THE STORY OF THE ELEPHANTS 275 
distant and desert regions, and found the Mammoth still in 
the same place, but sadly mutilated. The people of the neigh- 
bourhood had cut off the flesh, and fed their dogs with it during 
the scarcity. Wild beasts, such as white bears, wolves, and 
foxes, also had fed on it, and the traces of their footsteps were 
seen around. The skeleton was complete all except one leg, but 
the flesh had almost all gone. The head was covered with a dry 
skin, one of the ears was seen to be covered with a tuft of hairs. 
All these parts suffered more or less injury in transport for a 
distance of 7330 miles to St. Petersburg, yet the eyes have been 
preserved. This Mammoth was a male, with a long mane on 
its neck, but both tail and proboscis had disappeared. The skin 
is of a dark grey colour, covered with a reddish wool and black 
hairs. The entire carcase was nine feet four inches high. The 
skin of the side on which the carcase had lain was detached 
by Mr. Adams, for it was well preserved, but so heavy was 
it that ten persons found great difficulty in transporting it to 
the shore. The white bears, while devouring the flesh, had 
trodden into the ground much of the hair belonging to the 
carcase, but Mr. Adams was able by digging to procure about 
sixty pounds’ weight of hair. In a few days the work was 
completed, and he found himself in possession of a treasure 
which amply compensated him for the fatigues and dangers of 
the journey as well as the expense of the enterprise. When 
first seen, this Mammoth was embedded in clear pure ice, which 
forms in that coast escarpments of considerable thickness, sloping 
towards the sea, the top of which is covered with moss and 
earth. If the account of the Tungusians can be trusted, the 
carcase was some way below the surface of the ice when first 
seen. Arrived at Takutsk, Mr. Adams purchased a pair of tusks 
which he believed to belong to this Mammoth, but there is 
