THE MAMMOTH. 207 



was interesting to me ; it was standing in the earth, and not lying 

 on its side or back as a dead animal naturally would, indicating 

 by this the manner of its destruction. The soft peat or marsh 

 land, on which he stepped thousands of years ago, gave way 

 under the weight of the giant, and he sank as he stood on it, 

 feet foremost, incapable of saving himself; and a severe frost 

 came and turned him into ice, and the moor which had buried 

 him. The latter, however, grew and flourished, every summer 

 renewing itself. Possibly the neighbouring stream had heaped 

 over the dead body plants and sand. God only knows what 

 causes had worked for its preservation ; now, however, the stream 

 had brought it once more to light of day, and I, an ephemera of 

 life compared with this primaeval giant, was sent by Heaven just 

 at the right time to welcome him. You can imagine how I 

 jumped for joy. 



" During our evening meal, our posts announced strangers a 

 troop of Jakuti came on their fast, shaggy horses. They were our 

 appointed people, and were very joyful at the sight of us. Our 

 company was augmented by them to about fifty persons. On 

 showing them our wonderful capture, they hastened to the stream, 

 and it was amusing to hear how they chattered and talked over 

 the sight. The first day I left them in quiet possession, but when, 

 on the following, the ropes and chains gave a great jerk, a sign 

 that the Mammoth was quite freed from the earth, I commanded 

 them to use their utmost strength and bring the beast to land. 

 At length, after much hard work, in which the horses were 

 extremely useful, the animal was brought to land, and we were 

 able to roll the body about twelve feet from the shore. The 

 decomposing effect of the warm air filled us all with astonishment. 



"Picture to yourself an elephant with a body covered with 



thick fur, about thirteen feet in height, and fifteen in length, with 



tusks eight feet long, thick, and curving outward at their ends, 1 



a stout trunk of six feet in length, colossal limbs of one and a 



1 This must be incorrect (see p. 203). 



