130 STATES OF THE RIVER PLATE. 



albuminous juices within the meat ; it is consequently 

 full of gravy or juice, and of good flavour, and constitutes 

 a ' dish ' which can be eaten daily from year's end to 

 year's end without exciting any repugnance, a quahty in- 

 dicative of its wholesomeness and fitness to meet the 

 requirements of the human organism. 



If the animals killed are in good condition, aU the 

 constituents — albuminous and fatty — are in such propor- 

 tions as suffice for aU the requirements of the system, 

 and no other food matters are necessary. Hence the 

 country people live almost entirely on beef so cooked, 

 using only a little salt, and occasionally a biscuit. ' Mat^ * 

 (' yerba ' infused in a small gourd, or ' mate,' with boil- 

 ing water, and imbibed through a tube) is taken in the 

 morning and during the day. This is the tea of the 

 country, and is very sustaining, containing a principle 

 allied to theine, caffene, and the principles of cocoa, 

 the karab nut, &c. 



The festal dish of the camps is ' carne con cuero,' or 

 meat roasted in the hide. The animal is cut up with 

 the hide on (on some great occasions when there are 

 many to feed on it, the animal is roasted whole with the 

 hide), a large piece is put on the spit and the inner side 

 presented to the fire, as in the case of the usual ' asado ' 

 or roast ; the red embers are then spread and the meat 

 laid on them, the side with the hide on resting on them. 

 In this way the whole of the juices are retained in the 

 meat, and it is particularly rich and satisfying. 



The contrast in flavour, appearance, and nutritious 

 properties which the meats of the country present to that 

 procurable in the cities is very marked, and clearly shows 

 a cause and effect in the long travelling and sufferings of 

 the animals driven to slaughter for city consumption. 

 The necessity for the feeding of cattle near the towns for 



