The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-11-20
Fossil Remains.

Fossil Remains. -
The Charleston Mercury gives an interesting
account OF the fossil remains Of a Mastodon
found near Charleston, on the Eastern Branch
of, Cooper River, and says. - 4;
"Some ofthe bones are ina good. state Of
preservation, and;have been presented to Pro-
fessor Holmes for tile Museum 0ofthe College:
of Charleston, by their discoverer, VIM. Hag:,
lesion, esq, of, the Hut plantation, st. Johns;
-Berkley A large tooth ofthe same: animal
has also been received from John Harlestonj
esq.,, of the, Bluff plantation. ..- :. q
:. "From the character of the earth adhering
to the bones, Professor Holmes concludes they
must have been taken: ftom the stratum, known
to geofoSists as the Post Pleiocsne Of Lyetl,
OF perhaps from. deposit of more recent
date. It consists Of coneretion of loose sand
and gravel, consolidated by fenaginous infl.
ftffations. With these bones are Fragments OF
the shell or earapace Of q fresh. water Terra.
PIN -, ,- -. D.. .-!St ;:t; =
Afew years since we received. from the, late
Dr., Muldrow, ofSumter dishicts q number Of
bones of Mastodon, found on his place; and q
large tooth was found in Darlington on the
plantatation of Chan. Datgan Which 10 now in
the, Cabinet Of the South, Carolina College.
Teeth and bones have also been found on
Edisto Island. of which we have several speci
mems The Mercury also, says =.
"1he Mastodon was not unlike the Elephant
in form and size, but somewhat. larger and
thicker. Dr.. John-C, Warren Of Boston, pos;
sesses the most perfect skeleton yet found it is
seventeen feet lung, twelve feet high, and six
teen feet. five inches in circumference around
the ribs The entire length OF the tusks is. ten
feet eleven inches, and length Of tail six feet
eight inches. One tootrweighs four p unds. ,
I "No living instance Of this. creature.is on
record; its race has long beenexfinct, and these
colossal bones have evidently been buried in
the earth for ages-lopg, long before man, and
the animals which are his contemporaries, were
created.
TThe Indians believe, that men, Of similar
proportions were coeval with the Mastodon, and
that the Grea. Spirit destroyed both with his
thunder"
Dr.. Wa,ren's skeleton for which be paid
81 O0O was found near NeWburgh, New York
and is almost perfect: A singular fact is wor-
thy of record in connection with ii; Several
years ago the great. Elephant Columbus was
drowned II, the Delaware, and DR.. Warren
became the purchaser Of the; skeleton, and had
it cleaned and dmnunted. Although every pre-
caution Was taken taken to preserve all the
smalrbe still the Mastbdop skeleton is the
most peffect--preserved by nature for ages
unknowa-w that by mans carelesness is
I i,nperfect. This we have seen.
The Venerable DR.. Warren has identified
h,mself With the history ofthis extraordinary
animal, BY publishing Memoir of alt that is
known. Oft in the United States. It's the
most magnificent volume OF Natural History
every issued from the american press. and is
at once amohuinent Of his science and licbrali-
-sof This. extraordinary animal several species
! are tolnd in Europe, but oiilytwo on this con
tinent--of these only one is satisfactorily set
tied in the United States. Hundreds of speci
uiet,s.of teeth have been found in. the Western
States, and one. is just reported IN Oregon,
but they all -lef,ng to the same species. =
r0fthe Mauaaofh, kindred animal, a true
Elephant, two sIecieas'haye' beer found in the
United States-one IS very eoumon;' Of The
other two specimens only ore known. In ls47
one was discovered in Vermont, and in the
same year-it was our good fortune to 6nd the
other at Wilmington, North Garolina, from
Elbe banks ofSDsep River, in that State. The
former specimen is in the Boston Society of
Natural Hlstory,s collection, the latter we
placed in the Academy Of Sciencrs, PhiIadel.
phia, as, the most. prominent position for it to
he seen bysnatnralists. OF the Mammoth, nc
Living specimen has been seen within the period
of history. Tomorrow we will give an account
tofone having been found frozen in Polar ice.
t>;-.-;I'- -. South Cdrottntdn.
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MsxoRY OF THE DEAD,-The memory. Of
the departed is a precious boon to surviving