The Prehistoric World or Vanished races Part 3

(18) Nicholson's "Manual of Zoology," pp. 419 and 504.

(19) When we talk of first appearance, we mean the discovery of remains. All who believe in the doctrine of evolution, know that the cla.s.s Mammalia must have appeared early in Paleozoic times.

Thus, Mr. Wallace says, "Bats and whales--strange modifications of mammals--appear perfectly well developed in the Eocene.

What countless ages back must we go for the origin of these groups--the whales from some ancestral carnivorous animal, the bats from the insectivora!" and even then we have to seek for the common origin of these groups at far earlier periods.

"So that, on the lowest estimate, we must place the origin of the Mammalia very far back in Paleozoic times." ("Island Life,"

p. 201.) (20) This word is also spelled Kainozoic, and Cainozoic.

We follow Dana, p. 140.

(21) Dana, "Manual of Geology," p. 488.

(22) Dawkins's "Early Man in Britain," p. 28.

(23) Many of these animal forms were common during the early Eocene. (Winch.e.l.l.) (24) Dawkins's "Early Man in Britain," p. 29.

(25) Dana, "Geology," p. 517.

(26) Dawkins's "Early Man in Britain," p. 32.

(27) Marsh. "American a.s.soc. Rep.," 1877.

(28) Haywood's Heer's "Primeval World of Switzerland," p. 296.

(29) Dawkins's "Early Man in Britain," p. 20.

(30) Ibid., p. 43.

(31) Dana's "Manual of Geology," p. 498.

(32) Dawkins's "Early Man in Britain," p. 42.

(33) Dana's "Manual of Geology," p. 514.

(34) Haywood's Heer's "Primeval World of Switzerland," p. 334.

(35) Haywood's Heer's "Primeval World of Switzerland."

(36) Dawkins's "Early Man in Britain," pp. 57 and 64.

(37) Ibid., p. 57: also, Haywood's Heer's "Primeval World of Switzerland."

(38) Nicholson's "Manual of Zoology," p. 605.

(39) Dawkins's "Early Man in Britain," p. 58.

(40) Ibid. 58.

(41) McLean: "Mastodon, Mammoth, and Man," p. 67.

(42) Dawkins's "Early Man in Europe," p. 66.

(43) See "Outline," p. 41.

(44) Lyell's "Antiquity of Man," p. 193.

(45) Quatref.a.ges's "Human Species," p. 151.

(46) Prof. Winch.e.l.l says: "Quatref.a.ges does not now consider the proof decisive (_Hommes Fossiles et Hommes Sauvages,_ Paris, 1884, p. 95)." He cites, as agreeing with him, MM.

Cotteau, Evans, "and, I believe, most of the members who have not publicly p.r.o.nounced themselves."

(47) Dawkins's "Early Man in Britain," p. 67.

(48) Dawkins's "Early Man in Britain," p. 68.

(49) "Human Species," p. 152.

(50) Prof. Winch.e.l.l remarks that, though some savage races might have been living in tropical lands during the Miocene, still the oldest skull and jaws obtainable in Europe are of a higher type than these.

(51) Dana's "Manual of Geology," p. 523.

(52) Marsh: "American a.s.soc. Rep.," 1877.

(53) Dawkins's "Early Man in Britain," p. 73.

(54) Ibid., p. 78.

(55) Dawkins's "Early Man in Britain," p. 77.

(56) Dawkins's "Early Man in Britain," p. 76.

(57) Winch.e.l.l's "Pre-Adamites," Whitney's "Auriferous Gravels of California," Marsh's "Address before American a.s.soc.," 1879.

(58) "Antiquity of Man," p. 234.

(59) "Prehistoric Times," p. 433.

(60) Geikie's "Prehistoric Europe," p. 343.

(61) Dawkins's "Early Man in Britain."

(62) Ibid.

(63) "Prehistoric Europe," p. 318.

(64) Quatref.a.ges's "Hum. Species," p. 150; Geikie's "Prehistoric Eur.," p. 345.

(65) "Pre-Adamites."

(66) Geikie's "Prehistoric Europe," p. 344.

(67) Ibid.

(68) "Early Man in Britain," p. 92.

(69) Geikie's "Prehistoric Europe," p. 344.

(70) Same as Glacial. See "Outline," p. 41.

