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Suddenlyhewassurprisedbytheimpressionmadeonitbythecurrent。
Itseemedtobeofaslimyconsistency，asifithadbeenmadeofmineraloil。Alcide，aidinghistouchbyhissenseofsmell，couldnotbemistaken。Itwasreallyalayerofliquidnaphtha，floatingonthesurfaceoftheriver！
Wastheraftreallyfloatingonthissubstance，whichisinthehighestdegreecombustible？Wherehadthisnaphthacomefrom？
WasitanaturalphenomenontakingplaceonthesurfaceoftheAngara，orwasittoserveasanengineofdestruction，putinmotionbytheTartars？DidtheyintendtocarryconflagrationintoIrkutsk？
SuchwerethequestionswhichAlcideaskedhimself，buthethoughtitbesttomakethisincidentknownonlytoHarryBlount，andtheybothagreedinnotalarmingtheircompanionsbyrevealingtothemthisnewdanger。
ItisknownthatthesoilofCentralAsiaislikeaspongeimpregnatedwithliquidhydrogen。AttheportofBakou，onthePersianfrontier，ontheCaspianSea，inAsiaMinor，inChina，ontheYuen-Kiang，intheBurmanEmpire，springsofmineraloilriseinthousandstothesurfaceoftheground。
Itisan“oilcountry，“similartotheonewhichbearsthisnameinNorthAmerica。
Duringcertainreligiousfestivals，principallyattheportofBakou，thenatives，whoarefire-worshipers，throwliquidnaphthaonthesurfaceofthesea，whichbuoysitup，itsdensitybeinginferiortothatofwater。Thenatnightfall，whenalayerofmineraloilisthusspreadovertheCaspian，theylightit，andexhibitthematchlessspectacleofanoceanoffireundulatingandbreakingintowavesunderthebreeze。
ButwhatisonlyasignofrejoicingatBakou，mightproveafearfuldisasteronthewatersoftheAngara。Whetheritwassetonfirebymalevolenceorimprudence，inthetwinklingofaneyeaconflagrationmightspreadbeyondIrkutsk。Onboardtheraftnoimprudencewastobefeared；buteverythingwastobedreadedfromtheconflagrationsonbothbanksoftheAngara，forshouldalightedstraworevenasparkblowintothewater，itwouldinevitablysetthewholecurrentofnaphthainablaze。
TheapprehensionsofJolivetandBlountmaybebetterunderstoodthandescribed。Woulditnotbeprudent，infaceofthisnewdanger，tolandononeofthebanksandwaitthere？
“Atanyrate，“saidAlcide，“whateverthedangermaybe，Iknowsomeonewhowillnotland！“
HealludedtoMichaelStrogoff。
Inthemeantime，onglidedtheraftamongthemassesoficewhichweregraduallygettingcloserandclosertogether。
Uptillthen，noTartardetachmenthadbeenseen，whichshowedthattheraftwasnotabreastoftheoutposts。
Ataboutteno’clock，however，HarryBlountcaughtsightofanumberofblackobjectsmovingontheiceblocks。
Springingfromonetotheother，theyrapidlyapproached。
“Tartars！“hethought。Andcreepinguptotheoldboatman，hepointedouttohimthesuspiciousobjects。
Theoldmanlookedattentively。“Theyareonlywolves！“saidhe。
“IlikethembetterthanTartars。Butwemustdefendourselves，andwithoutnoise！“
Thefugitiveswouldindeedhavetodefendthemselvesagainsttheseferociousbeasts，whomhungerandcoldhadsentroamingthroughtheprovince。Theyhadsmeltouttheraft，andwouldsoonattackit。
Thefugitivesmuststrugglewithoutusingfirearms，fortheycouldnotnowbefarfromtheTartarposts。Thewomenandchildrenwerecollectedinthemiddleoftheraft，andthemen，somearmedwithpoles，otherswiththeirknives，stoodpreparedtorepulsetheirassailants。
Theydidnotmakeasound，butthehowlsofthewolvesfilledtheair。
Michaeldidnotwishtoremaininactive。Helaydownatthesideattackedbythesavagepack。Hedrewhisknife，andeverytimethatawolfpassedwithinhisreach，hishandfoundoutthewaytoplungehisweaponintoitsthroat。
NeitherwereJolivetandBlountidle，butfoughtbravelywiththebrutes。Thei
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