“But, Amai,” Johannes said, “Dohong does not understand your weights. They use quite different ones at Bandjermasin and Kwala Kapoeas. Listen,” continued he, addressing Wienersdorf, “one thaël weighs two ringgits; one ringgit, two sadjampols; one sadjampol, two and a half sakobangs, and one sakobang, two boea kadjoes. Do you see it now?” “Yes, I see, Amai, there is three guilders of gold dust there. But what is the meaning of all this? I don’t quite understand yet.” “Oh,” said Johannes, “I intended to surprise you all by turning you into gold seekers—in fact, make your fortunes without your knowledge. The fun is spoilt now. The Poenan and I have been washing gold to-day. I took my first lesson and this is the result of two hours’ labor. I found all this myself. My teacher’s share is much larger.” “Three guilders in two hours!” exclaimed Wienersdorf, “that is not bad pay. I am sorry we cannot stay here longer; we might make a purse worth carrying home.” “And yet we have been rather unlucky, have we not, Amai?” The Poenan smiled and answered, “That was your fault. You did many forbidden things and made the sarok boelau fly away. It is a wonder you found any gold at all. But the sarok boelau will avenge himself, you may be sure you will be taken with the fever.” The Dayaks believe that all bodies animate and inanimate have souls; that of gold until it is conquered by man is called sarok boelau. “Oh, Amai,” said Johannes, smiling, “fever has no hold on me. When it comes I will pass it on to you.” The Poenan was by no means pleased at this joke, the intention of passing on the fever to him was just a little too much. He however proceeded to tell his friends that in his country, the soengei Miri, gold was much more common than here. He promised to assist them in seeking it, provided they would agree to conform strictly to the usages of the craft. This promise set them all talking about gold; they were already attacked by the fever—gold fever. CHAPTER XIV. A DAYAK IRON-FOUNDRY—A PAIR OF NATIVE BELLOWS—HARIMAOUNG BOEKIT DOWN WITH FEVER—WIENERSDORF BECOMES A PHYSICIAN—JOHANNES A MAGICIAN—NEWS FROM KWALA KAPOEAS—ONCE MORE EN ROUTE—THE WIDOW’S STONE—KIHAM HOERAS AND ITS PASSAGE—HALAMANTEK. The four friends continued sitting together till a late hour, their discourse dwelling upon the subject of gold seeking. La Cueille not feeling particularly sleepy reminded Johannes of a promise to narrate his experience of a Dayak iron-foundry. “I am quite willing to kill another hour or so and shall be glad of the opportunity to interrupt our conversation about gold seeking, as that is a subject which only causes unnecessary excitement. “But don’t expect to hear of processes and machinery as found in the West. A Dayak foundry is of a very primitive nature, as you will soon understand. This is what I personally saw in one of my expeditions: