and the inhabitants of Chili, who never cease sipping it from morning to night. This nectar of Paraguay is relished by every rank, age, and sex, and is to them what chocolate, coffee, Chinese tea, and spirits are to other nations. The herb, after having been conveyed on mules from the remotest roads of Paraguay to the distant kingdoms of Peru and Chili, from the difficulties of the journey, and the heavy tolls, which send great returns to the royal treasury, is sold at its journey's end, at a greatly increased price. The vessel in which it is taken is made of a hide, or of a gourd split in half, and, amongst the higher orders, plated all round with silver. Into this vessel they put a common table spoonful of the herb, stir it up for some time with sugar and cold water, and then pour the hot water upon it. Many drop in the juice of a citron or lemon. The herb thus prepared is strained through a silver pipe, annexed to which is a little globe, finely punctured; this is done lest any particle of the herb, which is noxious to the stomach, should slip down the throat with the liquor. Others use a narrow wooden pipe or slender reed for this purpose. The Indians, who are not in the habit of straining it, often swallow unintentionally a quantity of the herb, green concrete balls of which are sometimes said to be found in the bowels of the deceased. However this may be, it is most certain, that the warm water in which the herb has been steeped too long, cannot be drunk with safety to the health. Water of this kind grows black, and is only used by ink makers to deepen the blackness of their ink. The moderate use of this herb is wholesome and beneficial in many ways. For when taken with caution, it acts as a diuretic, provokes a gentle perspiration, improves the appetite, speedily counteracts the languor arising from the burning climate, and assuages both hunger and thirst, especially if the herb be drunk with cold water without sugar. If any one wishes to perspire freely, he needs no drug: let him drink an infusion of this herb, as hot as possible, and then lie down. If his stomach appear in want of an emetic, he has only to take the same herb in tepid water. On the other hand, it cannot be doubted, that by the immoderate and almost hourly use of this potation, the stomach is weakened, and continual flatulence, with other diseases, brought on. I have known many of the lower Spaniards who never spoke ten words without applying their lips to the gourd containing the ready-made tea. If many topers in Europe waste their substance by an immoderate use of wine and other intoxicating liquors, there are no fewer in America who drink away their fortunes in potations of the herb of Paraguay.