Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-09-18
PROF. HUXLEY ON NIAGARA,

FaIIs-EstImated Time OF 1beir
Cutting Through six Miles of
aOcB, 10000 Years.
From Prof. Huxley's Address at Nashville,
September 7.
l know it is thought very often
that men of science are in the
habit of drawing largely from their
imagination, but it is really not so.
The most sober, careful considera-
ton of facts forces upon you more
and more determinedly the convic-
ton that the theory respecting
which we have this archaeological
evidence Of a period Of the past
history Of the world is of a dura
ton which, in comparison with our
human standard, may be regarded
as almost absolutely infinite. Take,
for example, the case of the cataract
of Niagara, where | have been re-
Gently spending sope time, 50 that
l might fill myself with the gran
deur and beauty Of that extraordi-
nary natural phenomenon; it is
quite easy to see that the Niagara
river has formed its own valley, has
cut its way back through the
plateau of rock from which it falls
for some six miles. There is not
the slightest difficulty in seeing
that. The great cliff from which
it tumbles is formed of two kinds
Of rock-hard rock at the top and
soft rock underneath. The water
undermines the soft rock below,
when the solid stratum above falls
over. You can trace the gradual
excavation of that valley for six
miles from that marvellous bluff
which, from Proctor's monument,
oyerlooks the plain of Ontario.
Now, the rate at which that work
is going on has not yet been posi-
lively ascertained, but we may
be perfectly certain Il am
now speaking largely within limits)
that that work of cutting back does
not 90 on at the rate Of a yard in a
year. We have elk miles of such
cutting, which will bring you to a
period of 10000 years for the cut
ting back Of Niagara alone. 1t is
an immaterial matter to me how
many years it takes, but it would
be nearer probability, much nearer
the truth, if l had said three or
four times that amount.
What relation does a period Of
that kind bear to the vast duration
: expressed by these lodges of strata
which form the globe? We are a
people curious enough to form a
very distinct calculation Of this.
/ The sides of the ravine through
} which Niagara is cutting its way
4 are formed by masses of alluvial
? matter, which must be older than
! the river which has cut through it.
While in that alluvial matter you
S find the remains Of shell fish, nm
e distinguishable from those which
| now inhabit the lake, and along
a with them you find-aS has beer
l. found-the teeth Of the mastadon
IS which we know from abundant evi
5. dence was an inhabitant Of the con
n tinent of North America at a com
n paratiyely recent period, the very
last step Of that long series o
It changes, of which limestone, upol
It which you are now standing, indi
fl Gates one of the older ones.
Il Thus it follows that the who'll
d work of Niagara occupies on
period of this vast duration. Ii
n relation to our duration Of time
/ that 10000 years, or whatever els
Is it may have been, is but an in6n
ID itesimal fragment Of time, SO ia
al as the great phenomena of the glob
ID are concerned. During that vas
Id time the population of the glob
~ has undergone a slow, constant an
ID gradual change, one species giVini
D. way to another. We have passe
ey bv slow and gradual methods, with
,,s ont vast and sudden changes, int
or that state of things which obtai
e. at present. l need not say that thi
ly view of the past history Of tn
RS globe is a very different one frol
W that which is commonly taken.
,e. is SO widely different that it is al
tn solutely impossible TO affect an
ey kind Of community, any kind
parallel, far less any sort of recol
he ciliation, between these two. Or