In common with other uncivilised races most of these women were little except a girdle and a goat-skin cloak that hung loosely upon their shoulders, displaying their magnificent proportions somewhat freely.

They were much handsomer than the men, having splendid solemn eyes, very white teeth, and a remarkable dignity of gait.

Their faces, however, wore the same sombre look as those of their husbands and brothers, and they did not chatter after the manner of their sex, but contented themselves with pointing out the peculiarities of the strangers in a few brief words to their children or to one another.
After crossing the market-place the party came to a long and gentle ascent, which terminated at a wall surrounding the lower of the two great buildings that they had seen from the plain.

Passing its gates they halted at the doors of the first of these edifices.

Here priests stood with torches--at least, they judged them to be priests from the symbol of the snake's head tattooed upon their naked breasts--ready to conduct them to their lodging, for now the night was closing in rapidly.
Soon they found themselves within the walls of a great house, built in the usual way with rough boulders, but on three sides of a square, and enclosing a courtyard in which a fountain bubbled.