Chapter 18
Immediately there was a rush. Spread abroad in an instant, the news metamorphosed both tourists and natives. The vessels in the harbour were deserted by their crews, and a veritable human torrent flowed towards the spot indicated by the messenger.
If every one’s attention had not been absorbed by the meteor, they might have remarked at the moment a fact which they would have been at a loss to explain. As if obeying some mysterious signal, one of the vessels anchored in the bay, a steamer whose funnel had been belching forth smoke since dawn, weighed anchor and sped out towards the open sea. She was a rakish-looking craft, and no doubt a swift one, for in a few minutes she had disappeared behind the cliffs.
Such behaviour was somewhat surprising. Why have come to Upernivik and
