INTRODUCTION. jx 



two cities; and, after several days research on the spot, he has acknowledged the correctness of the statements 

 of M. de Perthes, and establishes most fully his great discovery." 

 "These facts are set forth in a letter, (written in French,) of which the following is a copy: 



LoNDox, 14th May, 1859. 

 Monsieur Bouchee de Perthes. 



President of the Imperial Society of Emulation, Abbeville. 



In writing to you a few days ago I omitted speaking in regard to the opinions that I formed concerning the 

 deposits in which the axes of Silex are found. 



And first, as to those which you showed me, and those which I obtained at Abbe'villc and Amiens, I jiavc iKjt 

 the slightest doubt but that they were cut by the hand of man. I speak at present only of those in Silex 

 called axes. 



After having attentively examined the beds at Monlin-Quignon, and those of St. Gillcs at Abbeville, and St. 

 Acheul at Amiens, I am convinced that the opinion which you advanced in 1841 in your work on the "Antiquites 

 Celtiquea et Antediluviennes," that those axes found in an undisturbed deposit (terrain viergc,) and associated 

 with the bones of the great mammifers, is correct and well founded. 



AVith respect to the beds of Menchecourt, the fact does not appear so certain to me ; yet I do not see any 

 error. 



Permit me to observe, that up to tlic time of my visit, I had the strongest doubts in regard to the character 

 of these beds. I thought it possible that there might have been some unperceived geological error. I am 

 very glad to have been enabled to convince myself, through personal research of the truth of so important a 

 fact. 



You are at liberty sir, to make what use you may please of this letter. Accept my thanks, and the assurance 

 of my high regard. ' JOSEPH PRESTWICK. 



Mr. Joseph Prestwick, author of several well known works on Geology, after the verification made at Abbe- 

 ville and Amiens, wished to assure himself whether the diluvial beds in England were analogous. Accordingly, 

 in the course of May, he opened at Hoxne in Suffolk, a bed of diluvium, and after having established its perfect 

 analogy with those at Abbeville and Amiens, he also found tliere similar fossil bones and flint axes. Such is 

 the result announced in another letter of this learned Geologist." 



"His reports to the Royal Society, and to the Geological Society, excited great interest, and several of their 

 members accompanied Mr. Prestwick in a second visit which he made us. These gentlemen arrived at Amiens 

 on the 28th May, and on the 30th at Abbeville. The examination of tlie beds, which lasted several days, was 

 conducted on a much more extensive scale, and the same results wej'o obtained, as the following letter shows: 



London, 8th June, 1859. 

 M. Boucher de Perthes, 



President of the Imperial Society of Emulation, Abbeville. 



In accordance with your request I send you the account of the discoveries we made during my last visit. 



Although I had returned thoroughly satisfied that the flint axes are really found in situ in the gravel beds 

 ( diluvium) at St. Acheul, nevertheless I was extremely desirous of discovering one with my own labor, and to have 

 other members of the Geological Society of London, witness the great discovery you have made. Therefore, I 

 set out ten days ago for Amiens, accompanied by my friends Messrs. R. Godwin Austen, J. W. Flower and 

 E. W. Mylne.* We commenced work early next morning, and after several hours spent in research and in the 



• Mr. R. Godwin Austen, member of the Royal and Geological Societies of London, is the author of important articles published in 

 the volumes of the Transactions of the Geological Society of London. Mr. J. W. Flower, member of the Society of Antiquarians, is 

 known by his papers on Archaeology, and his fine Geological collection. Mr. R. W. Mylne, member of the Geological and Antiquarian 

 Societies, is known by Lis great Geological plan of London. 



C 



