The galley at once stopped, a boat was lowered, and some men descended and rowed toward me.
They were men of strange appearance--very small in stature and slender in frame.

Their hair was black and straight, their features were quite regular, and their general expression was one of great gentleness.

I was surprised to notice that they kept their eyes almost closed, as though they were weak and troubled by the glare of the sun.

With their half-closed eyes they blinked at me, and then one who appeared to be their chief spoke to me.

I understood not a word; and then I answered him in English, which, of course, was equally unintelligible to him.
I then made signs, pointing to the mountains and endeavoring to make known to him that I had come from beyond them--that I had suffered shipwreck, that I had drifted here, and that I needed assistance.