134 



TEA. 



alDout six feet square, of which the soil was beaten down with heavy 

 mallets, till it became a hard and consistent foundation. At the 

 four corners of this space, and at right angles, were driven in four 

 very strong stakes, while upon the surface of it were laid large 

 logs of wood. This was the place at which the leaves and small 

 sprigs of the yerba tree, when brought from the woods, were lirst 

 scorched — fire being set to the logs of wood wdthin it. By the 

 side of the tatacua was spread an ample square net of hidework, of 

 which, after the scorched leaves were laid upon it, a peon gathered 

 up the four corners and proceeded with his burthen on his shoul- 

 ders to the second place constructed, the barbacue. This was an 

 arch of considerable span, and of which the support consisted of 

 three strong trestles. The centre trestle formed the highest part 

 of the arch. Over this superstructure were laid cross-bars strongly 

 railed to stakes on either side of the central supports, and so formed 

 the roof of the arch. The leaves being separated after the tatacua 

 process, from the grosser boughs of the yerba tree, were laid on 

 this roof, under which a large fire was kindled. Of this fire the 

 flames ascended, and still further scorched the leaves of the yerba. 

 The two peons beneath the arch, vdth long poles, took care, as far 

 as they could, that no ignition should take place ; and in order to 

 extinguish this, w^hen it did occur, another peon was stationed at 

 the top of the arch. Along both sides of this there were two deal 

 planks, and, with a long stick in his hand, the peon ran along these 

 planks, and instantly extinguished any incipient sparks of fire that 

 appeared. 



When the yerba was thoroughly scorched, the fire was sv/ept 

 from the barbacue or arch ; the ground was then swept, and pounded 

 with heavy mallets, into the hardest and smoothest substance. The 

 scorched leaves and very small twigs were then thrown dow^n from 

 the roof of the arch, and, by mciius of a rude wooden mill, ground 

 to powder. 



The yerba or tea was now ready for use ; and being conve3^ed to 

 a larger shed, previously erected for the purpose, was then received, 

 weiglied, and stored by the overseer. The next and last process, 

 and the most laborious of all, was that of packing the tea. This 

 was done by first sewdug together, in a square form, the half of a 

 bull's hide, which being still damp, w^as fastened by two of its 

 corners to two strong trestles, driven far into the ground. The 

 packer then, with an enormous stick, made of the heaviest wood, 

 and having a huge block at one end, and a pyramidal piece to give 

 it a greater impulse at the other, pressed, by repeated efi'orts, the 

 yerba into the hide sack, till he got it full to the brim. It then 

 contained from 200 to 250 pounds, and being sewed up, and left 

 to tighten over the contents as the hide dried, it formed at the end 

 of a couple of days, by exposure to the sun, a substance as hard as 

 stone, and almost as weighty and impervious too. 



Having described the process of making ready the yerba for use, 

 we will now accompany Mr. Eobertson to the woods, to see how 

 it is collected. 



