248 HASISADRA' s ADVENTURE vn 



southerly gale, over a continuously flooded country, 

 until it grounded on some of the low hills between 

 which both the lower and the upper Zab enter 

 upon the Assyrian plain. 



The tablet which contains the story under 

 consideration is the eleventh of a series of twelve. 

 Each of these answers to a month, and to the 

 corresponding sign of the Zodiac. The Assyrian 

 year began with the spring equinox ; consequently, 

 the eleventh month, called "the rainy," answers 

 to our January-February, and to the sign which 

 corresponds with our Aquarius. The aquatic 

 adventure of Hasisadra, therefore, is not inap- 

 propriately placed. It is curious, however, that 

 the season thus indirectly assigned to the flood is 

 not that of the present highest level of the rivers. 

 It is too late for the winter rise and too early for 

 .the spring floods. 



I think it must be admitted that, so far, the 

 physical cross-examination to which Hasisadra has 

 been subjected does not break down his story. On 

 the contrary, he proves to have kept it in all 

 essential respects 1 within the bounds of probability 

 or possibility. However, we have not yet done 

 with him. For the conditions, which obtained in 

 the Euphrates valley, four or five thousand years 



1 1 have not cited the dimensions given to the ships in most 

 translations of the story, because there appears to be a doubt 

 about them. Haupt (Keilinschriflliclie Sindfluth-Bcricht, p. 13) 

 says that the figures are illegible. 



