Niagara falls 



Summary 



The first fact impressed upon the reader of the geological 

 bibliography of Niagara is the comparative youth of the science 

 of geology, and the impediment which literal belief in the old 

 biblical chronology and in the all-prevailing Noachian Deluge 

 presented to its progress. When we observe that a writer in 

 1 789 argued upon the theory that the world was only 5700 years 

 old; that another, 98 years ago, in combating this prevalent 

 notion, showed his courage as well as originality by declaring with 

 " unhesitating certainty and coolness " that the world must have 

 existed for more than 6000 years; and that only 82 years ago 

 another geological writer of position firmly believed that Niagara 

 was begun immediately subsequent to the restoration of order after 

 the biblical deluge, we appreciate the handicap under which this 

 science, dealing with the oldest things in the world's history, has 

 labored until so recent a date as the life-time of living men. 



The second and more conspicuous fact which appears from 

 these writings is that from the beginning of the scientific inquiries 

 into the geological history of Niagara to the present time, atten- 

 tion has been absorbed mainly by the question of the rate of the 

 recession of the Falls. This has been due to a unique distinction 

 of Niagara Falls and river, that here, more completely than at 

 any other known place, are presented the criteria by which to 

 estimate the period of years which has elapsed since glacial time. 

 Scientists have felt that the determination of this period, if possi- 

 ble, would establish a unit by which not only earth history but 

 human history also might be measured. These two fundamental 

 questions — the age of the world and the age of man — rise 

 instinctively in the human mind and call for answers; and 

 geologists have been led by the fascination of this quest as irre- 

 sistibly as explorers of five centuries ago were led to find a west- 

 ward passage to Cathay or as explorers of recent years have 

 been led to find the poles. 



And, thirdly, appears the dual fact that in the past quarter 

 of a century, great strides have been made in geological science, 



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