After the banquet, the people began to stream into the ballroom, where fresh blossoms and growing flowers were displayed in abundance. At a given hour the ball was declared open by the vice-Yuengai, and it was, to say the least of it, a gorgeous spectacle. The enormous size and grandeur of the room, the magnificence of the decorations, the great concourse of people, the splendour of the surroundings, the sweetness of the varied strains of music, and, above all, the wonderful beauty of the women, eclipsed all my former remembrances of similar gatherings.
The music was playing, the people still arriving, and the first dance about to commence. Of course I was not acquainted with it, but I felt elevated; the scene had its effect upon me, and I thought I would like to join. They appeared to be going in couples, so I sought out Vandalia, who became my partner. They formed several rows round the building, then began to move about, at first in what I considered a simple manner, and I got on well; but after a time the rows appeared to get mixed, and the movements became more intricate. They spun round at a rapid rate, and changed partners frequently—indeed, so frequently, that I lost mine altogether, and became giddy. There was a pecu-
