Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1882-11-10
THE FIRST AMERICAN.


THE FIRST AMERICAN.
Numberless objections can be brought
to bear upon every theory offered as ex-
planatory of the peopling OF this conti-
nent. ii to its native races be ascr. bed
one origin. and, therefore. the same de-
gree Of antiquity. The truth is that, in
the light of our present knowledge. it
can no longer be maintained that the
same people dwclt on either sea-coast,
hunted and fished eFen within the bar
rem confines of the A. cite circle, rea ed
the enormous earh-works of the Missis-
sippi Valley. and established the civili-
zations OF Mexico. Central America and
Peru. On the other hand. II a diversity
OF origin is admitted. what evidence. If
any. have we Of greater antiquity of
any one of these races over anotherp In
other words. who was the first Ameri-
can? What manner of man was he?
This may seem difficult problem to
solve. let us consider the evidence offered
OF late bearing upon the subject
In Europe the earliest evidence OF
mans presence, as yet discovered, con-
sists in the occurrence Of rudely -chipped
flint implements of largesize associated
with the bones of extinct animals and
of others not now living in the same
region. The deposits in which these
bones and Clipped flints are found con-
sist Of beds of gravel and clay of uncer-
tain age, but nevertheless very old, and
are directly associated with the series Of
changes which took place in the North
ern Hemisphere during tho time known
us the & eat Ice Age.
In other words, during the prevalence
in the temperate zone Ut much colder
climate, there were great accumulations
of snow and ice. known as glaciers. and
enormous foods. due to the subse-
quent melting Of these, deposited in the
river valleys, beds of gravel and clay
with which were intermingled enormous
bowldcrs During this time and for a
protracted period afterward. there lived
a race of men on the higher. habitable
ground. Furthermore. at this time not
only many extinct animals ranged the
forests, but others now living only in
the extreme North, as the reindeer, the
musk-ox and walrus. were also there,
and were hunted by these ancient peo-
pie, a race whose weapons consisted
wholly of the rudely-chipped flnts that
are now mingled with the beds of grav-
cl laid down by the mighty floods that
mark the close Of this wonderful Age Of
Ice.
This very briefly sets forth our
knowledge of the earliest men known
to have lived in Europe. Now, the
question arises. are there similar evil
dences OF such early men in Americap
To determine this, some ancient river
valley in North America must be care
fully examined. Let us take the Della
ware as an example. In the first place,
this river is certainly very ancient. Pro-
fessor Dana speaks of il as emptying
into the Atlantic at Trenton. N. j.. dur
ing the "Cretaccous period" when the
regions OF Delaware and Chesapeake
Ba, s were out at sea. This was long
before man or beast Of any kind had
appeared upon the earth. Since then,
as the result of various changes. the
land has extended seaward hundreds Of
miles. and tho last OF the great changes
in the history Of this part OF the globe
was the occurrence of an Arctic climate,
and a flooded stream that flowed at an
elevation Of perhaps a hundred feet
above its present level.
We can better realize the altered
character Of river. when flowing at =
greatly increased elevation, by eonsid-
ering the recent condition OF the Mis-
sissippi, which. within short time,
was from forty to sixty miles wide for
many miles Of its length; when at its
usual level the width is but two or three
miles at most. This change. great as
it was. was due wholly to rains
throughout the region which the river
drains Now, remembering that at one
time the Delaware Valley was not only
subjected to protracted rainfalls. but
was largely filed with snow and ice,
we can understand that the rains, and
melting of the latter. would more con-
plefely alter the Delaware than the re-
cent floods in the Mississippi Valley
changed the aspect of that region. and
would prove all-suflicient to keep the
valley filed far above its present level.
and calpc il TO pour doan through its
narrow, rock-ribbed course million. Of
tons Of gravel. and spread it over the
level plain lying between its terminus
and the open sea beyond.
We know that during this time the
Delaware " flowed over aud through
an extensive delta OF coarse
gravel" and that this period
was marked by the presence Of
the mastodon and other extinct ami
mails, and by the advent Of Taleolithic
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