Page:In defense of Harriet Shelley, and other essays.djvu/317

 ABOUT ALL KINDS OF SHIPS

rest are going to be drowned in a flood, and these are to renew the supply.&quot;

&quot;A flood?&quot;

&quot;Yes, sir.&quot;

&quot;Are you sure of that?&quot;

&quot;Perfectly sure. It is going to rain forty days and forty nights.&quot;

&quot;Give yourself no concern about that, dear sir, it often does that here.&quot;

&quot;Not this kind of rain. This is going to cover the mountain-tops, and the earth will pass from sight.&quot;

&quot;Privately but of course not officially I am sorry you revealed this, for it compels me to with draw the option I gave you as to sails or steam. I must require you to use steam. Your ship cannot carry the hundredth part of an eleven-months water- supply for the animals. You will have to have con densed water.&quot;

&quot;But I tell you I am going to dip water from out side with buckets.&quot;

&quot;It will not answer. Before the flood reaches the mountain-tops the fresh waters will have joined the salt seas, and it will all be salt. You must put in steam and condense your water. I will now bid you good day, sir. Did I understand you to say that this was your very first attempt at ship-building?&quot;

&quot;My very first, sir, I give you the honest truth. I built this Ark without having, ever had the slight est training or experience or instruction in marine architecture.

&quot;It is a remarkable work, sir, a most remarkable work. I consider that it contains more features that

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