( 4^8 ) 
ten Inches in Length, and fix Inches in Breadth, 
befides feveral of the Ribs, Shank-bones, and other 
Bones found from Time to Time, which the Author 
forbore mentioning. The fame Author hath taken no 
fmall Pains to inquire into the true State of thofe 
Pits and Hollows which the Pagan Inhabitants of 
Siberia fay, thefe Animals make when they walk un- 
der Ground, and found that they were nothing but 
Caverns, fuch as are common in other mountainous 
Countries, and are owing to the Force of fubter- 
ranean Rivers and Catara&s, which at laft eat 
through and undermine the Places where they pafs, fo 
as to make the Ground above them give Way and 
fink in. This is what I found remarkable in this 
Letter of Mr. Tatifchow. I cannot forbear adding, 
that although the Author hath left the grand Queftion 
about the Origin of thefe Bones undetermined, yet his 
Cbfervations feem to me to contribute very much to 
eftablifh the Opinion above related, that thefe Bones 
are the Bones, and the Horns, as he calls them, the 
Tusks of Elephants drowned in the univerfal Deluge. 
It is to be hoped, that this Matter will one Time 
or other be fet into a (till clearer Light, particular- 
ly after the Order his late Czarijh Ma jelly was pleafed 
to give to the Governor General of Siberia , to fpare 
no Care nor Coll to find a whole Skeleton of this Ani- 
mal, and to fend it to Tatifchow. 
Before I proceed farther, 1 will beg Leave to add 
one Obfervation of Cornelias le Bran , who in his 
Travels through Raffia to the E aft -Indie s, tells us. 
That in the Neighbourhood of Veronitz they had 
found feveral Elephants Teeth on the Surface of the 
Ground, which no Body could tell how they came 
thither, 
i 
