The chief attention of the Greek villagers is given to the planting and raising tobacco and cabbages ; and such situations as are eligible for these purposes have been chosen for their villages. I have already spoken of the cultivation of cabbages : the tobacco is a tender plant, and also depends much upon the care bestowed to weed and irrigate it. The pulling it affords a busy season to all the inhabitants of the cottage; and when housed, it is strung, or tied singly, by the stalk of the leaf, on long threads, and hung up under sheds, exposed to the air and sun, but kept from rain, until it be thoroughly dried: it is then packed in an inner apartment, ready for sale. It bears price according to the season, from one ruble and twenty kopeeks to two rubles; but L2 averaging one ruble and a half, or fifteen pence per oka.