sale murderer in the spirit of retaliation.

"He had read the Christian Bible, and not a little of his religion was
borrowed from that. Glancing over the world, we cannot help seeing that
Christian nations have been the most progressive, while those of the
Mohammedan faith have been far behind them, and have borrowed their
principal improvements from those whose emblem is the Cross. To the end
of time the Crescent will be overshadowed by the Cross."

The passengers had been much interested in the story of the Prophet, and
the professor was warmly applauded as he gathered up his papers and
retired from the stand.

"Unless we slow down I am afraid you will see nothing of Jiddah, which
is the port of Mecca, and our nearest point to it," said the commander.
"Though thousands of pilgrims are landed there every year on their way
to obey the injunction of Mohammed, there is nothing there to see; and
it is not a case of sour grapes."

"I wanted to ask the professor about the coffin of the Prophet being
suspended in the air," interposed Mrs. Belgrave.

"That is pure fiction, madam," replied the professor. "The body of
Mohammed is believed to rest within the mausoleum in the mosque; and
there is no reason to doubt that it is on the spot occupied by Ayeshah's
house, added to the sacred building. His body is supposed to lie
undecayed at full length, on the right side, the right hand supporting
the head, with the face directed towards Mecca."

The professor had to answer many other questions of no great
importance.

CHAPTER XXXII

THE AGENT OF THE PARSEE MERCHANTS

The ancient kingdoms of the world had been disposed of by the professor,
and all the countries of the Red Sea had been treated historically and
geographically; and though the passengers still occupied the promenade,
no more conferences were needed for the present. But it became a place
for conversation, and all kinds of subjects were discussed there.

The commander pointed out the location of all the important places, or
where any notable event had occurred; but none of them were of any great
consequence, and they were too far off to be seen distinctly. The ship
had reached the widest part of the sea, and all the rest of the course
to the entrance was through the deep water in the middle; for the shores
were studded with reefs, reaching out from forty to sixty miles from the
land.

"How deep is the water here, Captain Ringgold?" asked Dr. Hawkes, at o