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NOTICES OP CHILE. 97 



gree, the restraint which I felt at our reception. The first 

 waltz on the piano dispelled the stiflfness of conversation, which 

 was afterwards carried on during the whole evening with great 

 vivacity. 



When Dona Carmencita ended her song, a small silver globe 

 (supported on a stem and plate, like the mate-cup,) holding a 

 single coal, was brought in, and Dona Juana begged us to enjoy 

 our cigars the same as if we were at home. — " Don Francisco, 

 porque no pita usted su cigaro? haga usted lo mismo, como en 

 su misma casa." " Don Francisco, why do you not smoke your 

 cigar? — do the same as if you were in your own house." — 

 Adopting the maxim, h Rome comme a Rome, we indulged 

 ourselves in smoking one of the cigars of Chile, called " hojas,'^ 

 or <<hojitas." They are about two inches and an half long; 

 the wrapper is made of the inner husk of corn, and filled with 

 coarsely powdered tobacco. As their use is apt to stain the 

 fingers of the smoker, the fashionable young gentlemen carry 

 a pair of delicate gold tweezers for holding them. The cigar 

 is so small in size, that it requires not more than three or four 

 minutes to smoke one. It serves well to fill up an interval in 

 conversation. At tertulias, the gentlemen sometimes retire to 

 a balcony, to smoke one or two cigars after a dance. 



About eight o'clock, a party, consisting of four ladies and 

 two gentlemen, came in. The same stifiness of reception was 

 manifest on their entrance, except that the ladies rose from 

 their seats, and embraced their female guests one after the 

 other. Yet the conversation was soon very animated, dresses 

 were criticised, the theatre spoken of; and it was mentioned 

 as a profound secret, that a ball was to be given by some one 

 of their mutual friends. Then the subject changed to the in- 

 disposition of some one of the family, and each lady recited a 

 long list of remedies which were infallible, relating how such 

 a one had suffered from the same disease. I inferred from the 

 whole discussion, that a violent quack medicine called **Pan- 

 quimagogo," was the most effectual, as well as the most popu- 

 lar of all remedies, in all diseases. 



Soon after the arrival of the ladies and gentlemen, ices, cakes, 

 liqueurs, and water, were served to all. The conversation did 

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