He could feel their eyes on him through their veils, but he could not see their faces.

He could see nothing except their naked, copper-coloured arms and long thin hands stretched out to assist him.
Alan descended from the litter as slowly as he could, for somehow he shrank from the quaint, carved portal which he saw before him.

He did not wish to pass it; its aspect filled him with reluctance.

The women drew him on, their hands pulled at his arms, their shoulders pressed him from behind.

Still he hung back, looking about him, till to his delight he saw the other litter arrive and out of it emerge Jeekie, still wearing his sun-helmet with its fringe of tattered mosquito curtain.
"Here we are, Major," he said in his cheerful voice, "turned up all right like a bad ha'penny, but in odd situation." "Very odd," echoed Alan.