(71) "Early Man in Britain," p. 92.

(72) "Prehistoric Europe," p. 345, note 2.

Chapter III

MEN OF THE RIVER DRIFT.<1>

Beginning of the Glacial Age--Inter-glacial Age--Man living in Europe during this age--Map of Europe--Proof of former elevation of land--The animals living in Europe during this age--Conclusions drawn from these different animals--The vegetation of this period--Different climatic conditions of Europe during the Glacial Age--Proofs of a Glacial Age--Extent of the Glacial Ice--Evidence of warm Inter-glacial Age--The primitive state of man--Early English civilization--Views of Horace--Primitive man dest.i.tute of metals--Order in which different materials were used by man for weapons--Evidence, from the River Somme--History of Boucher de Perthes's investigations--Discussion of the subject--Antiquity of these remains--Improvement during Paleolithic Age--Description of the flint implements--Other countries where these implements are found--What race of men were these tribes--The Canstadt race--Mr. Dawkins's views--When did they first appear in Europe--The authorities on this question--Conclusion.

The Tertiary Age, with its wonderful wealth of animal and plant life, gradually drew to its close. In our "Outline" we have named the period that next ensued the Glacial Age.<2> This was sufficiently exact for our purpose then, but we must remember this is the name<3> for a long series of years. During this period great changes in climate occurred. At its commencement, a genial temperate climate prevailed throughout Europe; and this, as we know, was preceded, during the Miocene Age, by a warm tropical one.<4> This succession, then, shows us that, for some reason or other, the climate had been gradually growing colder. This change went forward uninterruptedly. Doubtless very gradually, from century to century, the seasons grew more and more severe, until, finally, the Summer's sun no longer cleared the mountains of the Winter's snow. This was the beginning of the Glacial Age proper.

The best authorities also suppose that the reign of snow and ice was broken by at least one return (possibly more) of genial climate, when animals and plants from the south again visited the countries of Northern Europe--only, however, to be once more driven forth by a return of arctic cold. But finally, before the increasing warmth of a genial Climate, the glaciers vanished, not to return again, and the Glacial Age became merged in that of the present.

It is no longer a question that man lived in Europe during the largest portion of this age, if not from the beginning. It is necessary, then, to come to a clear understanding of the successive stages of this entire age, and to trace the wonderful cycles of climate--the strange mutation of heat and cold, which must have exerted a powerful influence on the life, both animal and vegetable, of the period--and see when we first find decisive proofs of man's presence, and learn what we can of his condition.

The map of Europe, at the close of Pliocene times and the commencement of the Glacial Age, is of interest to us in several ways. From this it will be seen that it was considerably more elevated than at the present.

As this is no fancy sketch, but is based on facts, it is well to outline them. Without the aid of man, land animals can not possibly pa.s.s from the mainland of a continent to an island lying some distance off the sh.o.r.e. But it is well known that animals like the rhinoceros, and several others, wandered as well over the surface of the British Islands as on the adjacent coast of Europe. We are therefore compelled to a.s.sume, that at that time the English Channel and the Irish Sea were not in existence. This necessitates an elevation of at least four hundred feet, which would also lay bare a large portion of the North Sea.<5> In proof of this latter statement is the fact, that, at a distance from land in the North Sea, fishermen at the present day frequently dredge up bones and teeth of animals that then roamed in Europe.<6>

Map of Europe------------------

While there is no necessity for supposing an elevation greater than that required to lay bare a pa.s.sage for animals back and forth, yet soundings undertaken by the British government have established the fact, that the ocean deepens very gradually away from the sh.o.r.es of the main-land until a depth of six hundred feet is reached, when the sh.o.r.e falls away very suddenly. This is supposed to be the sea-coast of that time. The English Channel would then have existed as the valley of the Seine, and the Rhine have prolonged its flow over the present bed of the North Sea.

