At length it was round, and as the head came in view all the Pongo from the Kalubi down ceased their low, weird chant and flung themselves upon their faces, those who had torches still holding them up in their right hands.
Oh! what a thing appeared! It was not a toad, but a man that moved upon all fours.

The large, bald head was sunk deep between the shoulders, either through deformity or from age, for this creature was undoubtedly very old.

Looking at it, I wondered how old, but could form no answer in my mind.

The great, broad face was sunken and withered, like to leather dried in the sun; the lower lip hung pendulously upon the prominent and bony jaw.

Two yellow, tusk-like teeth projected one at each corner of the great mouth; all the rest were gone, and from time to time it licked the white gums with a red-pointed tongue as a snake might do.