PALAEOLITHIC MAN IN AMERICA. 149 



grounds ; and, as a matter of fact, there are found numbers of stone 

 objects of a rude character, usually considered of Indian origin, 

 but which are identical with those used, for instance, by the boreal 

 Chukches. In Nordenskiold's " Voyage of the Vega " is described 

 a series of stone hammers and a stone anvil which are in use to- 

 day for crushing bones. Every considerable collection of " Indian 

 relics" gathered along our seaboard, from Maine to Maryland, 

 contains examples of identical objects. Of course, the Indians 

 might have used indeed, did use such hammers and anvils, but, 

 considering all the evidence, and not merely a part of it, it does 

 not follow that all hammers and anvils are of Indian origin. I 

 have only made incidental mention of the historic Indian, and 

 nothing further is necessary. He plays an important part in our 

 early history, but his origin is yet to be deciphered from many 

 sources. His arrival in the river's valley dates, as we reckon 

 years, long, long ago ; but no evidence is as yet forthcoming that 

 it was prior to the valley's practically present physical aspect. 



Let us consider these rude argillite spear-points, and the cir- 

 cumstances under which they occur, a little more closely. In this 

 magazine (January, 1883), I based the opinion that these objects 

 were of an earlier and other than Indian origin, because of their 

 occurrence in so many localities at a depth greater than that at 

 which jasper and quartz arrow-heads are found. In other words, 

 the plow unearths the Indian relics in great quantities; but, by dig- 

 ging deeper, objects of argillite are found in significant numbers. 

 In this earlier communication to the magazine, reference was 

 made only to scattered objects ; but now I propose to call atten- 

 tion to strictly surface-found specimens, where they have been 

 discovered in such abundance as to plainly indicate the former 

 sites of camps or villages. If such localities are really pre-Indian 

 in origin, then it remains but to consider the fate of this earlier 

 people ; but, before indulging in speculation, what of the facts ? 

 The results of my labors may be summed up in a brief account of 

 a visit to one locality ; for all subsequent and preceding visits to 

 distant points resulted similarly. 



In two instances, collections which I studied were of such mag- 

 nitude, and had been brought together with such care, that they 

 had a decided bearing upon the question. The particular fields 

 from which the great bulk of the specimens had been taken were 

 studied most carefully, and it soon became evident, in each case, 

 that the reported commingling of all forms of stone implements 

 was more apparent than real. The physical geography of each 

 locality plainly showed that for a very protracted period these 

 spots had been habitable and inhabited. It was evident, in each 

 case, that a very undulating surface had existed, through which 

 meandered a small stream that had long since disappeared. These 



