Suddenlyhewassurprisedbytheimpressionmadeonitbythecurrent。
Itseemedtobeofaslimyconsistency，asifithadbeenmadeofmineraloil。Alcide，aidinghistouchbyhissenseofsmell，couldnotbemistaken。Itwasreallyalayerofliquidnaphtha，floatingonthesurfaceoftheriver！
Wastheraftreallyfloatingonthissubstance，whichisinthehighestdegreecombustible？Wherehadthisnaphthacomefrom？
WasitanaturalphenomenontakingplaceonthesurfaceoftheAngara，orwasittoserveasanengineofdestruction，putinmotionbytheTartars？DidtheyintendtocarryconflagrationintoIrkutsk？
SuchwerethequestionswhichAlcideaskedhimself，buthethoughtitbesttomakethisincidentknownonlytoHarryBlount，andtheybothagreedinnotalarmingtheircompanionsbyrevealingtothemthisnewdanger。