Page:The nomads of the Balkans, an account of life and customs among the Vlachs of Northern Pindus (1914).djvu/62

 brought about a rise in the price of wine and with it a decrease in the amount drunk. It cannot however be denied that in the summer at Samarina a great quantity of wine is drunk, but there is really very little habitual drunkenness. On the whole one may say with a fair amount of truth that the Vlach drinks more than his neighbours, but since he loses his temper less and does not use a knife at the slightest excuse and in fact is often without one, the result is less obvious. As can be gathered from the description of the village given above Samarina possesses several cafes and these are on the whole well patronised. But among the Vlachs the confirmed caf6 loafer, a common Levantine type, who possesses the art of sitting down from early morning to sunset with one interval at noon for a meal and sleep, is rarely if ever seen. The Vlach who has nothing to do will walk about or go outside the village and sit on the hill side. The Greek idea of happiness lies in town life, and the w’ealthy provincial Greek who can live where he pleases prefers a house in the main street near to the chief caf6. The idea of a country house does not as yet exist, and few owners of large farms will live for choice on their properties, and will only rarely visit them. In this case however fear of brigands, especially in Thessaly, the part of Greece where large estates are most common, has been largely responsible. Still the country Greek of any class, with very few exceptions, would always vote for town life wdth its cafes and theatres. The ideal of the Vlach on the other hand is the life of the open road or country, up in the hills away from the plains and towns. Pines and beeches, which in the Balkans only grow in the hills, mountains, plenty of cold water, but only for drinking purposes, a fine open view and large flocks of sheep play a very large part in the Vlach ideal. A difference in temperament between Vlach and Greek comes out in many minor points. A Vlach has the quieter manner of speech, a comparative absence of gesticulation, and a lack of that excessive curiosity which especially in financial matters is so typical of the Greeks. He is also less hot-tempered and takes the small inconveniences of life in a more calm and tranquil frame of mind; there is a lack