128 



The Missouri Leviathan. 



Vol. VI. 



For tlie Farmers' Cabinet. 

 The Missouri Leviathan. 



ISIr. Editor, — I have been overwhelmed 

 witli awe, reverence and admiration, on an ex- 

 mination of the bones of llie enormous animal 

 called the Missouri Leviathan, which are now 

 on exhibition at the Masonic Hall, Ciiesnut st. 

 An attempt at description would be perfectly 

 futile — it is absolutely necessary for any one 

 wishinjr to know any thing about them, to "go 

 and see." It has been said, that these relics 

 are not of bone, that they are constructed of 

 wood — but to form them of wood, would be 

 quite as miraculous as to have formed them 

 of bone at the first, and this will be evident 

 to every one at a single glance of the monu- 

 ment which none but the hands of tiie Al- 

 mighty could have reared ! — an Altar, upon 

 whicli man may offer up his tribute of won- 

 der, astonishment and veneration, before he 

 shrinks into himself and becomes dumb! 



In the last number of the " Farmer's Re- 

 gister" it is said : " The Missourium or skel- 

 eton of a double-sized Mammoth, which has 

 been exhibiting in the western cities, turns 

 out to be a counterfeit, or at least so far fac- 

 titious, as presenting a larger size of the well- 

 known Mastodon, of which this is, in truth, a 

 specimen." Now, from what 1 know of the 

 gifted editor and proprietor of that first of all 

 our agricultural publications, I am quite sure 

 that it would only be necessary for him to 

 take one glimpse of the object in question, to 

 enable him to declare — which he would do 

 fearlessly, although he might seem to some 

 to have committed himself in the above-ex- 

 pressed opinion — which however cannot he his 

 oivn, for lie is a man who never makes up his 

 mind until he has had an opportunity of form- 

 ing a correct judgment — that the bones are 

 real, and go to show an animal hitherto un- 

 discovered and unknown. From common re- 

 port, the public would not believe that the 

 only wood that lias been added to the wiiole 

 skeleton, are small blocks inserted between 

 the vertebrffi of the back, to take place of the 

 cartilaginous substance which had been con- 

 sumed by time, which blocks seem by no 

 means sufficiently large for the purpose of ex- 

 hibiting the animal in his perfect size, but 

 merely forming interstices, on which to at- 

 tach the ribs, — in every other part the bones 

 appear in their natural state, and whenever 

 the skeleton is permanently set up, it will in 

 all probability be both lengthened and height- 

 ened considerably by blocks of wood and cork, 

 before it can be made to attain its proper pro- 

 portions, which can easily be ascertained by 

 a comparative view and admeasurement of 

 its component parts. Every American ought 

 to see this wonder of his country while he 

 has the opportunity, for he will assuredly re- 



gret the loss of it, when it is too late. The 

 skeleton of the Missouri Leviathan, as well 

 as a vast collection of other bones and petrifac- 

 tions — some of the former belonging to the 

 Mastodon, and showing most conclusively and 

 very distinctly the difference between that 

 animal and the Missourium, are here on their 

 way to Europe, where they will be appreci- 

 ated and receive the attention which is so 

 righteously their due. 



But the most remarkable fact relating to the 

 subject is, that on excavating the earth to the 

 depth of twenty feet to reach the platform on 

 which the creature had been deposited, one 

 of the leg bones was found resting on an In- 

 dian arrow-head ! ! the indubitable proof, that 

 MAN existed on the earth at the time of the 

 destruction of this enormous animal, which 

 seems to have been occasioned by a terrific 

 tornado — a tempest of fire as well as water, 

 the roots of trees and other vegetables, with 

 their branches, scattered in all directions and 

 splintered into ten thousand pieces, showing 

 plainly the effects of lightning. Hitherto, 

 this fact appears to have set all conjecture at 

 defiance, but the writer would offer an idea, 

 for the consideration of those more competent 

 than himself of forming an opinion — it is, that 

 during the prevalence of the tornado — when 

 it is evident that the waters of the river were 

 raised many feet — this skeleton was brought 

 down by the flood from its former resting- 

 place, and was deposited on these arrow- 

 heads — for there were several more found in 

 the vicinity — where it soon became buried by 

 strata of sand, mud, clay and stones, to the 

 depth above-stated. This idea might serve 

 to bring the event many centuries lower down 

 in the scale of time, and to account for the 

 fact, that when the second deposit of this ani- 

 mal took place, ma7i existed on the earth — 

 the time of its existence, however, might have 

 been ages prior to man's creation. 



O Lord I liow wonderful are tliy works, 

 The earth is full of thy glory. 



Philad., Oct. 14, 1841. H. 



Mr. Koch asserts, that a very large oak tree, possibly 

 centuries in age, was found growing on thoturface-soil 

 of the spot where the Missourium was found, its posi- 

 tion being exactly on the vertebra; of the skeleton! — 

 Ed. 



Pleasure, if it be not vice, is in some 

 forms so near akin to it, as to take its name 

 — but happiness is never found except in 

 company with virtue. Expect not to live in 

 transports and raptures — be content with 

 peace where you cannot attain to joy ; court 

 not pleasure, lest you should banish happi- 

 ness ; in the search after happiness you will 

 often find pleasure. 



