THE MAMMOTH 
207 
was interesting to me ; it was standing in the earth, and not lying 
on its side or back as a dead animal naturally would, indicating 
by this the manner of its destruction. The soft peat or marsh 
land, on which he stepped thousands of years ago, gave way 
under the weight of the giant, and he sank as he stood on it, 
feet foremost, incapable of saving himself; and a severe frost 
came and turned him into ice, and the moor which had buried 
him. The latter, however, grew and flourished, every summer 
renewing itself. Possibly the neighbouring stream had heaped 
over the dead body plants and sand. God only knows what 
causes had worked for its preservation; now, however, the stream 
had brought it once more to light of day, and I, an ephemera of 
life compared with this primaeval giant, was sent by Heaven just 
at the right time to welcome him. You can imagine how I 
jumped for joy. 
“ During our evening meal, our posts announced strangers — a 
troop of Jakuti came on their fast, shaggy horses. They were our 
appointed people, and were very joyful at the sight of us. Our 
company was augmented by them to about fifty persons. On 
showing them our wonderful capture, they hastened to the stream, 
and it was amusing to fiear how they chattered and talked over 
the sight. The first day I left them in quiet possession, but when, 
on the following, the ropes and chains gave a great jerk, a sign 
that the Mammoth was quite freed from the earth, I commanded 
them to use their utmost strength and bring the beast to land. 
At length, after much hard work, in which the horses were 
extremely useful, the animal was brought to land, and we were 
able to roll the body about twelve feet from the shore. The 
decomposing effect of the warm air filled us all with astonishment. 
“Picture to yourself an elephant with a body covered with 
thick fur, about thirteen feet in height, and fifteen in length, with 
tusks eight feet long, thick, and curving outward at their ends,^ 
a stout trunk of six feet in length, colossal limbs of one and a 
^ This must be incorrect (see p. 203). 
