Conclusion.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4562, 7 December 1882, Page 4

Conclusion.

I think tho foregoing extraordinary story may be bost explained by Bimply giving tho following letter whioh I received some months afterwards from Dr Ferrier, of San Franoiaoo, in answer to a letter from nr ■•If :— "Dear Bir, — I shall be m .->■-. 'tippy to inform you, as the late Mr Russell* i»cutor, of any facte in my possession as to • mad gentleman's illness in Japan. When I »i ■•-.t saw him in July 186—— he was lying i » tho American Hotel at Yokohama, suffering from brain fever, the result, I waß told, of long mental oppression, oombined with a sudden shook to the nervous system. Dr Henry James, of W— -— , in your colony, was then attending him, but was obliged to leave him and return to New Zealand, owing to urgent private affairs. Dr James hogged me to take charge of him, and when I consented to do so, told me that Mr Russell was the son of a wealthy Erofessional gentleman in New Zealand, but ad fallen into ill-health and despondency owing, it was fancied, to an unfortunate love affair. He was quietly induced to take a voyage to Japan • and it was arranged that J)r James should go with him in his professional obaraoter. Of this, however, both young Hußsell and the world in general were ignorant, as it was given out that James was merely proceeding to Japan on a holiday visit. On the voyage Russell's despondency and reserve inoreased so much that softening af the brain was feared. Arrired in Japan, however, he seemed to rally, and the doctor engaged a small yacht at Yokohama, intending to take him on a coastal oruise. On the very first day of their voyage, however, ac they were lying be-calmed in the bay Ashing, the heat so affooted Russell that he beoame suddenly violent and threw himself •verboard. Besoued at the last gasp, he was carried into the hotol and revived, only to fall into a raging fever. In this state I found him. He did not finally emerge frem delirium for nearly three wooks, and then I eirtainly expected to see him sink from exhaustion. I have always looked upon his recovery as an unusual instance of the yital power of a strong constitution, for when I left him a month later he waß apparently on the high road to comploto restoration. "Ab to what you say about his suffering from some hallucination as to his eacapo from drowning, I think that quite likely. Indeed, I reeolleot fancying at the timo that his mind WSJ either a blank as to events during his illness, or subject to somo delusion which he carefully concealed. Suoh instances of monomania are not unknown to medical science, though, as a rule, the delusion is not permanent, as you hint in your friond's oase. I -daresay, however, that he was not so oom*

plotely impressed with tho truth of the fantastic experience which jou Bay he believed he had poasort through, as his papers have led you to imagine. I daresay ha jotted down tho impressions while they wero fresh, and left them undisturbed even after his strengthening memory begau to load him to doubt their reality. My professional services to Mr .Huasell were fully remunerated at the time. With m*uy thanks for your kind expressions, "Believe me, " Yours most truly, " Walteb J. Fuhbibb. " P.3.— Dr James, if still living, will confirm my statements." Unfortunately Dr Jamos had beon dead two years, so that this was all I ever learnt of my friend's strange Btory. None of hiß other papers, or thoso of his family, which 1 cams into my hands as oxeoutor, contained | any reforenoe to it.