Then he also addressed some remarks to us in the same soft accents that had distinguished our first interviewer, which we were forced to indicate we did not understand by shaking our heads and shrugging our shoulders.
This last Alphonse, being to the manner born, did to perfection, and in so polite a way that nobody could take any offence.

Then we came a standstill, till I, being exceedingly hungry, thought I might as well call attention to the fact, and did so first by opening my mouth and pointing down it, and then rubbing my stomach.

These signals the old gentleman clearly understood, for he nodded his head vigorously, and pointed towards the harbour; and at the same time one of the men on his boat threw us a line and motioned to us to make it fast, which we did.

The row-boat then took us in tow, and went with great rapidity towards the mouth of the river, accompanied by all the other boats.

In about twenty minutes more we reached the entrance to the harbour, which was crowded with boats full of people who had come out to see us.