The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-24
A MAMMOTH'S TUSKS.
Remarkable Discovery by Rev.
Myron Eells.
RELICS OF EXTINCT MONSTERS.
me Learned Missionary Tells Of Geolor.
icai Discoveries-Pecu liarities of
Coast Indians.

rev. Myron Eells, the government mission.
airy on the skokomish Indian reservation. yes-
teIuay brought TO this city on the steamer Sc
N"iHe from Port Williams, some very interesting
Ha'ursl history specimens in the way of pieces
Vi tusks and bones, and an immense molsr
TOOTH OF the extinct mastodon The largest
tesK was about seven inches in diameter and
the piece found was about four feet long
Juoging from its very gradual taper the whole
.usk must have been of immense leueth--not
iess 'hsn twenty feet from the large end OF the
piece found to the point Two smaller tusks
were round not far fr ON the large one buried in
.ie DUN and about thirty feet higher up
ihese Were about five inches in diameter at the
large end, and about four feet long, and were
ootn evidently off the same animal The molar
'o''n was about three by seven or eight inches
On 'ne race, and about nine inches from the
aee 10 the point OF the largest root. The streaks
vi ehainei through the face of the tooth were
MOI changed IN the least, but the bony substance
Aau oeen worn away somewhat and was quite
sui me tooth when found was lying in Sec
.iuh oI the Jaw bone about once and a half as
large as the tooth and was we'll nreserved Tho
oalahce Oh the head was all decayed executing
particles OF the bone too small for any use An
otner piece OF bone was found, but from what
poruon OF the animal it came could not be
made out. Itlooked like the eartilaginous end
OIL bone forming joint. The tusks were
MI - an aff
with the thumb-nail
MI Eeils has for years been making n collec.
ton OF Indian, mineral and geological speei-
mems, and some time ago he received q letter
from John Vnt, formerly industrial teacher on
the reservation informing him of some relics
which appeared to be bones, sticking out OF the
bluff near Port Williams about twenty miles
west OF Port Townsend. A short time ago.
while visiting the place, Mr.. Eells made all ex-
animation and fnund hat ;,+a
esting specimens but the bluff is very abrunt
ana 50 or 100 feet high, and to get up to where
the ends OF the TWO smaller tusks were project
Ing, which was about forty feet below the top of
the bluff, was quite task. portion OF the bluff
had fallen down and lodged about eighteen fee
below the point where the specimens were He
assembled TO this point with an eighteen foot lad
Der with much difficulty, and with pick he dug
away the earth until he reached what was evil
IDENTITY the head, from which the two smaller
tusks were projecting, but it was also so badly
decayed tina. it was impossib TO secure any
considerable portion of it intact aside from the
tooth and pieces OF the jawbone. The points of
the tusks were broken off so that they were
about three inches in diameter at the smaller
end. They were probably about seven or eight
fee. long originally. About six feet lower down
the other piece of bone referred to was found
The other piece OF an immense tusk was found
lew hundred yards from where the first ones
were and lower down, being only about twenty
feet from the base of the bluff
Speaking of the matter to PosT-INTEL-
LIGENCER reporter yesterday, Mr. Eells said
They are the tusks of either a mastodon or a
mammoth, though | think the former The
bluf in which | found them is composed of
various strata OF clay and gravel, and all of
these tusks were in the gravel, though in differ
ent strata, showing that they were formerly in
the water and washed into the situation in
which they were found as the gravel was de-
posted. How long ago this was done is a mat
ter OF speculation, as seventy or eighty feet of
gravel and soil had formed above the lowest
one, and then the whole bank has been elevated
about hundred feet above the level of the sea-
Ten or twelve years ago an Indian gave me
small tusk which had fallen out OF the bank
and which he said he found near the same place
This still have. Ii is three inches in diameter
and three feet long, though it has been broken
OF at both ends. 1t is very hard. About the
same time dug cut of the bank small piece
OF large bone, which was only about six feet
above the water level, and is the only specimen
OF well preserved bone which have seen from
the locality Twenty or thirty years ago X.
Travers who owns the land, and William Ne
kissick, found tusk near the same place
which was about seven feet long and seven or
eight inches in diameter. This given to
Judge ]. q. Swan, of Port Townsend, who sent
II to the Smithsonian Institution at w ashington.
1t Is probable that many more are scattered