11 



evidence we have on tlic sul)je('t distinctly goes to show tliat a 

 stone age has existed in South Africa from a period in all 

 human probability as remote or approximately so, as that from 

 which it existed in Europe ; that for ages men in Europe and in 

 South Africa co-existed using almost identically the same 

 weapons, following closely the same mode of life ; finally, that 

 centuries after the genius of those hardy northern tril)es, 

 developing slowly at first, hut afterwards more rapidly, had 

 swept away the stony relics of a barbarous age, and placed 

 those tribes on the paths of civilisation and progress, the stone 

 age in this southern land continued to exist, and to this day 

 still lingers, dying a bard death in the deserts of the interior. 



Having thus ventured in the hope of move surely enlisting 

 your interrst, to offer at the outset the interpretation of what 

 phenomena, what evidence we have to hand, let us turn to the 

 evidence itself. On the Cape flats, at Kimberley, on Modder 

 liiver, in the Peddie and East London Distriets, and doubtless 

 in many other parts of the countr3% stone implements have 

 been found, resembling general!}' the two leading types from 

 the valley of the Somme, viz., that of the spear-head and oval 

 shape. For directing attention to and collecting these stone 

 implements so abundant in South Africa, we have, as far as I 

 liave been able to gather, been principally indebted to Colonel 

 Bowker, Mr. E.J. Dunn, Mr. ]\Iackay of East London, and Dr. 

 Dale of Capetown. These implements have been found not 

 merely by twos and threes and as rarities, but in many sites 

 they have been foimd in al)undance. Here, as in Europe, it is 

 usual to find in addition to more or less well formed imple- 

 ments of the shapes above described, numerous fragments and 

 abortions — failures we might call them. Stone was cheap and 

 always ready to hand ; a bad instrument coidd always be thrown 

 aside without much loss. The mode of forming these imple- 

 ments is prett}^ obvious. The surface of some hard stone or 



