THROUGH THE GEOLOGIST'S EYES 



the primordial seas that mothered them were, no 

 doubt, richer in the various mineral solutions that 

 knitted and compacted the sedimentary deposits. 

 The Cretaceous formations melt away almost like 

 snow. I fancy that the ocean now, compared with 

 the earlier condition when it must have been so 

 saturated with mineral elements, is like thrice- 

 skimmed milk. 



The geologist is not stinted for time. He deals with 

 big figures. It is refreshing to see him dealing out his 

 years so liberally. Do you want a million or two to 

 account for this or that.^^ You shall have it for the 

 asking. He has an enormous balance in the bank 

 of Time, and he draws upon it to suit his purpose. 

 In human history a thousand years is a long time. 

 Ten thousand years wipe out human history com- 

 pletely. Ten thousand more, and we are probably 

 among the rude cave-men or river-drift men. One 

 hundred thousand, and we are — where? Probably 

 among the simian ancestors of man. A million years, 

 and we are probably in Eocene or Miocene times, 

 among the huge and often grotesque mammals, and 

 our ancestor, a little creature, probably of the 

 marsupial kind, is skulking about and hiding from 

 the great carnivorous beasts that would devour him. 



"Little man, least of all, 

 Among the legs of his guardians tall. 

 Walked about with puzzled look. 

 Him by the hand dear Nature took, 



97 



