THE GLACIAL MAN IN AMERICA. 33 



sixteenth century, for at that period, in the spirit of the Tyrian and Si- 

 donian sailor, the Spaniards and the French had their plans for stopping 

 the advance of other nations the one by fortifying the straits of Ma- 

 gellan, and the other by holding the supposed route to the Indies by 

 way of the St. Lawrence. 



It is now gradually becoming apparent that the peopling of Amer- 

 ica was accomplished by more than one race of emigrants, and that 

 at least two distinct expeditions went from Europe to Mexico and 

 Yucatan before the Spaniards. This question, therefore, has its his- 

 toric and archaeological side, and consists of a number of very distinct 

 lines, which are to be studied separately by specialists, in the con- 

 viction that no one theory or set of facts covers the whole ground. 

 Several distinct contributions were made by the inhabitants of the 

 Eastern Continent toward the peopling of America, and, by means of 

 a cai'ef ul division of labor, we may yet reach some satisfactory solution 

 of a subject that has so long baffled inquiry. Such studies may be 

 conducted on strictly scientific principles, as well as those prosecuted 

 with relation to the story of life in general on this continent ; for, if 

 we may accept as historic the representation of Professor Marsh, who 

 pictures the American primates making their way over the miocene 

 bridge at Behring Strait to Europe, and failing, later, when differenti- 

 ated, to return, because the bridge had broken down, man alone re- 

 turning to the country of his " earlier ancestry," it is certainly reason- 

 able to hope that the origin of those races not connected with the 

 in-comer by Behring Strait may be satisfactorily explained. 



At what period the Atlantic was first crossed by man it is impos- 

 sible now to conjecture. It was nevertheless navigated in very early 

 times, and was a sea of light, though at the dawn of history it appears 

 as the " Sea of Darkness," inspiring no little apprehension and dread ; 

 while Albinovinus sends out Germanicus upon the sea with a ruit ipsa 

 dies. Under the circumstances, therefore, the old discussions will be 

 continued, though the subject of the glacial man in America may be 

 pursued as something wholly independent. 



But was there any glacial man in America ? To this question the 

 answer is distinct, though given with the reserve which the subject 

 justifies. For the best that is known, we are chiefly indebted to Dr. 

 C. C. Abbott, who was the first to call attention to the stone imple- 

 ments found in the glacial deposits of the Delaware Valley. These 

 implements are chiefly of argellite, though examples of flint occur at 

 higher levels. They have been found at the bluffs near Trenton, both 

 in position where deposited and among the debris at the base. Dr. 

 Abbott says, " Perhaps it is a wise caution that is exercised in but 

 provisionally admitting the great antiquity of American man, but, 

 were these rude implements not attributed to an inter-glacial people, 

 their coequal age with the containing beds would never have been 

 questioned." On this point the Curator of the Peabody Museum at 



VOL. XVIII, 3 



