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convince England that we suffer more by the embargo than they do； &
that if they will but hold out awhile； we must abandon it。 It is
true； the time will come when we must abandon it。 But if this is
before the repeal of the orders of council； we must abandon it only
for a state of war。 The day is not distant； when that will be
preferable to a longer continuance of the embargo。 But we can never
remove that； & let our vessels go out & be taken under these orders；
without making reprisal。 Yet this is the very state of things which
these federal monarchists are endeavoring to bring about； and in this
it is but too possible they may succeed。 But the fact is； that if we
have war with England； it will be solely produced by their
manoeuvres。 I think that in two or three months we shall know what
will be the issue。
I salute you with esteem & respect。
BONES FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE
_To Lacepede； with a Catalogue_
_Washington； July 14； 1808_
SIR； If my recollection does not deceive me； the collection
of the remains of the animal incognitum of the Ohio （sometimes called
mammoth）； possessed by the Cabinet of Natural History at Paris； is
not very copious。 Under this impression； and presuming that this
Cabinet is allied to the National Institute； to which I am desirous
of rendering some service； I have lately availed myself of an
opportunity of collecting some of those remains。 General Clarke （the
companion of Governor Lewis in his expedition to the Pacific Ocean）
being；on a late journey； to pass by the Big…bone Lick of the Ohio；
was kind enough to undertake to employ for me a number of laborers；
and to direct their operations in digging for these bones at this
important deposit of them。 The result of these researches will
appear in the enclosed catalogue of specimens which I am now able to
place at the disposal of the National Institute。 An aviso being to
leave this place for some port of France on public service； I deliver
the packages to Captain Haley； to be deposited with the Consul of the
United States； at whatever port he may land。 They are addressed to
Mr。 Warden of our legation at Paris； for the National Institute； and
he will have the honor of delivering them。 To these I have added the
horns of an animal called by the natives the Mountain Ram； resembling
the sheep by his head； but more nearly the deer in his other parts；
as also the skin of another animal； resembling the sheep by his
fleece but the goat in his other parts。 This is called by the
natives the Fleecy Goat； or in thestyle of the natural historian； the
Pokotragos。 I suspect it to be nearly related to the Pacos； and were
we to group the fleecy animals together； it would stand perhaps with
the Vigogne； Pacos； and Sheep。 The Mountain Ram was found in
abundance by Messrs。 Lewis and Clarke on their western tour； and was
frequently an article of food for their party； and esteemed more
delicate than the deer。 The Fleecy Goat they did not see； but
procured two skins from the Indians； of which this is one。 Their
description will be given in the work of Governor Lewis； the journal
and geographical part of which may be soon expected from the press；
but the parts relating to the plants and animals observed in his
tour； will be delayed by the engravings。 In the meantime； the plants
of which he brought seeds； have been very successfully raised in the
botanical garden of Mr。 Hamilton of the Woodlands； and by Mr。
McMahon； a gardener of Philadelphia； and on the whole； it is with
pleasure I can assure you that the addition to our knowledge in every
department； resulting from this tour of Messrs。 Lewis and Clarke； has
entirely fulfilled my expectations in setting it on foot； and that
the world will find that those travellers have well earned its favor。
I will take care that the Institute as well as yourself shall receive
Governor Lewis's work as it appears。
It is with pleasure I embrace this occasion of returning you my
thanks for the favor of your very valuable works； _sur les poissons
et les cetacees_； which you were so kind as to send me through Mr。
Livingston and General Turreau； and which I find entirely worthy of
your high reputation in the literary world。 That I have not sooner
made this acknowledgment has not proceeded from any want of respect
and attachment to yourself； or a just value of your estimable
present； but from the strong and incessant calls of duty to other
objects。 The candor of your character gives me confidence of your
indulgence on this head； and I assure you with truth that no
circumstances are more welcome to me than those which give me the
occasion of recalling myself to your recollection； and of renewing to
you the assurances of sincere personal attachment； and of great
respect and consideration。
_Contents of the large square Box。_
A Fibia。
A Radius。
Two ribs belonging to the upper part of the thorax。
Two ribs from a lower part of the thorax。
One entire vertebra。
Two spinous processes of the vertebra broken from the bodies。
Dentes molares； which appear to have belonged to the full…grown
animal。
A portion of the under…jaw of a young animal with two molar
teeth in it。
These teeth appear to have belonged to a first set； as they are
small； and the posterior has but three grinding ridges； instead of
five； the common number in adult teeth of the lower jaw。
Another portion of the under…jaw； including the symphisis； or
chin。 In this portion the teeth of one side are every way complete；
to wit； the posterior has five transverse ridges； and the anterior
three。
A fragment of the upper…jaw with one molar tooth much worn。
Molar teeth which we suppose to be like those of the mammoth or
elephant of Siberia。 They are essentially different from those of
the mammoth or elephant of this country； and although similar in some
respects to the teeth of the Asiatic elephant； they agree more
completely with the description of the teeth found in Siberia in the
arrangement and size of the transverse lamina of enamel。 This idea；
however； is not derived from actual comparison of the different teeth
with each other； for we have no specimens of Siberian teeth in this
country； but from inferences deduced from the various accounts and
drawings of these teeth to be found in books。 A few of these teeth
have been found in several places where the bones of the American
animal have existed。
An Astragalus。
An Oscalcis。
Os naviculare。
In the large box in which the preceding bones are； is a small
one containing a promiscuous mass of small bones； chiefly of the
feet。
In the large irregular…shaped box； a tusk of large size。 The
spiral twist in all the specimens of these tusks which we have seen；
was remarked so long ago as the time of Breyneus； in his description
of the tusks of the Siberian mammoth in the Philosophical
Transactions； if that paper is rightly recollected； for the book is
not here to be turned to at present。 Many fragments of tusks have
been sent from the Ohio； generally resembling portions of such tusks
as are brought to us in the course of commerce。 But of these spiral
tusks； in a tolerable complete state； we have had only four。 One was
found near the head of the north branch of the Susquehanna。 A second
possessed by Mr。 Peale； was found with the skeleton； near the Hudson。
A third is at Monticello； found with the bones of this collection at
the Big…bone lick of Ohio； and the fourth isthat now sent for the
Institute； found at the same place and larger than that at
Monticello。
The smallest box contains the horns of the mountain ram； and
skin of the fleecy goat。
PLOUGHS
_To Monsieur Sylvestre_
_Washington； July 15； 1808_
SIR； I had received from you on a former occasion the four
first volumes of the Memoirs of the Agricultural Society of the
Seine； and since that； your letter of September 19th； with the 6th；
7th； 8ths； and 9th volumes； being for the years 1804 '5 '6； with some
separate memoirs。 These I have read with great avidity and
satisfaction； and now return you my thanksfor them。 But I owe
particular acknowledgments for the valuable present of the Theatre de
De Serres； which I consider as a prodigy for the age in which it was
composed； and shows an advancement in the science of agriculture
which I had never suspected to have belonged to that time。 Brought
down to the present day by the very valuable notes added； it is
really such a treasure of agricultural knowledge； as has not before
been offered to the world in a single work。