By those who depend upon superficial history for their knowledge, the Deluge is believed to have been a universal submersion, which is, however, a physical impossibility, because the atmospheric envelope could not sustain aqueous vapour in sufficient quantity to cover the whole earth after condensation. Moreover, geological evidence is against such an occurrence. The moral evidence is equally strong, for it is unreasonable to suppose that Nature put forth her efforts to produce the highest type of physical organisation in man, as part of her unchanging obedience to the Great Positive Mind, only for the race to be swept out of existence.2 It is unnecessary to explain here the primary physical causes engaged in producing the catastrophe which actually took place. It was by loss of equilibrium between interior and exterior forces that molten currents at the centre of the earth became agitated in an inconceivable manner, and the natural relieving vents were inadequate to restore the disturbed order.3 Hence the voice of the
earthquake thundered through the bowels of the earth, which trembled even to its centre. Fire, smoke, mist and rain encompassed the whole globe. The tribes existing on the land intermediate between what are now called the eastern and western hemispheres were nearly all destroyed, and those that survived in the end fell to the ground stupefied. About three days elapsed before equilibrium was restored, at the end of which time the northern portions of the earth being elevated, while others were depressed, the waters rushed from the former regions, and the seas, lakes, gulfs and rivers became established as at this day.
As regards the survival of human beings, certain tribes which had separated from others located in and about the valley of Shinar, having migrated to China and Japan, remained unharmed. When quiet was restored to Nature, they sent to ascertain how it had fared with their elder brethren in the valley of Shinar, but as these were not to be discovered, and as they knew of no other nation existing upon the earth, they concluded that they were themselves the only survivors of the great catastrophe. Their chief proceeded to instruct them that the others had perished through not offering sacrifices to satisfy the demands of Brahma, to fidelity in which observances they must refer their own escape. He taught his people to make a brazen image, representing the god of the sun. The head of this idol was like that of a unicorn and the body analogous to a fish. Annual sacrifices were offered hereto in commemoration
of their survival. From this time they became worshippers of the sun, moon, stars and milky way, which they regarded as abodes of spirits, each being the god of its respective sphere or planet. Their ruler and prophet was designated Fohi by later generations, and modern writers have identified him with the Noah of the primitive history. The account of the deluge and that which followed thereon was preserved in the mythology of this tribe, the father of that family which was spared by Brahma being named Xisuthrus, also regarded as identical with Noah in the Jewish account. The sects known as Buddhists and Jains preserved the same traditional account, which passed over ultimately to Greek history and theology in the story of Deucalion. This was the last evolution of tradition concerning the Deluge, as recorded and explained by the chief and leader of that isolated Eastern tribe to which reference has been made.