CHAP. IX. ] THE MAMMOTH. 301 



CHAPTER IX. 



The New Siberian Islands — Tlie Mammotli — Discovery of Mammoth and 

 Rliinoceros mummies — Fossil liliinoceros horns — Stolbovoj Island — 

 Liaehofli's Island — First discovery of this island — Passage through t])e 

 sound between this island and the mainland — Animal life there — 

 Formation of ice in water above the freezing point — The Bear Islands — 

 The quantity and dimensions of the ice begin to increase — DifEerent 

 kinds of sea-ice — Renewed attempt to leave the open channel along the 

 coast — Lighthouse Island — Voyage along the coast to Cape Schelagskoj 

 — Advance delayed by ice, shoals, and fog — First meeting with the 

 Chukches — Landing and visits to Chukch villages — Discovery of 

 abandoned encampments — Trade with the natives rendered difficult 

 by the want of means of exchange — Stay at Irkaipi — Onkilon graves — 

 Information regarding the Onkilon race — Renewed contact with the 

 Chukches — Kolyutschin Bay- — American statements regarding the state 

 of the ice north of Behring's Straits— The Vega beset. 



After the parting the Le7ia shaped her course towards the land ; 

 the Vega continued her voyage in a north-easterly direction 

 towards the new Siberian Islands. 



These have, from the time of their discovery, been renowned 

 among the Eussian ivory collectors for their extraordinary rich- 

 ness in tusks and portions of skeletons of the extinct northern 

 species of elephant known by the name of inammoth. 



We know by the careful researches of the academicians Pallas, 

 vox Baer, Brandt, vox Middendorff, Fr. Schmidt, &c., that 

 the mammoth was a peculiar northern species of elephant with 

 a covering of hair, which, at least during certain seasons of the 

 year, lived under natural conditions closely resembling those 

 which now prevail in middle and even in northern Siberia. 

 The widely extended grassy plains and forests of North Asia 

 were the proper homeland of this animal, and there it must at 

 one time have wandered about in large herds. 



The same, or a closely allied species of elephant, also occurred 

 in North America, in England, France, Switzerland, Germany, 

 and North Russia. Indeed, even in Sweden and Finland incon- 

 siderable mammoth remains have sometimes been found. ^ But 

 while in Europe only some more or le.ss inconsiderable remains 

 of bones are commonly to be found, in Siberia we meet not only 

 with whole skeletons, but also whole animals frozen in the 

 earth, with solidified blood, flesh, hide, and hair. Hence we 

 may draw the conclusion that the mammoth died out, speaking 

 geologically, not so very long ago. This is besides confirmed by 



* Further information on this point is given by A. J. Malmgren in 

 a paper on the occurrence and extent of mammoth-finds, and on tlie 

 conditions of this animal's existence in former times {Finslca Vet.-Soc. 

 Forhandl. 1874—5). 



