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of the Thames and Kennet, some twelve feet down, was dis- 
covered a Saxon javelin of iron, the relic of an iron age, that 
of invasion and thirst for conquest. The barren flats of the 
Eastern and South-eastern highlands of England abound in such 
history. On the great Eoman road between Silchester and 
Windsor was found a Eoman statue now in Mr. Waterer’s 
garden, at Bagshot, through which the road ran. And over 
this land, so often traversed by successive races, “ surface finds ” 
are common. Near the Staff College in the Wishmoor Valley, 
farther down the banks of the rivulet that drains it, all along 
the slopes of the Hog’s Back, near Gruildford, by which the great 
line of traffic from Southampton to London and Canterbury was 
carried, 46 surface finds ” in perfectly defined patches are to be 
found by those who seek. 
Now what are the signs of the existence of an early race ? 
First of all we must remember that, speaking very generally, 
the old lines of traffic are used still. Newer ones may have been 
made since, as forests were cleared, morasses drained, and rivers 
bridged ; but the old roads leading to fords that existed then 
and exist now, old road lines occupying the dry high lands over 
the ill drained low lands, still mark lines of intercommunication. 
Modern sites of occupation are frequently old ones too. Our 
ancient village churches indicate old centres of habitation where 
British villages or pit dwellings once existed. 
Our first requirement, then, is the old line of traffic or trade. 
Next reduce ourselves to the condition of a savage. Assume 
for a moment we had no house or shelter, no utensils of any 
size to carry water, the roughest of coverings for the feet, the 
most primitive garments for the body. Where should we seek 
to camp under these unpleasant circumstances ? On dry land 
near water firstly. Out of the cut of the east wind, under the 
shelter of a hill or wood next. Human nature was much the 
same then as it is now. Such comfort as those early days could 
give would certainly be sought for. 
And so we find the local habitations of prehistoric man. Mere 
surface collections of broken flints ; but still they are broken 
with intent, and the flakes are numerous, and similar in character. 
Even more than that, they are in purely local groups. 
Enter a large field that may seem to be promising and to 
fulfil all the conditions required. It may be full of broken 
flints, plenty of questionable fragments may lie near you ; but it 
is probably only in one small area, such as the circuit of a camp 
fire, that abundant traces of human work may be found. 
Grenerally they were mere halting places on the line of march. 
Earely on the road itself, but, as a rule, under shelter from 
weather and away from the track on which, at night, marauders 
might be on the watch. 
