APPENDIX : ELEPHANT PIPES AND INSCRIBED TABLETS. 309 



From Dr. E. Sterling. 



[We should be g^lad to publish Dr. Sterlinar's valuable letter in full, but its extreme length, 

 and our limited space, will permit us to inclucle only some brief extracts. The publication of 

 this correspondence has made such unexpected demands upon our space that we shall he com- 

 pelled to adopt the same course with the remaininy communications. W'e are indebted to the 

 courtesy of Dr. Sterlintj- for several excellent pauijihlets, by Col. Charles Whittlesey, havinu; an 

 important bearint^ u]>on the cpiestions under discussion.] 



Cleveland, Ohio, Ai)ril 9, 1885. 



At this late day, to mention our Indian as a descendant of the 

 extinct "Mound-builder" is hardly worth the passing thought of any 

 one who has carefully made this matter an honest study. As for the 

 elephant and mastodon, there is proof enough, to any man who has 

 eyes that will see, that both these animals lived down to a compara- 

 tively recent time, when oiu" Indian hunted them for food with as good 

 success as the African does in his native jungle to-day. 



Some fifteen years ago a large ditch was dug through a cranberry 

 swamp in Lucas County, in this State, at a point where the muck of 

 the bog was about eight feet deep on the layer of "hard-pan." The 

 bones of a mastodon were found, most of them in a state that would 

 not bear preservation. Those of the fore and hind legs were in a 

 sound state, in an upright position, showing that the animal bogged in 

 seeming solid muck, as in thin mire he would have wallowed, and in 

 struggles these bones would not have been found in the position men- 

 tioned, proving that he was not mired in the early days of the bog. 



Three miles from the city may be seen the remains of a bog which 

 could never have extended over two acres of ground, in the widest 

 place sixty feet, and depth seven feet. To-day it is reduced to one- 

 half an acre. Through it runs a little spring-fed brook, never more 

 than six feet wide. A ste|)ping-stone used for crossing it was cut one 

 day by the hatchet of an investigating boy. The chips seemed curious, 

 and, on examination by others, proved to be ivory. Short work with 

 a spade unearthed a well-i)reserved tusk of the Elephas Primigetins, 

 and further work the next day resulted in the finding of two vertebn^, 

 three ribs, a molar, portion of sacrum, and other bones of less conse- 

 c[uence. When our society has the funds, further researches will be 

 made, when it is expected to find most, if not all, the remaining bones. 



This bog is on the gravel bluff on which Cleveland is built, two miles 

 from Lake Erie, and down grade all the way. From many indications, 

 Col. Whittlesey and other competent judges are positive that this bog 

 is quite recent — less than five hundred years old. The bones, too, 

 would indicate recent deposit, as they contained a marked amount of 

 animal matter, and were better preserved than any I have ever met 

 with. It will take much proof, and stronger evidence than I know of, 

 to make me believe those elephants were mired in those bogs before 

 the Indians roamed these forests, or before the Mound-builders pos- 

 sessed the State and constructed their wonderful works. 



From C. A. Hirsciifelder, Esq., C S. Consul. 



Toronto, Canada, Ai)ril 15, 1885. 

 The steps taken to vindicate certain unjust accusations made 



[Puoc. D. a. X. S., Vol. IV. ] 34 [Feb. 1.5, 1886.J 



