The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-10-23

'Is ehIire lenRLn OF Six nundreu feet. AT
the upper end, where the hill is the high.
est great excavations have been made,
and here tho rock was found, to be the
opening OF an immense bed of peat At
frst it was resolved to remove this peat
and for the purpose Of ascertaining its
depth, small section was excavated to
the depth OF sixty feet. 1t. was in this
that the mammoth fosil was found. The
jaw is somewhat decayed and flaky, but
the teeth are in excellent preservation.
The length of each jawbone is thirty.
two inches: the breadth across the Jaw
at the broadest point, twenty two inches,
and the extreme depth about twelve
inches.
On one side isa tooth four inches in
length and two and half in width. nd
on the other side two. teeth, ons OF which
ia six and a half inches long, and the
other tour, and bath uniform in width
and shape with the tooth opposite. On
the side of the single tooth there is no
cavity to indicate tlist any other ever
existed, and it is evident that the animal
died IN full possession of all the dental
conveniences that nature ever gave him.
But these were enough. Twenty pounds
of teeth, more or less, are more than the
most voracious appetite could covet. at
the present high price Of food. The
holes or cavities for the dental nerves
are from an inch to an inch and half in
diameter. The front Of the jaw is com.
pnratively light, showing that the crea-
ture was not given to carniyerous diet,
but subsisted chiefly on herbs No 9TH.
er remains Of the beast have been dis.
covered, but it is possible that they are
hidden in that portionof the peat bed
that has not been opened.
The examinations have revealed other
wonders not less remarkable than the
above. Thirty feet below the safface
an enormous petri6ed ostrich egg was
found, indicating that this animal, in size
fit cotemporary of the other, dwelt
here, breathed the same air, and lived
in the same primeval sunlight which fell
apon its ponderous companion. Vast
Quantities Of oak wood. so tender that it.
can be cut and removed with the shovel,
are intermingled with the peat. This
wood, when exposed to the air or FIRE u,l,
I'll thoroughly dried, secomesas hard as II
it had never decayed.
As the excavations progress other Gu.
riosities may be reserecled and brought
to the light after their sleep'of years in
silence and darkness. On each side of
che peat he'd, so far as traced, are vast
perpendicular rocks, into which huge
semicircular cavities. deep and smooth
have been worn by tlte,action of water.
There is apparently but one solution Of
t!is mystery.
The cavity of resk where the deposit
ofpeat now rests was once the bed of
stream. running d,agonally. across tho
line of the street and towards the, Mo
hawk. As the peat was coverep deep.
ly with slate rock, it is evident that the
stream had a subterranean channel and
outlet at this place, thoagh perhaps an
open river above. yInthe undiscovered
fields which may,yet be explored,
the geologiss and zoologist will find
rich territory in which to pursue investi.
cation, and perhaps may here unravel
scientific mysteries not yet made plain,
or decide questions now in dispute. We
are happy 10 learn that the State Geolo.
gi.t proposes to visit the place, and The
public will await his report with a lively
interest. Is.
-----------1s . ----------. KS