Tlie First Men. 



207 



Piilaearctic region, and migrated northward; he mnst have been cre- 

 ated somewhere on the border of the temperate and tropical regions, 

 and migrated southward. 



It is equally a scientific conclusion that man originated in the region 

 of maximum vegetal and animal life ; and that there, also, existed 

 the most perfect forerunners of man, in each epoch, from the begin- 

 ning of mammalian life. It is almost certain, says Wallace (upon 

 whom we here rely for our data) that during the Miocene period Europe 

 was not only far richer than it is now in the higher forms of life, but 

 not improbably richer than any part of the globe now is, not excepting 

 tropical Africa and tropical Asia. " The Mediterranean sub-region," 

 he also says, ^^is by far the richest portion of the Palsearctic region ; 

 and it is perhaps in Asia Minor, on the range of the Taurus, along the 

 shores of the Black sea and to the south of the Caucasus, that this 

 sub-region obtained its maximum luxuriance in vegetation, and in 

 animal life." This is precisely the region known in Genesis as Eden. 

 All the earlier races of men are traceable, from the localities in which 

 they first became certainly known, toward this plateau. 



Wallace also shows that there was little difference between the 

 Palaearctic and Oriental provinces previous to the elevation of the 

 Himalayas. The northerly plains of Asia were then probably under 

 water, and a great continental formation extended from north-west to 

 south-east, under generally tropical or sub-tropical influences, gradually 

 modifying in temperature at each extreme. This harmonizes with the 

 fact that man was evidently created in a warm climate. 



The elevation of the Himalayas and otlier mighty ranges worked 

 a radical change in land life. The development and differentiation 

 which took place can now be distinctly traced. From the base to the 

 summit of the Himalayas, all species of flora can be found, from 

 tropical to Arctic forms; while in Eden, on the right bank of the 

 Enphrates, north-west from Arnah, barley, wheat and spelt have been 

 found growing together in a wild state. The changes effected during 

 Pliocene times were wrought gradually. At the close of the Quater- 

 nary period, when Ila-Adam was expelled from the garden, he went 

 eastward, to till the ground from whence he was taken. He came 

 from the east, and was 'driven back. There is thought to be reason to 

 think that man existed on our own continent in Pliocene times, and 

 that he came in with a peculiar fauna from Asia. These reasons lead 

 us to believe that the first men were of Pliocene creation, and that 

 their original habitat was at the point where all life was most rapidly 

 and most perfectly developed. From thence, man was distributed over 

 the face of the earth. 



In seeking to trace the first men to some region where we can exam- 



