The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-24

in the preparation of his dress, while its
bone and antlers we're converted into all
kinds of weapons and implements. Rein
deei's horn was the earliest raw material
employed for manufactu' ing purposes. and
to the human being of that age it was all
that iron is to his descendants now.
The horse, the OK, the elk, the ibex, and
the channels, all contributed to the primeval
larder. Skulls and the long bones of the
newly killed animals we're broken with
hatchets and hammers for the purpose of
extracting the marrow and the brains,
which those who Toasted ate all steaming
with the natural animal heat. To such
prey certain birds, such as the grouse and
the owl were added. When all other game
was short they fell back upon the rat.
Around the hearthstone of II cave Mt
Chaleux more than twenty pounds weight
of the bone of water rats, half roasted,
were dug up.
That fish was used by man at that epoch
az an article of food has been proved by the
discovery of numerous remains Of fish bones
in the caves he occupied. On many of the
bone md horn implements he loft
behind also are discover, d sketches
representing fishes. The most simple
form of fishing apparatus employed in that
age was a little splinter of a bone from ono
to two inches in length and pointed ut both
ends. This was the primitive fish hook. 1t
was fastened to q line by the middle and
covered with bait, SO that when swallowed
it became liked inside the body of the prey.
1t is not known whether the men of the
reindeer period practiced cannibalism, hut
it seems probable that they did. Human
skulls have been found in Scotland mixed
up with soulptured iints and chi!dren's
bones, and on the latter traces of human
teeth are apparently recognizable. Else
where human finger joints have been dis
covered among the remains of cooking in
tIa rnvno Az TINT tiyna man had not no vpt
domesticated the dog. as is shown
by the fact that no trace whatever
of bones gnnwed by them have
been exhumed i'll any of tho human
settlements referred to. 1t is known that
primeval man dressed himself in garments
Furthermore, it is believed that he knew
how to prepare hides by clearing them of
their hair with flint scrnpers. Having per-
formed this process he rendered the skins
supple by rubbing them with brains and
marrow. Presumably he ont them in some
very simple latterns and joined the pieces
together by rough sewing with bone nee
dies, many of which are preserved to this
day in the museums. For thread the sin
ows of the reindeer were used.
Most important of tho weapons employed
in war was the flint knife, but another very
effective tool for strife was supplied BY ma
ture in the shape OF the lower jawbone of
the great cave henr. Tho long II solid
hone furnished n handl, aud tho
great canine took n dangerous
point, with which most deadly blows could
be struck. Ii seems rather curious that
even in the midst of their extremely preca-
rious existence the people of that age man.
ufactured necklaces, bracelets aud other ar
ticles of personal adorpment. either with
shells strung like beads or with the teeth OF
various animals, which were pierced with
holes for the same purpose. The horny
part of the enr of the horse and OK supplied
similar ornaments.
Communication and even were