These days were pleasant adventure, and this child – with no home, no family, and no future apparently – was an amusing companion, quite aside from his practical use. At night we stopped in villages at a series of resthouses maintained by the Dutch administration for the benefit of Dutch officials and commercial travelers. Despite the fact that these places were usually run by Eurasians, Pito was always refused admission. His colour was wrong. But unperturbed he slept in the car along with the dusty luggage.

Soon I couldn’t bear the thought of parting with Pito. He must come with me to Bali. His body, starvation thin, needed care and food. These he could have. I would see that he went to school – received an education. It would be a pleasant life.

‘No,’ he said, ‘a Java boy needs no schooling.’

It was this that had brought his father to ruin. The gods are angered by too much white man’s learning.

But I couldn’t desert Pito. I decided to cross Bali Strait at night with the boy asleep in the car, and afterward try to persuade him once more to remain with me in Bali.

The first part of my plan was successful. Pito slept soundly while the fishermen, signaled to be quiet, rolled the car into place on the light vessel, a craft so narrow it was impossible either to enter or leave the car while we were on the water. Sails were hoisted silently and the prau, heavy laden, bobbed slowly into the darkness.

All went well until we reached the uninhabited and deserted beach of the island of my dreams. As the car was being unloaded, Pito woke up. I had to tell him that we were in Bali and that Java was five miles across the strait.

For a moment he stood rigid. Then his eyes distended and he screamed.

‘Take me back – take me back!’ he shouted. ‘Bali full of leyaks – I die here –’ Then he collapsed into complete hysteria. He wept while the fishermen whispered among themselves.

So Bali was not yet attained. It was Pito who suggested that the car be left on the beach while we sailed back across the strait to Banjuwangi. I had desired freedom for myself. I could not take freedom from another.