A LIVING MASTODON.

Oamaru Mail, Volume X, Issue 4098, 30 December 1887, Page 3

A LIVING MASTODON.

(Joseao, Alaska, Free Press.) Ia conversation with D. H. Summers, formerly of Denver, Col., who came out this f(dl with the first party of miners from Forty-mile Creek, we learned that the existence of living mastodons near tbe head waters cf White River was not the men fabrication of the northern farriers, bat that the Stick Indians bad positively told him that not later than five years ago such an animal had been seen by them. One of the Indiana aaid that while banting one day in that unknown section he came across an immense track, sank to a depth cf several inches in the moss, from the description as the Indian marked it out to him in the sand, It much resembled an elephant's track, and was larger around than a barrel. Upon striking it the Indian followed up the carlo as trail, which, to all appearances, was very fresh, and tracking from ooe immense stride to the other for a diatance of some miles, he came into fall view of his game. And what game! The hunter gave one look, then turned wd fled as though pursued by the evil one. These Indians as a class are the bravest of hunters, aud with no other weapon than the spear, will attack and alay the St. Ellas grizzly. But the innnimy proportions of this new kind of game both startled and filled the hunlar, brave a*-he was, with great fear, and he Imagined thai his only safety lay in swift and immediate Sight. He described it as being larger than Harper's (the poet trader's) store, with great, shining, yellowish toaia, and a month large enough to swallow him at a single gulp. He said the animal was undoubtedly the tame as wets the hosts bones scattered over that section. If such an animal is now In existence, and Mr Summers has no feason to doubt the veracity of the Indian, as other Indians, also Mr Harper, had confirmed it, they inhabit a section cf very high altitude, and one bat rarely visited by human beings, and these only Indians. We also have no reason to doabt the Indian's tale, for at no very recent period tbe Yakon country was inhabited by these animals, and hundreds of their massive skeletons found strewn along the creeks are the silent hot truthful witnesses. On Forty-mile Creek bones can be found projecting partly from the sands among the driftwood along the stream. On a creek below this these are qaite numerous. Ooe ivory task projects 9ft out of the sand bank, and is larger round than a man's body. A tingle tooth would be a good load for a strong man to carry. This certainly would be a great field for the scientist, for to all appearances, it is rich in nature's cariosities.