O'Shea passed the shivering pony, and went into the opening of the dune, which was now all in shadow because of the black cloud in the sky.

Inside was a small valley.

Its sand-banks might have been made of bleached bones, they looked so gray and dead.

Just within the opening was an unexpected sight--a row of hooded and muffled figures stood upright in the sand.
There was something appalling in the sight to Caius.

Each man was placed at exactly the same distance from his fellow; they seemed to stand with heads bowed, and hands clasped in front of their breasts; faces and hands, like their forms, were hooded and muffled.