"'Destroy the house, build a ship, Leave what thou hast, see to thy life. Destroy the hostile and save life. Take up the seed of life, all of it, into the midst of the ship. The ship which thou shalt make, even thou. Let its size be measured; Let it agree as to its height and its length.'" The description of the building of the ship seems to have been very minute, but the record is mutilated, and what remains is difficult to translate. As in the Priestly narrative, it is expressly mentioned that it was "pitched within and without." The narrative proceeds in the words of Pir-napistim:-- "All I possessed, I collected it, All I possessed I collected it, of silver; All I possessed I collected it, of gold; All I possessed I collected it, the seed of life, the whole. I caused to go up into the midst of the ship, All my family and relatives, The beasts of the field, the animals of the field, the sons of the artificers--all of them I sent up. The God Šamaš appointed the time-- Muir Kukki--'In the night I will cause the heavens to rain destruction, Enter into the midst of the ship, and shut thy door.' That time approached-- Muir Kukki--In the night the heavens rained destruction I saw the appearance of the day: I was afraid to look upon the day-- I entered into the midst of the ship, and shut my door * * * * * At the appearance of dawn in the morning, There arose from the foundation of heaven a dark cloud: * * * * * The first day, the storm? . . . . Swiftly it swept, and . . . . Like a battle against the people it sought. Brother saw not brother. The people were not to be recognized. In heaven The gods feared the flood, and They fled, they ascended to the heaven of Anu. The gods kenneled like dogs, crouched down in the enclosures. * * * * * The gods had crouched down, seated in lamentation, Covered were their lips in the assemblies, Six days and nights The wind blew, the deluge and flood overwhelmed the land. The seventh day, when it came, the storm ceased, the raging flood, Which had contended like a whirlwind, Quieted, the sea shrank back, and the evil wind and deluge ended. I noticed the sea making a noise, And all mankind had turned to corruption. * * * * * I noted the regions, the shore of the sea, For twelve measures the region arose. The ship had stopped at the land of Nisir. The mountain of Nisir seized the ship, and would not let it pass. The first day and the second day the mountains of Nisir seized the ship, and would not let it pass. * * * * *