34G • THE TROGLODYTES. 



The superficial strata have been liequently searched for specimens, as 

 the.y siill continue to be by the present inliabitants. These poor people 

 even (lij>- ii\> the Uoors of their dwellinj^s for this purpose, and we were 

 quite astonished to find deep holes under their beds and tables and 

 bureaus, excavated for the extraction of these vestiges of ancient life. 



We have especially noticed the avalanche of rocks of the Upper 

 Laugerie, but similar occurrences have taken place all alonj? the valley. 

 Eocks have constantly fallen. The savages of the age of the reindeer 

 were established on the banks of the Vezere when the valley was in its 

 present condition. Undismayed by the avalanches of stone which, at 

 intervals, destroyed their homes, they fearlessly re-assumed possession 

 of the soil and rekindled their extinguished fires in the space between 

 the fallen rocks. 



It is between the rocks, therefore, that the excavations have been made, 

 but these irregular subterranean passages are difficult and dangerous to 

 explore. The day before our visit heavy rain had fallen, the Vezere had 

 risen 3 meters, and the modern troglodyte who was in M. Massenat's 

 employ had beard ominous cracking sounds. The rocks around which 

 the opening had been made had settled down, and at any moment might 

 fall. Prudence deterred us, the excursionists, irom venturing into the 

 deep passages, through which it would have been necessary to crawl on 

 bands and knees ; and, by the light of a candle, we looked into an oi)en- 

 iug black as night, in which we could see broken bones and flint instru- 

 ments without number. M. Massenat then conducted us to the i)]ace 

 where, last March, in company with MM. Lalande and Cartailhac, he 

 had exhumed an entire human skeleton, all the bones of which have 

 been preserved and cast. 



The members of the association were convinced that these valuable 

 remains were contemporary with the great extension of the reindeer in 

 the country, but one of their number was doubtful as to the cause of 

 their presen(;e position. He supposed that the place in which they 

 rested must have been a sepulcher. MM. Massenat, Lalande, and Car- 

 tailhac, who had carefully observed every circumstance of the discovery, 

 thought that the man had been killed by the descent of an avalanche, 

 and Professor Broca and others adoi)ted the latter opinion. 



M. Massenat spoke of the human bones he had frequently found in 

 the kitchen remains, which he regarded as a proof of cannibalism, or at 

 least that the men of the age of the reindeer paid little respect to their 

 dead, a fact which increased his doubts as to the existence of sepul- 

 chers at this time, although later the3^ were employed, beyond a doubt. 



But time was passing, and, leaving Lower Laugerie, where each 

 member of the association had made anq)le collections of flint instru- 

 ments, fossil bones, reindeer-horn, &c., we descerded to the Gorge 

 D'Enfer. Here the luxuriance of the vegetation was in strong contrast 

 with the somewhat desolate aspect of the declivities of the Vegere. 



