The white-washed wooden house stood near the bank, with a stockaded compound between it and the water.
It was built on piles and at the top of the outside stairs a veranda ran along the front.

The compound was tunneled by land-crabs' holes, and light mist crept about the giant cotton woods behind.

There was no movement of air, a sickly smell rose from the creek, and all was very damp.
Lister and Brown went up the stairs and were received by a white man in a big damp room.

A lamp hung from a beam and the light touched the patches of mildew on the discolored walls.

There was not much furniture; a few canvas chairs, a desk and a table.