The gears were grinding against their housing.

[…]a double sheet, made of very coarse cotton cloth, called guzzy; of which tents are usually constructed.

They are offcomers, a neat appellation intended to highlight their lack of local family. This could be reinforced with suitable word associations; 'from down South' was typical, or something implying weirdness such as 'he is into art'.

[…] and I call him a theist who believes in any God.