36 



had seen the bones of a whole skeleton of a 

 monstrous size, lying in a ditch between Tom- 

 skoi and Kasmtsko, on the banks of the river 

 Tomber. Stralenberg also says, that he saw at 

 the city of Tumeer, a skull 2| ells in length, 

 but this the Russians informed him was one of 

 the smallest size. Muller and Isbrandes Ides 

 go farther, and describe the colour, structure, 

 8cc. of some huge incognitum. But what cre- 

 dit can be given to such idle stories, when Ides 

 himself confesses, that he knew of no person 

 that had ever seen a living animal of such ex- 

 traordinary magnitude? 



The fathers of the ancient church thought 

 it to be the devil, and others the elephant. The 

 rabbins affirm, that it is the largest four-footed 

 creature that God has ever created ; that in the 

 be^innino; he made two, the male and the fe- 

 male; the female he killed and salted, to reserve 

 it as an entertainment for the elect, whenever 

 the Messiah shall come; and that the male is 

 still living, which, when this time comes, God 

 will kill also, and give it to the Israelites, who 

 shall then arise from the dead. As a proof 

 of these extravagancies, they often swear by 

 the share they expect in the " great beast." — 



