A Queer Race: The Story of a Strange People — page 87: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

84 A QUEER RACE. «¢ Speak ’em fair! What’s the use of speaking fair— or foul either—for that matter—to a lot of savage devils as can’t understand a word you say? As soon as they get within shooting distance they'll let flya harrow at your head—uniess vou are beforehund with ’em. T’ve been | | among such-like in the Pacific, and | know. However, you stop here and watch ’em, Mr. Erle, and Ill get the | arms ready.” The boat came on apace, and the nearer she drew, the more puzzled I became. The rowers being naked to the waist, I naturally saw a good deal of them; but whether they were red men dabbled with black, or black fellows dabbled with red, I was unable to determine, and as yet I could see little or nothing of their faces. Of the two men in the stern, however, I had a veryfairview. Their faces were queer, very queer. ‘The elder of them seemed to have a reddish eye and a white one; and the left cheek of the other differed in color from the right. As the elder turne his head, moreover, I perceived that he sported a pigtail. Their coats, of some dark material, were large and roomy, and adorned with brass or gold buttons; their nether garments were white; and, to crown all, they wore cocked hats, such as I had seen no- where but in old-fashioned pictures and on the stage. The pigtail suggested China, but it was impossible that we could have drifted as far as the Flowery Land— | and the Celestials don’t wear white breeches and cocked hats. ‘Then it struck me that these were wild people, after all, who had obtained their strange costumes from the plunder of a ship, or by way of trade; for I knew that savages like nothing so well as to array themselves in grotesque finery. But, no! Those roads and houses! And the rowers boasted no finery whatever; and, some- how, notwithstanding their painted faces, the two men in the stern had not the air of savages. i gave it up, and awaited the denowement with eager | curiosity. Eomichbooks.com