ELEPHANT OF THE LENA. 143 



Scarcely melted at all. At length, towards the 

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

 of Schu macho f were happily accomplished ; for 

 the part of the ice between 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 Mammoth, and having cut off his 

 horns, (the tusks,) he exchanged them with the 

 merchant BultanofF for goods of the value of fifty 

 rubles. At this time, a drawing was made of the 

 animal, but very incorrect,* for it gave him 

 pointed ears, very small eyes, horse's 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 Mam- 

 moth still in the same place, but altogether muti- 

 lated. The prejudices being dissipated, because 

 the Tungusian chief had recovered his health, 

 there was ro obstacle to prevent approach to the 

 carcass of the Mammoth ; the proprietor was 



* This is the drawing before mentioned page 137, note. 



