MATTEE. 



23 



Yerba, as it is called, has a yellow colour, and ap- 

 pears partly ground, and partly chopped ; the fla- 

 vour resembles that of fine tea, to which, indeed, 

 many people prefer it. The mattee is made in an 

 oval-shaped metal pot, about twice as large as an 

 egg-cup, placed nearly full of water, on the hot 

 embers of the brazier, which always stands in the 

 middle of the parlour ; when the water begins to 

 boil, a lump of sugar burnt on the outside is add- 

 ed. The pot is next removed to a filagree silver 

 stand, on which it is handed to the guest, who 

 draws the mattee into his mouth through a silver 

 pipe seven or eight inches in length ; furnished, at 

 the lower extremity, with a bulb pierced with 

 small holes. The natives drink it almost boiling 

 hot, and it costs a stranger many a tear before he 

 can imitate them in this practice. There is one 

 custom in these mattee drinkings, to which, 

 though not easily reconcileable to our habits, a 

 stranger must not venture to object. However 

 numerous the company be, or however often the 

 mattee pot be replenished, the tube is never 

 changed ; and to decline taking mattee, because 

 the tube had been previously used, would b^ 



