40 



MATE^ OR PARAGUAY TEA. 



much detail — all the furniture consists of an old 

 table and two crazy chairs with very high backs^ 

 which generally are dangerous to sit down upon; 

 the walls are mud, without any aperture to ad- 

 mit the lights excepting the holes in the frail 

 roof of cane or rushes^ and a rent here and 

 there stuffed up with sheeps' skins^ old rags, &c. 

 two mud benches_, and sometimes, but not often, 

 two catres or frames, with a hide stretched across 

 to sleep upon, forms the sum total of their ac- 

 commodation ; this one had been clean swept 

 out, and we were not much troubled with vermin. 



On the 25th we arose betimes, and took our 

 mate or Paraguay tea, which is much esteemed 

 in this country; it is by no means disagreeable; 

 the only part 1 disliked about it, was sucking 

 from the same tube as my companions, who were 

 not very nice as to cleanliness. It is made by 

 putting the herb in a small gourd, containing 

 about half a pint of water, sugar is added, and 

 then dra»k by sucking through a silver tube, 

 which is passed from one to another without 



