40 



HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



the depth stated; and, 3d, the needlessness of a universal 

 deluge, as the same purpose might have been answered by a 

 partial one. These objections may be briefly considered here. 



1. The absence of positive testimony from profane historians. 

 However true it may be that there is no consecutive account of 

 the Deluge except that given in the Bible, it is, certain that 

 records relating to the ark had been preserved among the 

 early nations of the world and in the general system of Gentile 

 mythology. Plutarch mentions the dove that was sent forth 

 from the ark. The Greek fable of Deucalion and Pyrrha is 

 absolutely the same as the scriptural narrative of Noah and his 

 wife. The Egyptians carried their deity, upon occasions of 

 solemnity, in an ark or boat, and this ark was called "Baris," 

 from the name of a mountain upon which, doubtless, in their 

 own legend, the Egyptian ark had rested, as did the scriptural 

 ark upon Mount Ararat. The Temple of Sesostris was 

 fashioned after the model of the ark, and was consecrated to 

 Osiris at Theba. This name of Theba given to a city is an 

 important point, for Theba was the appellation of the ark 

 itself. The same name was borne by numerous cities in 

 Boeotia, Attica, Ionia, Syria, and Italy ; and the city of Apa- 

 mea, in Phrygia, was originally called Kibotos, or Ark, in 

 memory of the Deluge. This fact shows that the tradition of 

 the Deluge was preserved in Asia Minor from a very remote 

 antiquity. In India, ancient mythological books have been 

 shown to contain fragmentary accounts of some great overflow 

 corresponding in a remarkable degree with that given by Moses. 

 The Africans, the Chinese, and the American Indians even, 

 have traditions of a flood in the early annals of the world, and 

 of the preservation of the human race and of animated nature 

 by means of an ark. It is impossible to account for the univer- 

 sality of this legend, unless the fact of the Deluge be admitted. 



2. The apparent material impossibility of producing water 

 in sufficient quantity to overflow the earth. The means by 



