PROM puhgatort to pabadise. 



529 



We soon floated out of the narrow Limatang into 

 tlie wide and sluggiah Musi, and changed our course 

 from north to east. There are great quantities of 

 rattan along the lower part of the Litnatang and the 

 Musi, and the natives gather only a small fraction of 

 what they might if they were not so indolent. Last 

 night, at Sungi Rotan, the mosquitoes proved a worse 

 pest than the night before, and they have continued 

 to annoy ns 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 yeai* ago. After three large doses of 

 quinine I fell asleep, my boatmen saying that we 

 should not reach Falembang till morning, which en- 

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

 to call dunng 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 

 torturiog 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 honse. On the brilliantly-lighted portico above 

 ns were festoons of flowei-s, 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 

 waa not the victim of some hallucination, and my 

 boatmen, apparently perceiving my state of mind, in- 

 84 



