i 6 The Primitive Inhabitants 



the British Isles, Germany, and Denmark, the same 

 successive eras of stone, bronze, and iron prevailed. 

 The' straight-bladed iron swords, the leaf-like bronze 

 swords, the metal ornaments, and the ruder implements 

 of stone, are found alike in all these countries. The 

 old monuments which have perplexed antiquaries, 

 though still without date in years, range themselves in 

 a certain order of succession. The tumuli take place 

 in the age of bronze, and the barrows in the age of 

 stone. The venerable circle of stonehenge takes its 

 place in history in the age of bronze. 



On the Baltic shores of Denmark are remains which 

 belong to a ruder, if not an earlier, epoch. These are 

 simple heaps of oyster-shells, which have received an 

 unpronounceable Danish name, meaning "kitchen re- 

 fuse." The tribes now living in the Straits of Terra 

 del Fuego and the northern coast of Australia live 

 chiefly on shell fish, and the debris of their repasts ac- 

 cumulate in great masses of shells. So, in former days, 

 lived and fed an oyster-loving tribe on the shores of 

 Denmark. Bones of animals and birds, and occasional 

 stone arrow-heads and hatchets mingled in the heap, 

 have been studied as carefully as the remains found in 

 the lakes. The stone implements are very rude and 

 simple. The bones indicate no domestic animal but a 

 small dog. There are no indications of wheat, barley, 

 'or other vegetable food. The bones of deep-sea fish 

 indicate that the people used boats. The different 

 stages of growth of deer's antlers found, indicate that 

 the shores were not a mere summer resort, but were the 

 permanent dwelling-place of an extremely rude people. 



The only extinct animal whose bones are found there 



