How Our First Ancestors Lived 7 



use the minerals and the forests, and had tamed the animals 

 and birds, they were still unsatisfied. They attempted to 

 make the forces of Nature work for them. For a long time 

 people made flour by crushing grain in a mortar. Next, 

 two flat stones were used, one being made to turn upon the 

 other by a handle. After that some animal, such as an ox 

 or a horse, was harnessed to larger stones which, as they 

 slowly turned, ground the grain. This was a great deal of 

 work, and so some one thought of making the water tum- 

 bhng over a ledge of rock grind the grain for them. The 

 water was made to go over a water wheel. This wheel then 

 made the millstones go around. It was a great deal easier. 

 Where there was no water power, wind was made to do 

 the same work. A crude windmill 'gathered the power of 



The wild home of early men. 



H. W. Fairbanks 



