the Empire to York, during the long residence in Britain of the three Emperors, Severus, Caracalla, and Geta, the latter of whom had the command of London. It was in the city of York, which was for three years the head quarters of the Roman Empire, that Severus celebrated a triumph for his victories in Parthia and Arabia. The greatness of several of the British Emperors, their powerful armies, fleet, and their conquests on the continent, attest the wealth of the island; and how justly the loss of its mines, its corn, and very numerous recruits for the Roman armies (on the continent), was deplored. No other person having given a history of Britain with the views of the writer, a stronger light is thrown on that part of these researches than has before been collected in a small compass; and nevertheless every essential historical event, that is extant, is related. That most noble of the brutes, the elephant, will be found in great numbers, climbing the Alps with Hannibal and Asdrubal; crossing the mountains of Greece; and fighting with the Roman army under the command of Acilius and Cato, against Antiochus at Thermopyla; marching with the Emperor Claudius to the conquest of Britain; thirty-nine slain in one battle in Spain; a hundred and forty employed in a battle with the Carthaginians, at Palermo; of which a great number was killed by the Romans, and above a hundred were captured. Thirteen hundred elephants at one time, and five hundred on another occasion, were led by the Emperor Mamood against the king of Cashgar, and supported the cold of Tartary, when men and horses perished by its severity. The numbers possessed by the descendants of Genghis Khan would be incredible, if we did not know that all the PREFACE. vii elephant provinces east of the Burrampooter were under their control, and that no monarchs on earth were ever so powerful. The variety and immense numbers of wild beasts destroyed in the circus and amphitheatre are recorded by many historians. Hippo+ potami, rhinoceroses, camelopards, and almost every known quadru ped were employed in these amusements; sometimes several thousands on a single occasion. On one day, forty elephants were exhibited in these cruel but grand sports, with which the Roman people were indulged for many centuries. Such respectable authors as Pallas and others having asserted, that all the elephants employed in the armies of the Moguls would not account for the vast number of mammoth's remains found in Siberia, it was indispensably requisite to give sufficient historical proof of the contrary. The evidence produced in this volume, accompanied with the elucidation of the misunderstandings and consequent exaggerations on this topic, arising from the Siberians calling the walrus, (which they kill in immense numbers), by the name of Mammoth, and Europeans always supposing them to be speaking of elephants, is deemed, by the writer, a satisfactory proof of the errors and misconceptions on this subject: but sufficient conviction regarding the numbers of elephants, could not be conveyed to the reader, without presenting him with the causes for such extraordinary wars and scenes as are here described; and he was therefore necessitated to lay before him those circumstances which have reached us in various scattered authorities, in order to make out a constructive evidence in those cases, for which direct proof has not been found. In this pursuit many readers will find descriptions and scenes of a nature entirely different from what is usually met with. The various Chapters consist of those extracts of short passages, and abstracts of long ones, and even of whole volumes, which contribute to prove the point aimed at. The dates and circumstances are sometimes so distant or various as to preclude the possibility of always maintaining a connected narrative like a regular history, nor does the nature of the subject require it. The author considers himself merely as a pioneer, who has, on a very interesting question, endeavoured to open a new road, which may probably lead to a more extended knowledge of nature and of man. INTRODUCTION CONTENTS. Sketch of the History of the Grand Khans of the Mongols and Tar- tars, from the Birth of Genghis, A.D. 1154, to the Accession of Hunting Circle.-A Courailtai, or General Council, held at Of the Grand Khan Kublai, whose domination exceeded that of Augustus. Conquest of Manji, or South China; Bangalla; Burmah; &c.-Numerous Elephants received in tribute.— Rebellion in Siberia.--Invasion of Java.Invasion of Ja- b Animals.-- Magnificent Scenery. Mongol Sovereigns.- Coronation of the Grand Khan Keyuc, at Olougyourt. vaded from China and India beyond the Ganges.--Immense Armies stationed on the Irtish, and Battles in the Thirteenth Century- -Invasions of Tamerlane, Fourteenth Century.-———— Tombs; Elephants' Bones, Golden Chess-boards and Men, Golden Plates, &c. found in them.--Note on the Conquest of |