152 JOURNAL. 



often entreated me to go and take matee with her ; but my dread of 

 using the bombilla, or tube which passes round to every body for the 

 purpose of sucking it up, had hitherto deterred me. However, I 

 resolved to get over my prejudice, and accordingly walked to her 

 house this evening. It is built, I should think, something on the plan 

 of the semi-Moorish houses which the Spaniards introduced into this 

 country. Passing under a gateway, on each side of which are shops, 

 occupied by various owners, looking towards the streets, I entered a 

 spacious court-yard ; one side of which is occupied by the gate, and 

 into which the windows of the house look out. A second side of the 

 quadrangle appeared to be store-houses ; the other two, by their ja- 

 lousied windows, showed that the dwelling apartments were situated 

 there. In the entrance-hall the servants were sitting, or standing 

 loitering, for the working time of day was over ; and they were look- 

 ing into the family apartment, where the women were lolling on the 

 estrada, or raised platform covered with carpet (alfombra), supported 

 by cushions, on one side of the room ; and the men, with their hats 

 on, were sitting on high chairs, smoking and spitting, on the other. 

 Along the wall by the estrada, a covered bench runs the whole 

 length of the room ; and there I was invited to sit, and the matee 

 was called for. 



A relation of the lady then went to the lower end of the estrada, 

 and sat on the edge of it, before a large chafingdish of lighted 

 charcoal, on which was a copper-pot full of boiling water. The 

 matee cups were then handed to the matee maker, who, after putting 

 in the proper ingredients, poured the boiling water over them, ap- 

 plied the bombilla to her lips, and then handed it to 'me ; but it was 

 long ere 1 could venture to taste the boiling liquor, which is harsher 

 than tea, but still very pleasant. As soon as I had finished my cup, 

 it was instantly replenished and handed to another person, and so 

 on till all were served ; two cups and tubes having gone round the 

 whole circle. Soon after the matee, sugar-biscuits were handed 

 round, and then cold water, which concluded the visit. The people 

 I went to see were of the better class of shopkeepers, dignified by 



