The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-04-28
HUNTING TIE MASTODON.

Few persons viii envy The Russ An men
Of science who have hurried across Siberia
10 the frozen ocean in order to secure the
I remains Of the mAstodon that was found
last year near the mouth Of the Jana River
The travellers we're speeded on their way
under the auspices Of the 81. Petersburg
Academy Of Sciences and the Government
Ia footing all the bills. But sven money
without stint cannot provide comfort on
such a journey Of $40 miles from irkutsk
through the wilds where the dead Of winter
still relgns; and II was TO be a day and
night journey till the party should reach
the prize, for reindeer and dog teams we're
collected along the route and no cessation
Of travel wal anticipated till they should
stand beside the animal, still two-thirds
buried In the earth that overwhelmed II
perhaps 10000 years ago.
Delayed q little by snowdrifts the eE-
petition was seven days In reaching lrkutsk
by train. where they transferred to troikas
, that took them some distance north till they
met the first reindeer sledge teams. Rein
deer were TO carry the party about half the
way and then give place to dog sledges'
and II was estimated that by either mode
Of travel about ll5 miles would be covered
every day.
After all the hard work. discomfort and
great cost the journey may be practically
fruitless. Hopes we're not fulfilled, for ex-
ample, In 1908, when Baron Toll led a party
TO secure the body Of a mammoth that a
been reported in IS degrees north latitude
on the Balakhan River. All that was found
we're bits Of skin with the wool on them and
parts Of the e1tremities and the lower Jaw
Of a young mammoth; 80 the party turned
to exploration with great success, for they
investigated the Arctic tundra over nearly
fifty degrees OF longitude.
But the Russian Government is willing
to risk the money on the chance Of drawing
another such prize az that Of the mammoth
recently put up in the geological museum,
which at present is the greatest drawing
card in st. Petersburg. The goal has prob
ably been reached and the party knows
now whether Il has been chasing a vain and
elusive hope.
II the fond desires Of the travellers are
realized they will have a months hard work
right on the spot. The body must be dug
out Of the frozen mass that has conserved
ii for centuries. II a bit Of the skin or
skeleton is missing the precious particle
must be sought for as carefully as though
il we're gold. And then the relics must be
divided into sledge loads, for no one sledge
could carry even the hide, which will be
cut up 80 that it may be pieced together
without sign Of patchwork. Then the pro-
oession will start for Bulun, hundreds Of
miles to the west on the Lena River, over
the tundra SHOWS, which are expected to
supply good sledging till nearly June. The
hard work will then be over, for a steamer
will carry the animal up the Lena 70 lrkutsk
and wagons will transfer it TO the train for
st. Petersburg.
In the frozen clays that have preserved
these animals for ages have also been found
the alders, willows and birches, with per
feet leaves and even cones, which formed
q large part Of the food Of these great ele-
phants; 30 that we know that in the age Of
the mammoth the northern limit Of these
trees was at least three degrees Of latitude
further north than il now the case. Our
Alaskans are still digging up fragmeneary
mammoth remains on the Pribylof group
OF islands, on Uualaska Of the Aleutian
chain and in some other parts Of the Terri
tory. hut always in the fiat, unglaciated
areas. This locslization Of the distribu-
ton Of these fossils in Alaska certainly
points to the past land connection Of Asia
and America, which a change Of level OF
only 800 feet might have brought about.