The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-08-28
From The Usage (.No. Yeon,a,
THE BONES OF THE MISSOURUrM

On tuesday last IN company with several other
gentlemen, among whom was Col Benton we visited
the place where Mr. Bryant is exhuming the remains
OF these most wonderful animals Ii il near the
Pomme de Terre, and about a mile and a half from
where MIR. Koch obtained his skeleton. Mr. BRYANT
has already excayatod twenty feet, and has succeed
ed IN procuring some of the largest specimens (and
many of them nearly perfect,) ever yet exposed TO
the admirlng gaze Of the curious. We saw and
measured thigh bone, which seems perfect and i'm
excellent preservation, which measures three feet
ten and half inches in length 10 l2 inches in diane
ter at MS head and inches in diameter at lis small
est part. We also Z feet of tlsk which mea-
surcd % inches IN circumference where il was broken
OIL Mr.. h j. now engaged in getting out the balance
of The usk and he thinks the whole will be about 10
feet We were shown part of a scull which con-
tanned the upper part Of the jaw bone with four
teeth, aud the lower parts of the cavity of the brain
this scul appeared from the size of the teeth in the
jaw, to belong TO one Of the smaller animals and
measu cd twonty-one inches in width From the
formation of the scull, were lead TO the conclu
sion that the uks grew out of the head between The
upper teeth and the eyes for the cavities where the
tusks fitted III were plainly observable-and that NAV
probably account Tor The loss of the upper part Of the
scull-the weight of the tusks having pressed II off
and destroyed II. We were shown a great variety
OF teeth, ono of which weighed IS - lbs These
teeth are OF various shapes and kinds and evidently
belonged TO different species of animals While
some of them have three large ndcntions crosswise
N llp
teeth OF the elephant while others again arc about
four inches long, ABBOTT inch broad and resemble
on the surface the grinder of an OK. The rib bones
are, for the most part, imperfect the longest niece
we saw being only about three feet. These arc not
curved atwIse like the ribs Of an OK but are crved
edge-wise-they are about an inch and half thick
and three and a half inches wide The homes in The
best state OF preservation yet discovered are tic viz
tebra of the back. Six Of these were fonnd in , bIo
about three feet square, and perfectly sound the
obque process of which measures two feet-tbo
cavity for containing the spinal marrow is about three
inches in diameter.
Bones Of various sizes, and evidently belonging 10
many different animals, are found embedded together
either in white quicksand or a stiff blue CLAW
Among the bones frequently found pieces Of
charred wood aud other material giving evidence Of
the presence of rational beings The whole would
be subject of intense interest to the naturalist and
the antquary From the position IN which the homes
are found, VIC do not believe that the animals died
there No entire skeleton has been found at the
same place, but numerous bones Of the same kind
and hundreds Of teeth have been discovered within
space of twenty feet square, and from two 10 ten
feet below he'surace and frequently presenting the
appearance of having been buried there
Can It be that a race OF men existed i'm ages long
long buried IN the deepest oblivion who held these
animals in such awe and vencration that thet took
the same pains TO collect aud bury their bones that
they did those of their fathers, Not far from where
these bones are found, is mound about ooo feo,
high, with grave its very top This is called an
Indians grave. This whole mound NAV be ono vast
sepu chre Of mighty people, built in close cont;oni
ty to the remains Of those animals they probably
worshipped
There have none Of these remains vet tcen ro,,rd
out Of this county, and IT was supposed when Nj
Koch removed the first that we're found Thai il vas
the only skeletonbut enough have since bcen disco
yered to prove that thousands are hid in the bosom OF
Tue earlh within the bounds Of this county, We