172 THE EARLIEST MEN 



Finally, there is the question of the deposition 

 of stalagmite, to which allusion may be made. 

 When an inscription as to the genuineness of 

 which no doubt seems to be entertained was 

 discovered in Kent's Cave near Torquay, with the 

 date 1688, and with a thin coat of stalagmite 

 over it, it seemed as if we might get some ratio as 

 to the time which must have been taken in form- 

 ing the vast floors of stalagmite investigated in 

 that cavern beneath which were objects of human 

 manufacture. Yet observations in another cave 

 after a great flood which had lifted the floors, 

 brought to light ginger-beer bottles under a layer 

 of stalagmite a foot in thickness. The fact is that 

 the rate of deposition of stalagmite depends upon 

 a whole range of factors, such as the amount of 

 moisture and the quantity of dissolved carbonic 

 acid which it contains, and no estimate of time 

 can be founded upon it with any sort of security. 



The above remarks may seem rather too pro- 

 longed, but the matter has purposely been dealt 

 with in some detail, and for this reason : The vast 

 epochs of time assigned for the existence of the 

 human race upon the earth, are based upon calcu- 

 lations of the character of those just dealt with. 

 Little wonder is it that there are such extra- 

 ordinary discrepancies between the findings as to 

 time of one writer and of another. The important 

 point to bear in mind is that, whether long or 

 short, the chronologies of geologists are all more 

 or less of the nature of guesses founded on guesses, 

 and as such liable to revision, and possibly to com- 

 plete alteration as fresh facts come to light. 



