to the Red Sea, for there are no rains in Egypt;
and if there were on either side, the desert would absorb all the water.

"This sea has the reputation of being a hot region. The thermometer
ranges from 70 deg. to 94 deg., and sometimes the mercury mounts to over
100 deg., always in the daytime, and it may fall to the freezing point
at night, though rarely. As on the Nile, the rule is hot days and cool
nights, though you may find some of the latter uncomfortable farther
south, for the water has shown a temperature of 100 deg.

"The water is somewhat salter than the ocean, because no rivers empty
into it, and because of excessive evaporation. It has been said by some
scientists that, if the Red Sea were entirely enclosed, it would become
a solid body of salt in less than two thousand years. I suppose they
mean that all the fluid would evaporate, and the salt in it would remain
at the bottom. We will not worry about it.

"The average depth of this sea is 2,250 feet, and the greatest 7,200. I
have nothing more to say about it; but while I am up I will say a few
words about the new route to India of which I have spoken before. The
Gulf of Iskanderun, sometimes called Scanderoon, is the north-east
corner of the Mediterranean. Its eastern shore is within a hundred miles
of the headwaters of the Euphrates River, which is navigable for small
craft to Bir. Sixty years ago some preferred it to the Suez route. A
grant of money was made by Parliament, two iron steamers of small size
were put into the river; and though one of them was sunk, the other went
through to the Persian Gulf.

"It was shown that this route was about a thousand miles less in
distance than any other to Kurrachee, the nearest port in India. But
political influences were at work against it, first from Egypt, and then
from some of the Powers, in the belief that it would give England an
advantage in the affairs of Asia, and the scheme was dropped. Now we
will take a walk of half an hour about the ship; for school-children
need rest and recreation.

"But I wish to remind you again that you are now near the ancient world;
for Arabia is in sight all the time, and Assyria, Babylonia, Syria are
beyond it. The professor will have the floor after the intermission."

During the recess the party walked about the deck and observed the
mountains, which were still in sight on both sides. Four bells, or ten
o'clock, was the signal for them to come together again. Whatever