FOOTPRINTS OF VANISHED lUCES IN CORNWALL. 285 



carved, which prove that the carvers came from the East. It is 

 also likely that these forms indicate that the carvers were serpent 

 worshippers, in which case they show their Turanian origin, as 

 Mr. J. Fergusson has proved^^ that the worship of serpents has 

 been a special characteristic of Turanian races. In Cornwall 

 we have none of these strange carvings on our Dolmens. The 

 Eev. W. lago, however, calls attention to singular markings on 

 our rocks and stone monuments,*^ which if further examined 

 might lead to very interesting results. 



I believe that the Dolmen Builders, during their sojourn in 

 Cornwall, which the fewness of their monuments proves to have 

 been of short duration, were friendly towards the little piskey- 

 dwarfs. The evidence of this attitude is found in the existence 

 of so many piskey legends in Cornwall. Had the Dolmen 

 Builders exterminated the dwarfs, then, as the former left, our 

 shores, no traditions of these pigmies could have come down to 

 us, for the next human invaders would have found Cornwall 

 absolutely without inhabitants. Moreover, the shortness of the 

 stay of the Dolmen Builders in Cornwall is another proof that 

 they could not have exterminated the dwarfs, as this would have 

 taken an immensely long period, during which the Dolmen 

 Builders would have covered the tvhole of Cornwall with a multi- 

 tude of rude stone monuments. Sweinfurth tells us^"^" that the 

 little pigmies of Central Africa, known as the Akkas, are well 

 treated by their taller neighbours the Monbuttoos, because of 

 their dexterity in hunting. So I believe it was in Cornwall. 

 The dwarfs of our county were not molested by the builders of 

 the Dolmens, but friendly relations existed between the two races. 

 These pacific intercourses, however, did not last long. The Dol- 

 men Builders, fi'om some unknown reason, left Cornwall, probably 

 returning to Brittany or to Ireland. They left no relics behind 

 them except their megalithic monuments, and once more the 

 diminutive piskey-dwarfs were the sole human inhabitants of 

 Cornwall. 



98, Tree and Serpent Worship, p, 73. 



99. Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornzvall, vol, x, 1890-91, pp. iSS, 189. 



100 The Heart of Africa, vol. ii, pp. 144, 145, Many of the tribes of Pigmies on 

 the verge of the Congo Forest, are also vifell treated by their taller and stronger 

 neighbours. 



