ills
are 1,530 feet high, and this locality is famous in story. The material
of the elevations is haematite, which Dr. Hawkes can explain better than
I can."

"It is a native sesquioxide of a reddish color, with a blood-like
streak," added the surgeon, laughing.

"Do you understand it, Mrs. Blossom?" asked the captain, turning to that
worthy lady.

"I am sure I don't," protested she, blushing.

"The sesquipedality of that word is trying to all of us, I fancy, and I
am in the same box as the lady; for I am as sure as she is that I don't
know the meaning of the word," added the professor.

"Of course you don't, for it is a technical term," replied the doctor.
"It means an oxide in which two atoms of a metal combine with three
atoms of oxygen. Please to remember it, Mrs. Blossom."

"I don't even know what an ox-hide is," returned the lady promptly; for
the professor had vindicated her by not understanding a definition
himself.

"We will settle that another time, if you please," interposed the
commander. "These rocks are said to be so powerfully magnetic as to
affect the compasses of ships passing them. The water is sometimes
marked about here with patches of oil. Large sums were expended in this
vicinity in boring for petroleum; but none of any account was found.
Probably the red mountain has given its name to the sea, though that is
not known."

"Possibly Sinbad the Sailor was in this strait when the loadstone drew
out the bolts in his ship, though he does not give the latitude and
longitude of the place in the story of his adventure," suggested Louis.
In the evening the passengers looked at the lights, and retired at a
seasonable hour.

CHAPTER XXX

SOME ACCOUNT OF MOHAMMED THE PROPHET

The passengers of the Guardian-Mother fell back into their former sea
habits when there was nothing particular to be seen, and only the young
men appeared on deck before seven o'clock. Mrs. Belgrave and Louis were
the first to meet the commander on the second morning. He had been to
the pilot-house several times during the night; but he was an early
riser, and had already looked over the log slate, and visited every part
of the ship.

"Good-morning, Mrs. Belgrave; good-morning, Louis; I hope you have both
slept well," said the captain, saluting them.

"I have slept like a rock all night long," replied the lady.

"I have fallen into sailors' ways, so that I go to sleep whenever I lie
down," added Louis. "I could