160 JOURNAL. 



not good after the first day. The native bakers usually put suet or 

 lard into it, so that it tastes like cake ; a few French bakers, how- 

 ever, make excellent bread ; but that we had to-day was of the coun- 

 try, and assimilated well with the melted marrow. After this apetizer, 

 as my countrymen would call it, a large dish of charqui-can was 

 placed before us. It consists of fresh beef very much boiled, with 

 pieces of charqui or dried beef, slices of dried tongue, and pumkin, 

 cabbage, potatoes, and other vegetables, in the same dish. Our host- 

 ess immediately began eating from the dish with her fingers, and 

 invited us to do the same ; but one of her daughters brought us each 

 a plate and fork, saying she knew that such was our custom. How- 

 ever, the old lady persisted in putting delicate pieces on our plates 

 with her thumb and finger. The dish was good, and well cooked. 

 It was succeeded by a fowl which was torn to pieces with the hands ; 

 and then came another fowl cut up, and laid on sippets strewed with 

 chopped herbs ; and then giblets ; and then soup ; and, lastly, a bowl 

 of milk, and a plate of Harina de Yalli, that is, flour made from a small 

 and delicate kind of maize. Each being served with a cup of the 

 milk, we stirred the flour into it ; and I thought it excellent from its 

 resemblance to milk brose. Our drink was the wine of the country ; 

 and on going out to the veranda after dinner, apples and oranges 

 were offered to us. As it was not yet time for the old lady to take 

 her siesta, I took the opportunity of asking her concerning the belief 

 of the people of the country as to witches. There is something 

 in her appearance, when surrounded by her five tall daughters, that 

 irresistibly put me in mind of the weird sisters, and I felt half inclined 

 to ask what they were that " look'd not like th' inhabitants of earth, 

 and yet were on it." If I had done so, instead of asking the simple 

 question I did, my hostess could not have looked more shocked : 

 she crossed herself, took up the scapulary of the Merced, which she 

 kissed * ; and then said, " There have been such things as witches, 



* This scapulary is a bit of cloth or silk, on one side of which is embroidered a white 

 cross, on a red ground ; and on the other, the arms of Arragon : this is hung round the 



