170 



CHILI. 



beef, a term probably derived from the local name 

 charque. The men seated themselves on low 

 stools in the different cells, and began cutting 

 each of the detached portions of meat into long 

 strips, or ribbands uniform in size from end to 

 end ; some of these which were cut from the lar- 

 ger pieces, being several yards in length, and 

 about two inches in width. To perform this ope- 

 ration neatly requires considerable expertness. 

 The piece of meat is held in the left hand, and 

 at each slice is hitched round so as to offer a new 

 place to the knife ; and in this way the strip of 

 meat seems to unwind itself, like a broad tape 

 from a ball, till at last nothing remains. We 

 tried to perform this ourselves, but continually 

 cut the strip across before it had attained any 

 length. When the whole has been treated in 

 this manner, it is allowed to hang under cover for 

 ^ certain time, during which it acquires a black 

 colour ; and owing to the heat and dryness of the 

 air, speedily loses much of its moisture. The 

 meat is afterwards exposed to the sun till tho- 

 roughly dried, and being then made up into great 



