104 On the Mammoth, 



the ice, which had scarcely melted at all. At length, towards 

 the end of the fifth year, (1803), the ardent wishes of Schuma- 

 chof were happily accomplished ; for the part of the ice be- 

 tween the earth and the Mammoth having melted more rapidly 

 than the rest, the plane of its support became inclined, and this 

 enormous mass fell by its own weight on a bank of sand. Of 

 this, two Tungusians, who accompanied me, were witnesses. 



' In the month of March, 1804, Schumachof came to his Mam- 

 moth, and having cut off his horns (the tusks) he exchanged them 

 with the merchant Bultunof for goods of the value of 50 rubles. 

 At this time a drawing was made of the animal, but very incor- 

 rect*, for it gave him pointed ears, very small eyes, horses' hoofs, 

 and bristles all along the back, so that it represented something 

 between a pig and an elephant. 



' Two years afterwards, or the seventh after the discovery of 

 the Mammoth, I fortunately traversed these distant and desert 

 regions, and I congratulate myself in being able to prove a fact 

 which appears so improbable. I found the Mammoth still in the 

 same place, but altogether mutilated. The prejudices being dis- 

 sipated, because the Tungusian chief had recovered his health, 

 there was no obstacle to prevent approach to the carcase of the 

 Mammotla ; the proprietor was content with his profit from the 

 tusks, and the Jakutski of the neighbourhood had cut off the 

 flesh, with which they fed their dogs during the scarcity. Wild 

 beasts, such as white bears, wolves, wolverenes, and foxes, also 

 fed upon it, and the traces of their footsteps were seen around. 

 The skeleton, almost entirely cleared of its flesh, remained whole, 

 with the exception of one fore-legf. The spine from the head to 

 the OS coccygis \, one scapula ; the basin, and the other three 

 extremities, were still held together by the ligaments, and by 

 parts of the skin. The head was covered with a dry skin ; one 

 of the ears, well preserved §, was furnished with a tuft of hairs. 



* This is the drawing before mentioned, page 100, note, 

 t This has been restored in plaster of Paris from the other side. 

 X This is an error, as of 28 or 30 caudal vertebrae, only 8 are remaining. 

 § The ears are not well preserved, but may, perhaps, have suffered in so 

 long a carriage. 



