xxxviii Journal of Proceedings.
well as the nature of the Barking Celt showed that it had not come out
of undisturbed gravel. The speaker then said that he, like Mr.
Wallace, often felt considerably puzzled with some of the gravels of
Essex, Middlesex, and Kent; and if the Dartford gravels were really
marine, as stated by Mr. Walker, it must still be remembered that
implements made by primaeval man, and of the same immense age as
the Dartford marine gravel itself, were found deeply embedded in that
matrix. Mr. Smith said that while Antonio Brady had been chasing
the Mammoths with such admirable success, he (the speaker) had been
hunting for the works of those remote primaeval men who long ages
ago lived in Essex as companions and hunters of these huge beasts.
He gave a list of objects he had lately secured from a small piece of
sewer excavation through gravel on the west side of the Lea, Lower
Clapton. This list included among many other bones, the greater part of
one bone of a Mammoth's leg, four fine Paleolithic implements of flint,
many "flakes," a large number of shells of land and fresh water
Mollusca, carbonised leaves, and small branches of trees and pieces of
drift-wood. He had also found a very large pebble of Grey Granite
in the Lea sands at Shacklewell; and he had seen disinterred from the
bottom of the gravel at Hackney a boulder of trap rock weighing
11/2 cwt. An immense block of sandstone was found at the same place
weighing between 4 and 5 cwt. Mr. Smith gave it as his opinion that
these great stones were probably brought down in very remote times
from the North on Icebergs, and were dropped by the melting ice in
the positions where now found.
Some little time was spent in examining the various objects, and'
commenting thereon, and about nine o'clock the members separated,
well pleased with their first visit to the Mammoth's grave in the
ancient clays and sands of Primeval Ilford.
[The Editor has endeavoured to give as clear an idea as possible, in
a condensed account, of the statements of the various speakers respect-
ing the many difficult questions raised during the afternoon's discussion.
He thinks it, however, right to add that Sir Antonio Brady has since
expressed his firm belief in the genuineness of the works of Palaeolithic
humanity exhibited at the meeting ; and Sir Antonio further remarks
(referring to Mr. Worthington Smith's criticisms), "if manufactured
by designing workmen more would probably have been made, whilst
mine are the only specimens known to exist."]
Saturday, August 28th, 1880.—Ordinary Meeting.
The Ordinary Monthly Meeting was held at the Head-quarters,
Buckhurst-Hill, at 7 o'clock, the President in the chair. The minutes
of the meeting at Ilford were read and confirmed, and the following