ON PRIMITIVE MAN : I. HIS TIMES AND HIS COMPANIONS. 245 



them the work of an intelligent hand, and not look npon 

 them as mere chance products of nature, which, as we 

 have observed, can with difficulty be distinguished from 

 these. 



At first then we meet with no highly finished implements; 

 but as we rise in the scale of time, we observe a steady 

 improvement in the forms of man's tools and Aveapons. 



Alongside of the simpler forms, others, some of them very 

 skilfully made, appear, and evidences of design for certain 

 definite purposes multiply. The mere flake, which, like the 

 school-boy's knife, might serve a variety of ends, is supple- 

 mented by the piercing tool, the drill, the lance, the arrow- 

 head, whilst other implements, bone awls, needles, and 

 harpoons, make their appearance. 



Such is the kind of sequence we find when studying these 

 early works of man. This sequence has been clearly proved 

 by the results of careful exploration. Thus in the Creswell 

 caves of Derbyshire, and in those of S. Martin d'Excideuil 

 in France, a gradual but well-defined advance in the character 

 of the implements, was noted in passing upwards through 

 the deposits forming the cave floors ; a similar advance has 

 also been observed when examining cave floors of different 

 degrees of antiquity, as those of the Dordogne, more 

 specialised types occurring in the floors of the low level 

 caves than in those of the older high level ones. 



At first the local pebble, quartzite or flint, would be used. 

 Avithovit any previous preparation, as a hammer ; a fcAV flakes 

 struck off" would adapt a stone for use as a rough chopper or 

 tomahaAvk, Avhilst the flakes Avould be fashioned into scrapers 

 for the preparation of skins. The elaborate and delicately 

 chipped flint tools and Aveapons Avere of later introduction. 



At what precise period bone, or the tines of antlers, were 

 first used we knoAV not, but it is reasonable to suppose that 

 it would not be A'cry long before man discoA^ered the adapta- 

 bility of such materials to various purposes. 



We have already noticed that the appearance of the 

 country, both here and in Europe generally, Avas very 

 different in many respects during the Pleistocene age from 

 Avhat it now is. Dense forests and wild moorlands, and 

 heaths, extensive SAvamps, as aa^cII as green pastures, charac- 

 terised this country as well as the adjoining parts ot the 

 continent, to Avhich Ave Avere then attached. 



In those early days, during a great part of the time, it is 

 probable that both the Avinters were far more severe, and the 



