152 THE WONDERS OF GEOLOGY. Lkct.I1. 



sometimes even the entire body, with the flesh and skin, as 

 fresh as if but recently imbedded. 



In 1774, near Vilhoui, the carcass of a rhinoceros was 

 taken from the frozen sand, where it must have been con- 

 cealed for ages, the soil of that region being always frozen 

 to within a few inches of the surface. This specimen was a 

 complete natural mummy, part of the skin being still 

 covered with long hairs, and forming a warmer covering 

 than that of the African rhinoceros. 



The discovery of a Mammoth under similar circum- 

 stances, is yet more interesting. Towards the close of the 

 last century, 1799, a Tungusian fisherman observed in a 

 cliff of ice and gravel, on the banks of the river Lena, a 

 shapeless mass, the nature of which he was unable to deter- 

 mine. In the course of the next year it was more visible, 

 and on the third a large tusk was seen projecting from the 

 ice-cliff, and at length became detached. On the fifth year, 

 an early thaw set in, and the entire carcass of a mammoth 

 was exposed, and at length fell upon the ground. It was 

 twelve feet high, and about sixteen feet in length ; the 

 tusks were nine feet long. The flesh was in such a state of 

 preservation, that it was devoured as it lay by wolves and 

 bears, and the hunters fed their dogs with the remains. 

 The skin was covered with hair consisting of black bristles, 

 thicker than horsehair, and fifteen inches in length ; of 

 wool of a reddish brown, and hair of a fawn colour ; and 

 with a mane on the neck. Upwards of 301bs. of hair were 

 collected ; some specimens of which are preserved in the 

 Hunterian Museum of the College of Surgeons. The ears 

 remained dry and shrivelled ; the brain and even the capsule 

 of the eye were preserved ! the bones and part of the inte- 

 guments, and a considerable quantity of the hair, are in the 

 Museum of Natural History at St. Petersburgh. The 

 accompanying sketch (Liyn. 24) represents the specimen in 

 its present state. 