As the land stood at this height through a large portion of the Glacial Age, it is not at all unreasonable to suppose that primitive tribes hunted back and forth along these valleys, and so doubtless many convincing proofs of their presence at that early day lie buried underneath the waves of the sea. In like manner, at the south, we know that elephants, lions, and hyenas pa.s.sed freely from Africa to Spain, Italy, and the Island of Crete,<7> and, consequently, the Mediterranean Sea must have been bridged in one or two places at least.<8>

The change from Pliocene times to early Glacial was so gradual that quite a number of animals lived on from one to the other, and, as we have already stated, one of these species has even survived to our own times.<9>

But we note the arrival in Europe of a great number of new animals, and the diversity of species seems at first an inexplicable riddle. The key, however, is to be found in the great climatic changes, which we have already mentioned as occurring during this age. On the one hand, we find such animals as the musk-sheep, reindeer, and arctic fox, animals whose natural home is in high northern lat.i.tudes, where snow and ice prevail most of the year.<10> Yet during this age they lived in Southern France and Italy, which must then have had a far different climate than that at present.

Were we to confine our attention to these alone we would be convinced that the climate of Europe at that time was arctic in its severity. But side by side with the remains of these animals are found others which imply an altogether different climate. The hippopotamus, now frequenting the rivers of Africa, during that period roamed as far north as Yorks.h.i.+re, England.<11> This animal could not live in a country where the cold was severe enough to form ice on the rivers. The remains of a number of other animals are found whose natural home is in the warm regions of the earth.<12> These two groups of animals, one from the north and one from the south, show how varied was the climate of Europe during the Glacial Age.

In addition to these, there was also a large number of animals whose home is in the temperate regions of the earth--animals that thrive in neither extremes of heat and cold. This includes a great many animals of the deer kind, several varieties of bears and horses; in fact, the majority of those with which we are acquainted.<13>

Now, what conclusion follows from this a.s.semblage of animals? Many theories have been put forward in explanation. It has been suggested that Europe at that time had a climate not unlike that of some portions of the earth at present; that is, a long and severe Winter was followed by a short but warm Summer. During the Winter reindeer and other northern animals would press from the north in search of food, but would retire on the approach of Spring, when their feeding grounds would in turn be occupied by bisons and animals of a southern habitat. In confirmation of this view it is pointed out that a vast collection of bones, from the bottom of a sink-hole or pond in Derbys.h.i.+re, England, conclusively show that in the summer-time it was visited by bisons with their calves, and in Winter by reindeer.<14> This theory is open to a great many objections. As is well known, some animals make quite extensive migrations annually, but we can scarcely believe that heavy, unwieldy animals like the hippopotamus, were then such industrious travelers as to wander every year from Italy to Northern England and return.<15> But the very ground on which this theory rests, that of strongly contrasted summers and winters, could not be true of Europe or the western portions of it, owing to the presence of the Atlantic Ocean, and the influence which it inevitably exerts on the climate.<16> We see, then, that the presence of these different animals can be explained only by supposing great secular changes in climate. Let us see if we can strengthen this view by an appeal to the vegetation of this period.

We have seen how important a guide as to climate were the remains of the vegetation of the early times. We therefore turn with more confidence to such discoveries as will tell us of the flora of this age. But there are many reasons why remains of plant growth should be few. As we shall soon learn, this was a period of flooded rivers; and in the gravels and loams thus formed is found our princ.i.p.al source of information as to the life of the age. But such a rush of waters would form gravelly banks or great beds of loam, and would sweep any plants which might be washed into its floods far out to sea; or if by chance they should become buried in such gravel beds, the action of water would speedily cause the decay of the tender portions, such as leaves, bark, and soft wood, in which case no profitable investigation could be made. Occasionally, however, around the sh.o.r.es of old lakes, vegetable beds have been buried, and we know that some mineral springs deposit a sort of protecting sediment on every thing with which they come in contact. By such means, at rare intervals, leaves, seeds, and fruits have been sealed up for future inspection, and from a careful study of all such instances much valuable information has been obtained. At one place in the valley of the Seine was discovered, under a bed of tufa, the remains of a forest growth. It is not doubted that the deposit belongs to the Glacial Age.<17>

Yet the forest growth reminds us of that prevalent during the Miocene Age. The fig-tree, canary, laurel, and box-tree grew in profusion. These are all southern forms. One severe winter would kill them all, and even hard frosts would prevent the ripening of their fruits.

Neither were the Summers hot and dry. This is shown by the presence of numerous plants which can not thrive in hot and dry localities, but live in the shady woods of Northern France and Germany. The evidence of this forest growth surely presents us an inviting picture of Europe during a portion of the Glacial Age.