49 



have left their traces in every part of the globe; 

 and which are in amazing abiiifdan'ce on tile 

 very spot where these bones are found. Tiiey 

 cdrtsist of petrefactions of sea' -'productions, 

 shells, corals, 8cc. It is probable, too, that 

 whenever, and by whatever means, the extir- 

 pation of this tremendous race of animals was 

 effected, the same cause operated in the de- 

 strtiction of all those inhabitants, from whom 

 we might have received some satisfactory ac- 

 count of til em. 



Whether the race is extinct, or whether, 

 as the Indians allege, it still exists beyond the 

 lakes, remains, then, undecided. I am reluc- 

 tant to think that so grand a monument of All- 

 creative Power would be allowed to be effec- 

 tually and entirely destroyed I And yet a con- 

 clusion may bed; awn in favour of its annihila- 

 tion. The scriptures tell us, that " in the be- 

 ginning, to man was given the dominion over 

 the fish of the sea, over the fowls of the air, 

 and over every living thing that moved upon 

 the earth." Could the present race of man 

 govern the Megalonyx, supposing he existed 

 in the abundance we are authorised to conceive 

 he did? Certainly not. Therefore,- to fulfil an 

 £ 



