Part of a Letter from Mr John Luffkin to the Publisher, concerning Some Large Bones, Lately Found in a Gravel-Pit Near Colchester

I. Part of a Letter from Mr John Luffkin to the Publisher, concerning some large Bones, lately found in a Gravel-pit near Colchester. SIR, Reading the Ph. Transaction for July last, No 271. I find an account of some strange Bones found in the Grounds of Mr Somner in Chartham, near Canterbury, in Kent, &c. which gives me occasion to insinuate to you the likewise finding this Summer at Wrabness, a small Village situate in the most Eastern parts of Essex, upon the River Stour, near Harwich, diverse Bones of an extraordinary bigness, which were found at fifteen or sixteen foot beneath the surface of the Earth, in digging for Gravel to mend the Roads with, &c. the largest and most remarkable of which, was procured, and sent to me, by the learned and ingenious Mr Rich, Minister of the place. We read in Camden, pag.351. that in the time of King Richard II. and in the Reign of Queen Eliz. there were found in the most Eastern Promontory of Essex, at a place called Cudlifness, which I take to be Walton, large Teeth, and Bones of an extraordinary bulk, which were esteemed the Bones of Giants. But Mr Childrey in his Britannia Baconica, pag. 100. rather thinks them to be the Bones and Teeth of some Elephant, buryed there by their Loving Masters the Romans. That these were the Bones and Teeth of some Elephant, I am prone to believe; first, because they far surpass in Magnitude the Bones, &c. of the largest Creatures that we have at this day in our Island. Secondly Because 'tis evident from Dio Cassius, as quoted by Mr Camden. See the Romans in Britain, and in his Bri- Britannia, pag. 347. that abundance of Elephants were brought over into England, by the Emperor Claudius; in his Wars with the Britains; yea, into Essex itself, as appears from the same Dio, a little after in these words: Claudius having at last joined Plantius, and took the command of the Army, passed the River (meaning the Thames) and upon a fair engagement with the Enemy, who were posted there to receive him, obtained the Victory, took Camulodunum, &c. Thirdly, In comparing this Bone with the Osteology of Dr Mullins in his Anatomical account of the Elephant burnt at Dublin, &c. I find it perfectly to agree to and with the Os humeri thereof, not only to outward appearance or form, but to measure also; from which circumstances we may conclude, that these were the Bones, &c. of some Elephant, rather than of any other Animal. And it does seemingly appear to me, that these Teeth and Bones mention'd by Mr Sommer, might have been the Teeth and Bones of some Elephant, rather than of the Hippopotamus: and that, First, in respect of the place; for, as Mr Camden says in his Britannia, pag. 197. speaking of Chilham in Kent, of which this Chartham is a neighbouring Village, situate in the same Down, and on the same River Stour, that it is a current report amongst the Inhabitants that Julius Caesar encamped there, in his second Expedition against the Britains; and thence it was called Julham, as if one should say, Julius Station or House. It appears further, Britan. p. 208. that Rhatupiæ (which whether Richborough or Stoner matters not) situate near the present Sandwich, was the place of Claudius his Landing in Britain; and that through this Down was his nearest passage to the Thames (is indisputable) whither he was going: So that 'tis highly probable, that during the stay, passing or repassing of these Roman Armies through these Downs, some one of their Elephants might perish or dye, and be buried there. Secondly, By the Teeth themselves, for if you compare the Icons given by Mr Somner, with the Descriptions of Dr Mullins (in the aforesaid Anatomy, p. 40.) you will find them the very same, as to breadth and depth, &c. and their being Molares; for, says the Dr, these eight (which were all the Elephant had besides the two Tusks) were Molares, for he had no Incisores. Thirdly and lastly, to solve that great difficulty (which obliged this Gentleman to imagine this Down to have been an Æstuary, that his Hippopotamus might therein dig itself a Grave, otherwise how should these Bones be found at such a depth? for who with reason (says Mr Somner) can imagine, that any Land Creature could ever have had (at first) so deep a burial: This indeed would have been an Herculean Labour. But 'tis easily explained why these Bones should at this day be found at such depths, if we consider the Alteration or rising of the Valleys, by the continual washing down of the loose Earth or Soyl by the Rains and Snows from the adjacent Hills, and by the annual rollings of the Grass, Sedge, &c. growing upon it: for proof of which take the following instance from Dr Ploti's Nat. Hist. of Staffordshire, Chap. vi. p. 48. p. 220. speaking of a Moss, &c. wherein there was found a Lump of Coyns of Edward IV. of England (supposed to be lost in a Purse or Cloath, now rotted away) at 18 foot deep, which being about 200 years since (that is, when they were found,) whoever pleases to compute it, will find this Moss grew about one foot in 11 years, or one inch per annum and \( \frac{1}{2} \) proxime. Diverse other instances of Alteration are mentioned in the same History, as in Chap. 3. par. 11, 12. and Ch.6. par. 45, 46, 47, 48. &c. Now it will be easily granted, that if this Moss grew or advanced itself above its former surface 18 foot in 200 years, then this Vale or Down might advance itself 17 foot in almost 1700 years. Colchester, Sept. 15. 1701.