PALEOLITHIC RACES 353 



by-product. The cement is made by intimately mixing chalk 

 and clay ; but the chalk contains a number of flint nodules, some 

 of which find their way into the mill. This is a circular basin 

 in which the chalk and clay are stirred together along with 

 water by a revolving rake, five metres in diameter, moving 

 with a velocity at its outer edge of four metres per second, or 

 the same velocity as the Rhone in flood. The flints are thus 

 exposed to a succession of violent impacts during a space of 

 twenty-six hours, the time required to secure adequate mixture. 

 When the operation is ended the mud is drawn off and the 

 flints remain at the bottom of the vat. Some have been con- 

 verted into true pebbles ; others, according to M. Marcellin 

 Boule, present all the characteristic features of eoliths — the 

 same bulbs of percussion, pointed ends, curvilinear notches, and 

 edges broken by " retouches." They are indeed "of extraordinary 

 perfection, and appear to be the result of fine workmanship." 



Obviously it is not by such arguments as those we have just 

 considered that the inquiry will be advanced. Much more to 

 the point is the work of M. Rutot, who, steadfastly pursuing 

 the comparative method, endeavours to trace the resemblances 

 between these doubtful forms and those which are generally 

 admitted to be of palaeolithic workmanship. 



It is impossible not to admire the courage and perspicacity 

 which M. Rutot brings to his task, but proof must depend on 

 the degree of similarity which he is able to discover, and further, 

 a likeness which will produce conviction in one mind will fail 

 to do so in another. I am myself deeply indebted to M. Rutot 

 for the kindness and patience with which he unfolded his 

 evidence before me in several lengthy demonstrations. If I 

 refrain from offering an opinion it is because it would be of no 

 consequence to the argument, since it would but increase by 

 an insignificant unit the large number of partisans arrayed on 

 either side ; and till there is a general consensus of opinion, one 

 way or another, the conclusion of this chapter may be sustained, 

 which is that no sufficient evidence has so far been obtained of 

 the existence of man or his immediate precursors in any epoch 

 anterior to the Pleistocene. To this negative we may add a 

 positive result, that the lowest term of the human series yet 

 discovered is represented by Pithecanthropus, and dates from 

 some part of the Pleistocene epoch. 



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