Her manner was full of dignity and sweet graciousness, and she appeared particularly anxious to make herself understood.

At first she spoke in a language that sounded like that of the chief, and was full of gutturals and broad vowels; afterward she spoke in another that was far more euphonious.

I, on the other hand spoke in English and in French; but of course I was as unintelligible to her as she was to me.
Language was, therefore, of no use.

It was necessary to go back to first principles and make use of signs, or try to gain the most elementary words of her language; so first of all I pointed to her, and tried to indicate that I wanted to know her name.

She caught my meaning at once, and, pointing to herself, she looked fixedly at me and said, "Almah, Almah!" I repeated these words after her, saying, "Almah, Almah!" She smiled and nodded, and then pointed to me with a look of inquiry that plainly asked for my name.