Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1862-11-28
Froa the EIisiu,sh Review.
Curious vestiges in the Swiss Lakes.

generally found q, the bottom. Here ard
there, along with thee, large blocks OF
wood were visible. stag horn. Of crea, sire.
bone. and fragments Of pottery. There
still lived among them traditional heliei
that these we're the remains Of dwellings,
occupied BY people Of ancient ,ine'. who
built on the lake. in order 20 shelter them.
selves from Wild beasts. And yet century
after century elapsed. and no one had the
curiosity TO look closer into these scattered
fragments Of forgotten world, until the
season had riPened Tor the fnnl discovery.
But Il 50 happened tha, in 1883 and ~,
i. period Of unusual drynes. set in The
higher mountain. did no, receive their usu.
nj SUPPLE. Of ~in,er snow, and the lakes,
.csutily fed by the glacier streams. fell far
below their ordinary level. In the lake Of
Zurich. the lowest level hitherto marked OF
the - called stone IT Siaia." had teen
attained in 1914. In 1854 the water w.s a
100, loser. In small bay between obcr
Ncilan and Dollikon. the inhabitants took
advantage Of the recession to increase their
gardens. by building wall along the new
low water line, and filing ur the space
thu. acquired with earth obtained by drrd:
ing the lake. During III. operation. they
4" found great numbers Of piles Of deer.
horns. and al-o some imrlemcn'. The
attention of Dr. Z Hccler. Of Zurich, va.
called TO the discovery; and the rrsul, ot
hi. Investigations. deserted by him in
three memoir. presented TO the antiquarian
society Of Zurieh. in 1854. 1855. and IsdO)
was TO establish the existence Of 'ubmerc.
Cd " lake village" in this part OF the Lake
OF Zarieh. THIS discovery was rapidly FOL
lowed by Others In Lake Constance, Gene.
Va. Nsuichatel. Blenns. Morat. Semp'eh,
and in many smaller onc', (lnkwyl, Pia6-
kon. Moo,.celorf, Luis.el,) similar .Iie.
have been traced. They seem, indeed, now
TO multiply in the note backs OF srehT)lo.
get. with almost ineon'enisnt rhpIdiiy.
Two years ago, twenty .'I such village cite.
had already been traced aud described In the
Lake OF Seutehatel alone. twsnty'four in
iha, Of Geneva, sixteen in that Of Constance,
and We canno, tell bow many more the zeal
Of local inquiry. stimulated by rivalry, may
have since di.,nisrr,d. And the amount Of
ancient objects recovered from their debrl.
acquires . magnitude .ull more formidable.
Twsniy.iour thousand OF ,he-s have been
ra,.ed from the single lonliiy OF Concise.
In the Lake Of NeuichAiel. =" We are still
very far" say. Mr. rroyon. - from having
recovered all the relic. ima-dded In the slls
Of the lake. aud peat oi the valleys. NeE'
srthsle.., We are ~ this time acquainted
with .uthcleni numoer OF point. OF re
markab.s richness. 10 enable u, TO give. by
their description. an idea Of that ancient,
population which had the habi, Of lyin: on
these waters.
Z" The frsi ro..e.sor. OF the soll, (the
Wild bcA.is,) bad to re,iro step by ,teP be-
tore a new population, which came 10 raise
upon the water. its picturesque group, Of
cabins. tie smoke Of whose hearth' 'rread
itself In the az. Fires lighted on the
beach, where the domestic animals were
folded. served to keep at a di.,an-o during
tie night the carnivorous onc-, who as yet
bad only learnt T. know that element by
the electric aashcs Of the storm. As soJn
a. the lacusirine habita,ion had attained
sons development. thousands Of pile. sup
ported q platform crowned by numerous
circular huts, with eonieal roofs. 4 mar.
row bridge connected sh,se dwellings with
the shore boa:s fastened to the shore -sry-
ed tor fishing aud for voyages Of discovery.
Among the trophie. OF tho chase which
decorated the dsellingS, were the an,lers OF
huge sisg.. beAr skins. the names Of Wild
bOar., aud the .kulls Of Wild bulls. The
furniture Was Of the most primitive kind
Leaves, dried grs.., moss and straw heaped
upon the hoor, ,ervsi the purpose OF beds.
Co the hearth, situate IN The middle OF the
room, was placed tie pot dE t,l, oi the fam
iIy.
The ear,heu ware vessels wsre grouped in
some corner. The arm. anil ,ariou. utsn.
al. hung IRON the roof These slight Lab.
iIaIlOns sheltered thousands Of families du.
ring number Of ecnturigs, but Who will
ever tell Of all tue scenes Of joy aud grief
Which they have witnessed
And now. after enumrra,lng the different
braueh.. oi Industry which characterized
the life Of :hs.s lacu.trine races, It may not
BE- ou, Of place 20 remark iha, the inhabs-
an; OF the village had also his p!ca.ures aud
ADJUSTMENTS. lbe stone quoii- found IN
the lakes resemble those which tue North
American Indians stll employ in their
sports. 4 people of hunt-nen mu.t have
found pleasure IN che handling Of weapons.
and in rivalrie. Of .kill and dyI,eriiy in hit
ting the mark. throwing the JArelin, the
race and the wrs.,le. Living on the lakes,
they mus, have frequently made j, an
amusement 10 handle the oar, or TO eleave
the waters in swimming matches. The
children Of the tribe, like the dwellers on
Iho shores Of our lakes a, tie pre'en' day.
play,l on the surface of the water, or
plunged into Il, from their platforms -