"I should have thought that we were quite bothered enough with Latin and Greek verses, without having anything to do with pilgrims.

Besides, I didn't know there were any Latins now, and the Greeks ain't much." Major Archer smiled.
"The Latin pilgrims are the members of the countries which profess the Roman Catholic religion, while the Greeks are those who profess the religion of the Greek Church.

That is to say, in the present case, principally Russians.

There have for years been squabbles, swelling sometimes into serious tumults, between the pilgrims of these creeds, the matter being generally complicated by the interference of the Turkish authorities with them.

The Russian government has been endeavoring to obtain from Turkey the protectorate of all Christians in her dominions, which France, as the leading Catholic country, naturally objects to.