FROM PURGATORY TO PARADISE. 520 



We soon floated out of tlie narrow Limatang into 

 tlie wide and sluggisli Musi, and clianged our course 

 from nortli to east. There are great quantities of 

 rattan along tlie lower part of tlie Limatang and tlie 

 Musi, and tlie natives gather only a small fraction of 

 what they might if they were not so indolent. Last 

 , night, at Sungi Kotan, the mosquitoes proved a worse 

 ■ pest than the night before, and they have continued 

 to annoy us all day. 



In the afternoon I had a slight attack of fever, 

 almost the only one I have had since I was ill im- 

 mediately after my arrival in Batavia, a few days 

 more than a year ago. After three large doses of 

 quinine I fell asleep, my boatmen saying that we 

 should not reach Palembang till morning, which en- 

 tirely agreed mth my own wishes, as I did not care 

 to call during the evening on the assistant Resident, 

 whom I had already notified of my coming. When 

 the last dose had disappeared I soon became oblivious 

 to all real things, and was only troubled with the 

 torturing images seen in a fever-dream. While these 

 hideous forms were still before my mind's eye, I was 

 suddenly aroused by a loud noise, and, while yet 

 half awake, was dazzled by a bright light on the 

 water, and, on looking out, saw that we were near a 

 large house. On the brilliantly-lighted portico above 

 us were festoons of flowers, and, while I was yet 

 gazing in .wonder, inspiriting music sprang up and 

 couple after couple whirled by in the mazy waltz. I 

 put my hand up to my head to assure myself that I 

 was not the victim of some hallucination, and my 

 boatmen, apparently perceiving my state of mind, in- 

 34 



