175 
Ike bear.”* “ The flake is undoubtedly the most ancient human 
relic that up to this time the cavern has yielded/’ 
Sir Charles Lyell says, “ three flint implements and one flint 
chip.” Mr. Boyd Dawkins says “ four flint implements.” t 
I have no means now of reconciling this diversity, nor have I 
examined these ancient specimens. The fact is that I once 
asked Christy (who was my friend and schoolfellow) how many 
of the flint implements he thought genuine, and he replied 
“ about eighty per cent.” Since then my belief in them 
generally has been conformed to the above proportion. 
To assume from these flints the joint tenancy of the bears’ 
den, as divided between these interesting animals and man, 
would indicate a credulity beyond that of “the Jew Apella.” 
Nor is alternate tenancy much more probable. “In the very bed 
containing their bones [in another part of the cave ?] a rude 
knife-shaped piece of iron was detected much corroded.” 
How did this come there ? (McEnery, p. 286.) Was the 
smelting of iron also known 100,000 years ago ? 
I turn with inexpressible relief from the lowest floor of the 
cavern to the free light of heaven. 
“ E come quei che con lena affannata, 
Uscito fuor del pelago al riva, 
Si volge all’ acqua perigliosa e guata.” £ 
I feel like one delivered from a distressing dream, and I 
ask myself what is there real in these countless ages of 
miserable humanity ? 
To sum up briefly the points on which the investigation of 
the many scientific labourers after McEnery fails to satisfy me 
in reference to Kent’s Cavern : 
1st. I do not believe that the two entrances on the east side 
of the hill have been the only entrances. The First Report of 
the committee informs us that there were formerly four or jive 
entrances to the cavern, of which two only were generally 
known ; the others being merely narrow apertures or slits, 
through which, until they were blocked up from within, the 
inmates were wont to enter clandestinely. 
2nd. At one, two, or more intervals a powerful current must 
have swept through the cave, introducing at the earlier period 
the breccia “of unknown depth,” differing “from the cave- 
* The Ancient Cave Men of Devonshire, p. 15. 
t Cave-Hunting, p. 328. 
£ Dante. Inferno, Canto i. 122 : — 
“ And oven as he who with distressful breath, 
Forth issued from the sea upon the shore, 
Turns to the water perilous and gazes.” 
