ever conceived, with towers, cupolas, and columns, of which the summits
lost themselves in the clouds; marble basins and fountains of bright
sparkling water, rivers flowing with liquid gold and silver, and gardens
in which the trees were bowed down with the most magnificent fruit--fruit
that I had not strength enough to raise my hand and pluck. My limbs were
heavy as lead, my tongue, lips, and gums, dry and parched. I breathed with
the greatest difficulty, and within me was a burning sensation, as if I
had swallowed hot coals; while my extremities, both hands and feet, did
not appear to form a part of myself, but to be instruments of torture
affixed to me, and causing me the most intense suffering.

I have a confused recollection of a sort of rushing noise, the nature of
which I was unable to determine, so nearly had all consciousness left me;
then of finding myself amongst trees, the leaves and boughs of which
scratched and beat against my face as I passed through them; then of a
sudden and rapid descent, with the broad bright surface of a river below
me. I clutched at a branch, but my fingers had no strength to retain their
grasp--there was a hissing, splashing noise, and the waters closed over my
head.

I soon rose, and endeavoured to strike out with my arms and legs, but in
vain; I was too weak to swim and again I went down. A thousand lights
seemed to dance before my eyes: there was a noise in my brain as if a
four-and-twenty pounder had been fired close to my ear. Just then a hard
hand was wrung into my neck-cloth, and I felt myself dragged out of the
water. The next instant my senses left me.

* * * * *