Against this Langley
leaned and took a good look at his companion. The man had a most
extraordinary face. His lower jaw and cheek-bones were largely
developed, but Langley hardly noticed this, so struck was he with
the strange formation of the upper jaw. That portion of the superior
maxillary bone which lies between the sockets of the eye-teeth
protruded, with the sockets, to a remarkable degree, and instead of
being curved appeared to be quite straight. The incisor teeth were very
large and white, but it was the development of the eye-teeth that was
most startling. These, besides being very massive, were produced below
the level of the incisors to a depth of nearly a quarter of an inch.
They distinctly suggested to Langley the tusks of a baboon.
As is not very unusual with natives, the man was perfectly bald. His
back was bent, and his limbs were somewhat shrunken, but he did not
appear in the least degree decrepit. His eyelids were very red, and his
eyes, though dim, had a deep and intent look. Ugly as was the man--or
perhaps by virtue of his ugliness--he exercised a strange fascination
over Langley.
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