( 4^4 ^ 
firm which , te// #r, That they have often feen 
the Earth heaved up, vhen one of thefe Beafts was 
on the Mar ch^ and fier he was paft the ‘Place, 
fink in , and thereby make a deep Pit. They fur- 
ther believe , that if this Animal comes fo near the 
Surface of the frozen Earth , as to fimell , or dif- 
cern the Air , he immediately dies , which they fay 
is the Reafon that fever al of them are found dead 
on the high Banks of the River, where they un- 
awares come out of the Ground. This is the Opi- 
nion of the Infidels concerning thefe Beafts , which 
are never feen. But the old Siberian Ruffians affirm, 
that the Mammuth is very like the Elephant , with 
this only Differences that the Teeth of the former 
are firmer , and not fo ftraight as thofe of the lat- 
ter. They alfo are of Opinion, that there were 
Elephants in this Country before the Deluge , when 
this Climate was warmer , and that their drowned 
Bodies floating on the Surface of the Water of that 
Flood, were at laft wafhed and forced into fubter- 
ranean Cavities : But that after this Noachian De- 
luge, the Air, which was before warm, was changed 
to cold, and that thefe Bones have lain frozen in the 
Earth ever fince , and^fo are preferved from Putre- 
faction till they thaw and come to Light , which is 
no very unreafonable Conjecture ; though it is not 
abfolutely neceffary that this Climate fhould have 
been warmer before the Flood, fince the Carcaffes 
of drowned Elephants were very likely to float from 
other Places fever al hundred Miles diftant, to this 
Country , in the great Deluge which covered the 
Surface of the whole Earth. Some of thefe Teeth , 
which doubtlefs have lain the whole Summer on the 
Shoar 
