1891-92]. THIRD MEETING. i 
enters into many particulars as to the method, treating it on well-known 
geological lines. He supports his theory by existing evidence. He 
admits the startling nature of his thesis, in the face of the statements of 
so many scientists, but he says the evidence of facts will always displace 
that of theory. The facts in this case are so many that, when studied 
from his standpoint, conviction must follow. He denies emphatically 
that there was an “ancient river bed,” and brings proof to bear, stating 
that such an outflow could not be restrained by any gravel and clayey 
bed as the old course is said to have been. Noihing but a rock barrier 
could have confined the waters. The theory he said was so radical a 
change from that which we have been led through so many years to 
believe as to confound us for the time being. But the question was 
deserving, from a scientific point of view, of the most careful 
investigation. 
THIRD MEETING. 
Third Meeting, 21st November, 1891, the President in the chair. 
The President, Secretary, and Dr. Meredith were appointed to repre- 
sent the Institute at the Prison Reform Conference to be held on the 27th 
November. 
Donations and Exchanges since last meeting, 54. 
Daniel Rose, R. A. Donald, Ernest Lefroy, and Dr. G. B. Smith were 
clected members. 
Dr. Kennedy read a paper by the Rev. A. G. Morice on “ Déné Roots,” 
the principal portion of which is a vocabulary, showing the equivalents 
in about 20 dialects of 370 English words and phrases. The object of 
making this vocabulary is to enable students in other parts of the world, 
and especially in Eastern Asia, to compare their words with correspond- 
ing words in the languages of other tribes, and thus lead to important 
conclusions as to the affinity of widely separated nations. In a brief 
introduction the Rev. Father shows the supreme importance of compara- 
tive philology in discussing the affinities of races, and outlines some of 
the characteristics of the languages he is dealing with. 
Mr. Macdougall referred to a former paper by Father Morice, in which 
it was stated that almost all the customs in the book of Leviticus were 
found among the Indians. From the striking resemblance of the Indians 
to the Mongolians, it was natural to conclude that the west coast of 
America had been settled from the eastward. A Japanese man of war 
had put into the harbor of Esquimalt. The sailors dressed up some of 
