Fads relating to Diluvial Action. 249 



on digging a deep ditch to drain the ground, a skeleton of the mam- 

 moth was found ; this skeleton I immediately examined very mi- 

 nutely, and found", that the carcase had been deposited whole, but 

 that the jaw-bone, two of the ribs, and a thigh bone had been broken 

 by some violent force while the carcase was whole ; on taking up 

 the bones, this was evident, from every circumstance. Two other 

 parts of skeletons were, some years since, disinterred, one near 

 Ward's Bridge, and the other at Masten's meadow, in Shongham ; in 

 both instances, the carcases had been torn asunder, and the bones 

 had been deposited with the flesh on, and in two or three instances, 

 the bones were fractured. That the bones were deposited with the 

 flesh attached to them, appears from the fact that they were found 

 closely attached to each other, and evidently belonged only to one 

 part of the carcase, and on a diligent search, no part of the other 

 bones could be found within a moderate distance of the spot. If 

 the animal had died where the bones were found, the whole skel- 

 eton would have been found at or near the place. Great violence 

 would be necessary to break the bones of such large animals; 

 in the ordinary course of things, no force adequate to that effect, 

 would be exerted ; I think it therefore fair reasoning, to say, that 

 at the deluge, they were brought by the westerly currents, to the 

 place where they were found ; that the carcases were brought in 

 the first violent surges, and bruised, broken, and torn asunder by 

 the tremendous cataracts, created when the currents crossed the 

 high mountains and ridges, and fell into the deep vallies between 

 Shongham mountain, and the level countries at the west ; that 

 those carcases that came whole to the place where they finally rest- 

 ed, arrived after the waters had attained a greater height, and were 

 probably less violent, and of course the bodies were less liable to 

 be beaten and bruised by coming into contact with the rocks. 

 This view of the facts appears to me fairly to account for the condi- 

 tion in which the bones of the mammoth are found. 



T have thus given a desultory sketch of a number of facts relating 

 to the currents of water at the deluge, and their effects on the face 

 of the country ; if they should not appear to be new, they may still 

 be received as evidences of diluvial effect in different parts of our 

 country. I have a number of specimens, which I can send you, of 

 rocks containing the traces left on the different strata, and should any 

 additional information be desired, I will cheerfully furnish it. 



Thompson, Sullivan County, Aug. 20, 1832. 



Vol. XXIII.— No 2. 32 



