242 SPARKS FROM A GEOLOGIST'S HAMMER. 



head and feet of this animal, also related to tropical 

 species, are preserved in St. Petersburg. The most cele- 

 brated discovery was made in 1799. A Tungusian fisher- 

 man named Schumachoff was exploring along the coast 

 of the frozen ocean for ivory. He was near the mouth 

 of the Lena river, in latitude 70, when he noticed, in a 

 huge block of clear glacier ice, a dark object imbedded 

 too deeply to permit a half savage curiosity to feel tempted 

 to explore. In 1801 the melting of the ice had exposed 

 a portion of the very carcass of the animal whose ivory 

 was strewed along those frozen shores. In 1803 it had 

 become completely disengaged by the dissolution of the 

 ice. In 1804 the Tungusian cut the Tusks, weighing 300 

 pounds, from the head, and disposed of them for fifty 

 roubles to an ivory merchant. In 1806 Mr. Adams, who 

 was collecting for the Imperial Museum at St. Petersburg, 

 found the carcass still on the shore, but greatly mutilated. 

 It appeared that the Yakutski had actually regaled their 

 dogs upon the flesh ; and bears, wolves, wolverines and 

 foxes had gladly feasted upon it! Fresh elephant steaks 

 preserved ten thousand years in Nature's unequaled re- 

 frigerator! Thus this priceless relic of a prehistoric world 

 was allowed to waste away. But it was not completely 

 lost to science ; for, except one foreleg, the skeleton re- 

 mained perfect. A large part of the skin had also 

 escaped destruction, together with one of the ears, which 

 still preserved its characteristic tuft of hairs. The skin 

 was of a dark tint, and was covered with reddish wool 

 an inch in length, interspersed with reddish-brown hairs 

 four inches long, and sparser black bristles twelve to six- 

 teen inches long. Dampness, however, had destroyed large 

 portions, and others had been trodden into the earth by 



