religious festivals, principally at the port of Bakou,
the natives, who are fire-worshipers, throw liquid naphtha on the
surface of the sea, which buoys it up, its density being inferior to
that of water. Then at nightfall, when a layer of mineral oil is thus
spread over the Caspian, they light it, and exhibit the matchless
spectacle of an ocean of fire undulating and breaking into waves under
the breeze.

But what is only a sign of rejoicing at Bakou, might prove a fearful
disaster on the waters of the Angara. Whether it was set on fire by
malevolence or imprudence, in the twinkling of an eye a conflagration
might spread beyond Irkutsk. On board the raft no imprudence was to be
feared; but everything was to be dreaded from the conflagrations on both
banks of the Angara, for should a lighted straw or even a spark blow
into the water, it would inevitably set the whole current of naphtha in
a blaze.

The apprehensions of Jolivet and Blount may be better understood than
described. Would it not be prudent, in face of this new danger, to
land on one of the banks and wait there? "At any rate," said Alcide,
"whatever the danger may be, I know some one who will not land!"

He alluded to Michael Strogoff.

In the meantime, on glided the raft among the masses of ice which were
gradually getting closer and closer together. Up till then, no Tartar
detachment had been seen, which showed that the raft was not abreast of
the outposts. At about ten o'clock, however, Harry Blount caught sight
of a number of black objects moving on the ice blocks. Springing from
one to the other, they rapidly approached.

"Tartars!" he thought. And creeping up to the old boatman, he pointed
out to him the suspicious objects.

The old man looked attentively. "They are only wolves!" said he. "I
like them better than Tartars. But we must defend ourselves, and without
noise!"

The fugitives would indeed have to defend themselves against these
ferocious beasts, whom hunger and cold had sent roaming through the
province. They had smelt out the raft, and would soon attack it. The
fugitives must struggle without using firearms, for they could not now
be far from the Tartar posts. The women and children were collected in
the middle of the raft, and the men, some armed with poles, others with
their knives, stood prepared to repulse their assailants. They did not
make a sound, but the howls of the wolves filled the air.

Michael did not wish to remain in