ng with us to our house. I was delighted to see my
dear Judith, and to acquaint her with our happy reception and the
complete success of our Mission, for which we return our grateful
thanks to Heaven."

CHAPTER XXXIII.

1840.

DISTRESS AMONG THE JEWS AT SALONICA--OPPRESSIVE LAWS WITH REGARD
TO THEM--TEXT OF THE FIRMAN--ITS PROMULGATION.

On the 30th of October all the representatives of the Hebrew
congregations called to express their thanks to Sir Moses for
introducing the study of the Turkish language and its literature in
their schools. The letter on the subject, addressed by the Haham Bashi
to all the congregations, had been printed, and was to be read
publicly on the following day in all the Synagogues in Constantinople.

On Saturday we had the happiness of receiving from Mr Pisani the
answer of His Imperial Majesty, which he had delivered to Sir Moses in
reply to his address on Wednesday evening, which His Majesty promised
should be delivered in writing. Rechid Pasha sent it by Mr Pisani,
saying that he was preparing the firman which Sir Moses had requested
from the Sultan. The same day the letter of the Haham Bashi was read
in all the Synagogues, and caused great satisfaction to all present,
as they considered that the introduction of the Turkish language in
the Jewish schools would raise the Jews in the estimation of both
Moslems and Greeks. We had again many visitors, and received a
deputation from Salonica, where there were 5000 Jewish families. Much
distress, they said, prevailed there, in consequence of a fire which
had destroyed 20,000 houses, of which 2000 belonged to Jews. They had
presented a petition to the Sultan for assistance to rebuild the
houses, as he had sent money for that purpose to the other
inhabitants, but not to the Jews. They also complained that they were
forced to pay the Governor large sums of money before he would allow
them to bury any one. Sir Moses asked them if persons of other
religions were also charged for the privilege of burying their dead;
they replied in the affirmative, but said the sum that others paid was
very trifling as compared to the charges made to the Jews.

Mr Isaac Picciotto, who had just arrived from Damascus, paid us a
visit. He was one of the unfortunate persons accused there, and had
only been saved from torture by the protection of the Austrian Consul,
he being an Austrian subject. He was kept seven months in the Consul's
house, and had only h