PRIMITIVE LOVERS. 109 



walked barefooted, and yet the contour of one of 

 the feet, so different in shape from that of any wild 

 people's of the present day, shows that it had been 

 confined by some stiff material, like our leather shoes. 

 The appearance of the big toe is especially confirma- 

 tory of this. I would call your attention, gentlemen, 

 to the block which contains companion impressions 

 of the right and left foot. The latter is deep, and 

 well defined, every toe being separate and perfect. 

 The former is shallow, and spread out, with bulged- 

 up ridges of stone between each toe. These are ex- 

 actly the impressions your own feet would make, on 

 such a shore to-day, were the sand under the right 

 one to be of such a yielding nature that in moving 

 you withdrew it quickly, and rested more heavily on 

 the other, the material under which was firmer. 

 Your right track would spread, the mud bulging up 

 between the toes, and forcing them out of position, 

 and the material nearly regaining its level, with a 

 misshapen impression upon its surface. 



" You will also perceive that the sand was already 

 hardening into rock when our ancient friends walked 

 over it. I use the plural because, if I may venture 

 an opinion from this hasty examination, I should say 

 the two tracks were those of a female, the single one 

 that of a man. From the position of the blocks they 

 'were probably walking near each other at that pre- 

 cise time when the new rock was soft enough to re- 

 ceive an impression and hard enough to retain it. 

 You will perceive that the surface of the stone is bent 

 down into the cavities, as that of a loaf of half-raised 

 bread would be should you press your hand into it." 



