240 HASISADRA'S ADVENTURE \u 



The promised signal arrived. Wife and friends 

 embarked ; Hasisadra, following, prudently " sliut 

 the door," or, as we should say, put on the 

 hatches ; and Nes-Hea, the pilot, was left alone 

 on deck to do his best for the ship. Thereupon 

 a hurricane began to rage ; rain fell in torrents ; 

 the subterranean waters burst forth ; a deluge 

 swept over the land, and the wind lashed it into 

 waves sky high ; heaven and earth became 

 mingled in chaotic gloom. For six days MI id 

 seven nights the gale raged, but the good ship 

 held out until, on the seventh day, the storm 

 lulled. Hasisadra ventured on deck; and, seeing 

 nothing but a waste of waters strewed with 

 iloating corpses and wreck, wept over the de- 

 struction of his land and people. Far away, the 

 mountains of Nizir were visible; the ship ANUS 

 steered for them and ran aground upon t Ik- 

 higher land. Yet another seven days passed by. 

 On the seventh, Hasisadra sent forth a dov 

 which found no resting place and returned ; th 

 he liberated a swallow, which also came back 

 finally, a raven was let loose, and that sagacio 

 bird, when it found that the water had aha 



HIM near the ship, but refused to return to i 

 Upon this, Hasisadra liberated the rest of t 

 wild animals, which Immediately dispersed in 

 directions, while- he, with his family and friend 

 ascending a mountain hard by, offered sacri 

 its summit to the gods. 



