The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-09-20


Pssosval nan sd tsts Assoeiases.
An interesting and instructive lecture was
delivered before the chronological Society,
in the room Of the New York Historical So
ciety, by the Hon. John T. Bai t.tt, Of Rhode
Island, on "Piineval Man and His Associ>
ates.' The lecturer divided the facts bear
ing upon the subject Of his paper into four
heads: The Lake Dwelling OF Switzerland /;
the Shell Mounds of Denmark the Bone
Caves, and the Relics Of Drehistorical Life
in the Drift The researches Of scientific
men have diseovesed that the first inhabi-
tants of Switzerland Of whose existence any
reliable facts can be obtained seem to have
been race who took up their abode on the
edge Of the lakes, building species Of huts
upon piles driven into the bed Of the lakes.
From the remaining evidences of these SUI
per-marine residences, it woald appear that
their inhabitants we're gregarious, and that
small villages, built on these piles and occu-
pied BY distant people. once on the margin
Of what are now called Lake Rurick, Lake
Neufchatel. and others. The relics Of weap-
ons OF implements used bythese people show
10 their material and formation, in the earlier
and latter specimens, evidences Of improve
ment and increasing cultivation in their ron
siructors. Those found are q mboicalt the
stone age when the invention of the con-
structor and his appliances for manufacture
were ct the lowest ebb), comprising fhe
rudest specii ems Of spear.heads, fish. hooks,
knives, etc, OF stone osxhpne Of the Bronze
Age (when the intelligence of the makers
appears to have increased), comprising a
rather more finished number Of weapons and
implements, with more ingenuity and finish
than is displayed in those Of stone; and Of
the Iron Age, where We find the same de.
scription and greater variety of implements
polished and finished with = far greater re-
gard to ornamentation and art. Rude poetry
has also been found and shreds of cloth and
small pieces of leather, which prove that
these beings had sume method to cure the
skins Of animals, although We cannot deter.
of wheaton cake have been discovered, and
in the Iron Age relics are only found in two
Lakes ia Switzerland. From these facts It
may be deducedshs the people ofthis period
lived prin ,ipally on fish, and for the purpose
Of catching these lived in the peculiar man.
ner described. These people are thought by
Dr Keller to have been Of the Celtic race.
md be further considered that there had ex-
sted race Ct aborigiDes even before those
Who inhabited the dwellings upon piles. That
hey were known to the ancients u evident
~ the description of . race similar to these
q their habits and dwellings givenby Herodo-
us and other profane writer's. By the re-
Mains of animals found the stag seems to be
ar greater than now. There is but one
pecies of dog whose remains have been
lighted upon. A human skull found in
led Of loan comedies in appearance with
hose of the present. The she'll mound. of
Denmark are found on the banks of the
Baltic principally, are generally found to con.
ain four sp~ cies of shells of aquatic animals
hat could not have naturally lived together.
zones Of animals, with occasional pieces of
Implements of the stone age that would tes-
ify to their erection by human agency. Most
probably could the people by whose hands
hese evidences Of prehistorical humanity re-
main, be seen, we should find stunted race
{ men living near to the sea shore; existing |
early or wholly upon fish. One feature Of |
be stone Implements or relics left by this
ace is curious, for they appear 10 denote an
Extraordinary resemblance to those made Of /
tone and bone by the Esqumaax, Bone
ayes-theee are those caves where the |
ones of large animals and men have been
,und. France is the riches. in the deposi
,ries of these remains. Great Britain has
lso furnished much material for the etnolo-
ical student in this way. Added to the
ons that have been discovered at Perigord,
|, France, and other places. chips from de-
lched pieces of flint, multitude Of deer horns
nd other bone implements, evidently made
J the cave rude drawing and sculpture have
|so been lighted on. Pictures Of the horse,
le OK, the sheep, together with one very
,mplete relic, the vertebrn ola reindeer
ierced by flint harpoon, must also be ad-
ed TO the list. The prehistorcal relics in
,e drlft-this branch Of the science has not
$ yet been thoroughly developed. but the
of several traces of man and ami
al remains in the drift at the opening Of the
yer at Saon, in France, gave great impe-
s to this new source of scientific inforna-
on. The relics are generally accredited 70
} those of man in the stone age.