g destruction. Then enter thou the ship
and shut thy door.'

"At the appointed time the Night Lord sent at even-time much rain. I
saw the beginning of the deluge and I was afraid to look up. I entered
the ship and shut the door. I appointed Buzur-Kurgala, the sailor, to
be captain, and put under his command the great vessel and all that it
contained.

"At the dawn of day I saw rising athwart the heavens a dark cloud, and
in the midst of it Ramman thundered. Nebo and Merodach went in front,
speeding like emissaries over hills and plains. The cables of the ship
were let loose.

"Then Ninip, the tempest god, came nigh, and the storm broke in fury
before him. All the earth spirits leapt up with flaming torches and
the whole land was aflare. The thunder god swept over the heavens,
blotting out the sunlight and bringing thick darkness. Rain poured
down the whole day long, and the earth was covered with water; the
rivers were swollen; the land was in confusion; men stumbled about in
the darkness, battling with the elements. Brothers were unable to see
brothers; no man could recognize his friends.... The spirits above
looked down and beheld the rising flood and were afraid: they fled
away, and in the heaven of Anu they crouched like to hounds in the
protecting enclosures.

"In time Ishtar, the lady of the gods, cried out distressfully,
saying: 'The elder race hath perished and turned to clay because that
I have consented to evil counsel in the assembly of the gods. Alas! I
have allowed my people to be destroyed. I gave being to man, but where
is he? Like the offspring of fish he cumbers the deep.'

"The earth spirits were weeping with Ishtar: they sat down cowering
with tightened lips and spake not; they mourned in silence.

"Six days and six nights went past, and the tempest raged over the
waters which gradually covered the land. But when the seventh day
came, the wind fell, the whirling waters grew peaceful, and the sea
retreated. The storm was over and the rain of destruction had ceased.
I looked forth. I called aloud over the waters. But all mankind had
perished and turned to clay. Where fields had been I saw marshes only.

"Then I opened wide the window of the ship, and the sunlight suffused
my countenance. I was dazzled and sank down weeping and the tears
streamed over my face. Everywhere I looked I saw water.

"At length, land began to appear. The ship drifted towards the country
of Nitsir, and then it was held