m 



THREE YEARS IN THE PACIFIC. 



or rather suck their favorite beverage, at a temperature very- 

 little below that of boiling water. Dona Juana took the 

 mate," and after two or three sips, offered it to me, to try 

 whether it were pleasant ; however willing I might have been 

 to receive the tube into my mouth, immediately after coming 

 from the pouting lips of her daughters, I must confess, I felt 

 some repugnance to suck the same stem with Dona Juana. 

 Yet, recollecting that one of Bazil Hall's officers had given 

 offence by carrying a bombilla" for his peculiar use, I took 

 <Uhe mate," and finding it agreeable in flavor, did not relin- 

 quish it until 1 had drawn it to the dregs. Those who take 



mate" for the first time, usually burn their lips ; and it is the 

 only mistake at which ladies laugh; in fact, a cynic could 

 scarcely keep his countenance : fancy a gentleman pressing a 

 hot silver tube between his lips, jerking back his head in sur- 

 prise, then resorting to his handkerchief to dry his eyes, and 

 while he does so, attempting to smile — the tout ensemble pro- 

 duces the most whimsical expression of countenance imagi- 

 nable. Two or three " mat6s" are generally quite sufficient to 

 supply a company of eight or ten persons ; for they are passed 

 from mouth to mouth till all are satisfied. When the fluid is 

 exhausted, " the mate" is replenished with sugar, and hot 

 water from a silver kettle, usually placed in the room upon a 

 small brazero" of living coals. 



The young ladies preferred tea, and I joined in the prefer- 

 ence, though I do not think mate disagreeable to the taste. 

 The whole was carried out at the expiration of a few minutes. 

 Mate drinking, or rather sipping, is fast going out of fashion, 

 and in the haut ton is now seldom seen. 



Dona Panchita, the second sister, played several marches, 

 and then Dona Carmencita, upon our solicitation, took her 

 seat at the instrument, ran her fingers over the keys, and ac- 

 companied herself in Rossini's 0 Dolce ingrata patria." She 

 sang with skill, and executed with much taste ; but she had the 

 nasal enunciation, which is very general with all the Chilenas 

 when they sing, and which is exceedingly disagreeable to those 

 unaccustomed to it. 



The music had the effect of removing, in a considerable de- 



