Human Foot-Prints in Solid Limestone. 27 
with no unfavorable eyes. To find myself the possessor of a 
fossil unique in the cabinets of Europe or America, or even of a 
specimen of aboriginal sculpture that should put to shame the 
~ best efforts of Chantrey’s chisel, was a_ ‘prospect calculated to 
quicken my perceptions of its merits and beauties, or to bias 
my judgment in favor of its genuine characters Nevertheless, 
after the most critical inspection, I regret to be impelled to the 
confession, that I see no incredible display of anatomical know2 
ledge or artistical skill; nothing more than we Wie oe 
ute to the observant and ingenious Indian, dependent for his very 
life,-as the forest warrior daily is, on an intimate and familiar 
acquaintance with tracks of every description, and more espe- 
cially, with those of his own race. The representation is; in+ 
deed, easy and natural ; at the heel, at the ball of the foot, at the 
outer edge of the sole opposite the instep, the impression of the 
muscular elevations is given with fidelity, yet without any deli= 
cate details, minute lines of demarcation pelea ans a 
flexures of the skin or similar minutiz. 
The appearance and dimensions of the foot-prints coincide vile 
erwise with Schoolcraft’s description of them. ‘The greatest 
depth of the impression is about one sixth of an inch. The rock; 
as already stated, isa very compact limestone of a gray color, 
and its general surface has been ground down level, and even 
— potiaisest midi the attrition ok-sand and water. The polish 
he impressions equally-with the restofthe lab, 
a ee a ee ee ee. ee Ps (of no determinate , as may 
be acon: ny ah sate) 0 tuferne en ino wise 
prints. The surface of th inte ‘theniselvesis somiewhat 
broken by small superficial ont nian Sebati ; and deeper 
fissures and inequalities are distributed -over the rest of the slab. 
It was quarried in two pieces ; the fracture is shown in the draw- 
ing. 
nae a close inspection of the slab itself, a careful examination 
into its geological position, age, and origin, and a patient review 
the arguments of the various writers already quoted, I have 
come to the conclusion, that the impressions in question are not 
en but’an intaglio of artificial origins This opinion is based 
ST peal RUPP 
oe oe 
