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Show GOG 'l'IIE MONOGENISTS AND of negro-races and tho monk y-tribcs; neither of which have inhabited Europe since her history J.awns, but both being now-a-days fellow-residents, from incalculable ages, in Africa. That tho human crania referred to must offer some singularly prognathous features, is evident from tho following comments of Marcel do Serres: 322 "Tho (human) heads discovered in divers localities of Germany (in caves, or in ancient diluvial deposits) have nothing in common with those of the present inhabitants of this country. Their conformation is remarkable, in that it offers a considerable flattening of the forehead, similar to that which exists among a11 savage::~ who have adopted the custom of compressing this part of tho head. Thus, certain of these skulls, and for instance those found in tho environs of Baden in Austria, presented strong analogies with those of African or negro races; at tho some time that those from tho banks of tho Rhine and the Danube ofrcrcd some great r semblances with the crania of Caribs or with those of tho ancient inhabitants of Chili and 11cru." Those at Liege" approach the Ethiopian type. It suffices, in order to convince one's self of this, to remark the frontal region of their cranium, which is triangular, and not semi-circular as it is in the Caucasian race. Thus, according to these facts, the transportation of tho numerous d6bris of animals observed in these subterranean cavities, must have boon contemporaneous with tho existence of this principal variety of mankind, which had not beioro been encountered anywhere at tho humatile stage.'' "Those events [tho filling up of caverns with remains of extinct and living genera] arc so recent, that, according to the observations of M. Scltmcrling, one meets, in the caves of Belgium, with human remains of the Ethiopian race, mixed and confounded with deb1·is of animals whoso races seem to be altogether lost. (This observation confirms, otherwise, that made by M. Bone, iu tho environs of Baden, in Austria. This naturalist thoro discovered, in tho diluvial deposits, human crania which offered tho greatest aualogics with those of Afeican or negro races). Thus, at the epoch of the filling np of these caverns, not only did man exist, but some great varieties of tho human species must already have been produced. "Perhaps those who reject the unity of tho human species may wish to invoke this fact in favor of their system; because it seems to prove that the difterent races of our species remount to tho very highest antiquity. But, whilst admitting this concl usiou to be exact, one must not leave out of sight that tho question of tho unity of tho a:u Op. cit., (supra, note 182) p. 223. TilE POLYGENISTS. 507 human genus depends, before all, upon the sense that 1s aUached to the word species." Tho latest account of verifications is that of M. Victor Motschoulsky, m who visited Liege, where, at tho University, Prof. Spring showed him these human palroontological relics, described previously by Schmcrling. They had boon discovered in tho caves of Gonffontaincs and of Chauq nierc, in tho neighborhood of Liege and Angers. "They arc composed of di:flercnt l icccs of tho skull, of teeth and hands of man mingled with remains of the ursu~ spelxus, some pieces of hyena, oflargo felis, of stag, horse, &c. Tho pieces of human skull show that tho forehead was very short and much inclined; which, according to Gall's pln·onology, would make one suppose an indivilual and a race such as middle Europe never had, at least since historical times. On this occasion, M. Spring observed to me that tho discovery of Schmcrl.ing was not isolated; and that subsequently, he himself had iound many more analogous pieces in a cavern situntc between Namnr and Dijoo. This cave is called le trou Glwuvau, and is found at 200 feet above tho surface of the water oftho Mouse, in calcareous rock. 'l'hc bottom presents an enormous heap of bones of largo ruminants, carnivora., and of man, in a limestone softened by infiltration. In tho earth, all these objects arc soft and extremely friaulo; they arc compt' ssiblo and break very easily; but exposed to the air they soon harden, and present a complete calcareous petrifactlon. It seems tha-t this cavern contains a great number; and with minute and regular rcsoarchos, one wonld certainly got out of it human crania and perfect skeletons. Tho samples whieh I saw, at M. Spring's, present two upper parts of a skull, jaws with tooth, and several bones of hands and logs. One of these skulls, according to the opinion of this savant, seems to have bclongcJ. to a child of seven years, and tho othot· to one of twelve. Tho form of those crania approaches more that of neg,·ocs, and not at all to present European races. Tho lower jaw is squarer allll broader, the inferior edge moro rounded, and not salient as in our European races: the occipital bono is higher; tho lateral sides of tho skull much more flattened and 111ore compr ssod than in any of those of out· Jiving races. In the same palroontological formation arc found a :flint hatchet and a few arrowheads," &c. Tho lattet' circumstance, but for subsequent discovct'ios of Boucher, Rigollot, and the Abbeville-geologists, mio·ht have been adduced in order to lesson the antiquity of these humatilo remains; but being 823 Ex/rail d11 Bt1lleli11 de l(l SocteiO lmperiale dea Nalurali.,les de Jlfoacou, Torno xxiv. 1 !!51 ;J, ettor to tho Secretary, dated "Liege, co 16 Fevrier, 1851 ;" pp. 82-4. I owo oommunioation of thi~ p11mphlet to my friend Dr·. John Leconte, of our Aond. Nt\t, Sci. Philutla. |