The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1882-11-10

time the Delaware Valley was not onl,
subjected 70 protractcd rainfall~. bn
wa largely filed with snow and Ice
we can understand that the rains, and
melting Of the latter. would more com
plcfcly alter the Delaware than the re
cent Hoods in the Mississippi Vale,
changed the aspect 81 that region. and
would prove all->uilicient 10 keep III,
valley filled far above is present level,
and cause Il 10 pour down through IL
narrow. rock-ribbed course million. Of
tons Of gravel. and spread IL over the
level plain lying between lis terminus
and the open sea beyond.
We know that during this time the
Delaware :. flowed over and through
an extensive delta Of coarse
gravel" and that this period
was marked by the presence Of
the ma.todon and other extinct ami
mails. and BY the advent Of paleolithic
q. a. the oldcst) man 10 the neighbor-
hood Of Trenton This Is the eau
tIously-acqnired opinion 81 d capable
/ geologist. and upon this decision we
rest our case. The rema ms 81 Arctic
animals have been found not only in
New Jersey, but much farther 10 the
south, and where these have occurred,
in some instances. there have likewise
been gathered Clipped fiints Of char
actcr in no wise differing from ! Ike OBJ
| jccts found in Europe. A competent
archTologist has observed: III feel my
self warranted in stating that. the gen
| eral appearance II the country and the
character Of the gra,els at Trenton. N.
4
70 that which have seen in the various
localities in the Old World How
then can we avoid the conclusion that
the evidences Of early man in America.
which are the same as those in Europe.
are Of like import?
Let us now consider the relics them
selves Of these earliest Of men iii the
Delaware Valley. As already men,
toned these consist wholly OF rudely-
Clipped implements 81 peculiar min
eral. and are AL 80 similar that they can
readily be distinguished from the clabo-
rate flint work II the recent Indians
They are larger much rider in finish
and can at once be recognized as essen
tally the same as those Of true flint
found in the similar yalle,s Of European
rivers. As has been remarked OF them
1.-THE types OF the two classes OF imple-
mcnts are remarkably similar To
whatever uses and purposes the
European implements were capa-
bic Of being applied, regard
these Delaware objects as being
equally well adapted. The same gem
cral description applies TO both classes
Of implements alike"
If now We have been ale 10 show
that man existed on the Atlantic Coast
81 America 20 long ago a. the clo-e Of
the great Ice Age. what Of his relation
ship % the present peoples Of the
world? Of biz origin. nothing need
here be said. Whether he originated
ia America Or was migrant from
another continent il u vain ID con
le ture. We know him only rs the ear
Hest and most primitive Of mankind.
and. content with 80 distant q starting
point. can welrace his subsequent his
tory?
Our principal clue 10 this. strangely
enough, i the material Of which the
rude implements used by him are made.
This. with scarcely an exception. i a
mineral called argillte. defined ~
irof. Wadsworth, OF Cambridge. 10 Ne
an argi'laceouS 70 K. which is greatly
lndnrafed, breaks with con hoida
fracture. and has no trace OF cleavage.
Therefore, IL i much more like Hint
than slate, with which il should not he (
COMPOUNDED.
Now. II we wander over the stretches
Of field and meadow that skirt the river
81 to-day, II will often he our good for \
tune to gather here and there delicate
arrow points Of quartz and jasper; per (
haps We may find a polished celf Of K
symmetry. fragments of pot.
terry, or tastefully-caryed stone pend
ant.
Place any or all Of these by the side
q the rude objects from the underlying
graycls. and the impression !. az once
made that they are not the handiwork
Of the same people at least. are not
representative Of the same degree IL
ca ture. There l. an evident break III
the chain 81 progress a. represented Nv /.
The objects tctorc You. There is moth
lng IN the rude articles from the gravel
Eoreshadowing the elaborate stone
work gathered from the surface sol ).
Il, however, we institute more care
"a search. and Systematically examine
me earth everything the gravel. we shall
Ind that besides these beautiful pro
iurtons Of the recent Indians. there oc-
sur IN some places iudcr sci les of stone
implements. Of better make and more va
ned shapes, as compared with those
rom the gravel, but far less elaborate
= finish than the surface found objects
'fquartz and Jasper. These intermediate
orms. II they may be 50 called, like
hose from the gravel. are also made Of
'rgillitc. and. 70 some extent. of slafy ,
mineral. They indicate marked adj ,
,ance over the larger weapons Of earlier ,
mes and are evidently decided inn
' 4, over the most primitive Of |
u weapons. They clearly represent ,
'igher stage Of culture. vet fall far
hort Of the average productions 81 the
indian worker in Hint Admitfincr f1.;s !