The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-10-12
PROFESSOR HUXLEY ON NIAcABA.
Geological Revelation Made by the Falls
Estimated Time of Their Cutting
Back Through Six Miles Of
Rock. 10000 Years.


1 know it is thought very often that men
largely from their Imagination, but it is
really not so. The most sober, careful
consideration Of facts forces upon yoamore
and more determinedly the conviction that
the theory respecting whish we have this
archie illogical evidence of period Of the
past history of the world is of duration
which, in comparison with our human stan
dard, may be regarded IS almost abso~
lutely infinite. Take, fer example, the case
Of the cataract Of Niagara, where have
been recently spending some time, 30 that
I might fill myself with the grandeur and
beauty of that extraordinary natural phe-
nomenon; 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 under
meath The waiter undermines the soft
rock below, when the solid stratum above
falls over. You can trace the gradual ex-
cavation Of that valley for six miles from
that marvellous bluff which, from Proctor
monument, overlooks the plain Of Ontario.
Now the rate at which that work is going
on has not yet been positively ascertained,
but we may be perfectly certain | am now
speaking largely within limits) that that
work of cutting back does not 60 on at the
rate of yard in a year We have six
miles of such cutting, which will bring you
to period of 10000 years for the cutting
back of Niagara alone. 1t is an immaterial
matter to me hsw many years it takes, but
the truth, if l had said three or four times
that amount.
What relations does period of that kind
bear to the vast duration expressed by these
vast lodges Of strata which form the globe !!
We are people curious enough to fern q
very distinct calculation Of this The sides
Of the ravipe through which Niagara is cut
ting its way are formed by masses Of allu-
vial matter, which must e older than the
river which has cut through it. While in
that alluvial matter you find the remains Of
shell fish, undistinguishable from those
which now inhabit the lake, and along with
them you fnd-as has been found-the teeth
of the mastcdon, which we know from
abundant evidence was an inhabitant Of the
continent of North America at q compare
lively recent period, the very last step Of
that long series Of changes, Of which the
limestone. upon which you are now stand
ing. indicates one Of the older ones.
Thus it follows that the whole Of Niagara
occupies one period Of this vast duration.
In relation to our duration Of time, that ten
thousand years, or whatever else it may
have been, is but an inhnitesimal fragment
Of time. so far as the great phenomena Of
the globe are concerned During that vast
time the population Of the globe has UNDER
gone slow. constant and gradual change,
one species giving way to another We
have passed By slow and gradual methods.
without vast and sudden changes, into that
state Of things which obtain at present.
need not say that this view of the past his
tory Of the globe is q very different one
from that which is commonly taken. II Is
80 widely different that it is absolutely i'm
possible to affect any kind of community,
any kind Of parallel. far less any sort o.
reconciliation. between these two. One Of
these must be true. The other is not
From Professor Huziey's Address al Nashriste
September :.