Rio Mancos Canyon.
2. Engraved Title Page.
3. Paleozoic Forest.
4. Rock Shelter at Bruniquel.
5. Antarctic Ice Sheet.
6. Lake Village, Switzerland.
7. Pueblo of Zuny.
8. Cliff-town, Rio Mancos.
9. Restoration of Pueblo Bonito.
10. Painted Pueblo Pottery.
11. Pyramid of Cholula.
12. Copan Statue.
13. General View of Palace.
14. Bas-relief on the left-hand of the Altar of the Cross.
15. Plan of Uxmal.
16. The Governor's House, Uxmal.
17. Room in Nunnery.
18. Zayi.
19. Castillo, Chichen-Itza.
20. Tribute Sheet.
21. Huitzilopochtli.
22. Calendar Stone.
23. Historical Sheet.
24. Pachacamac.

THE PREHISTORIC WORLD

Thou unrelenting Past!
Strong are the barriers round thy dark domain--
And fetters, sure and fast,
Hold all that enter thy unbreathing reign.

Far in thy realm, withdrawn,
Old empires sit in sullenness and gloom;
And glorious ages, gone,
Lie deep within the shadow of thy womb.

Full many a mighty name
Lurks in thy depths, unuttered, unrevered:
With thee are silent fame,
Forgotten arts, and wisdom disappeared.

W. C. BRYANT

Chapter I

INTRODUCTION.

Difficulties of the subject--Lesson to be learned--The pursuit of
knowledge--Recent Advances--Prehistoric past of the Old World--Of the
New--Of Mexico and the South--The Isles of the Pacific--Similar nature
of the relics--The wonders of the present age--History of popular
Opinion on this subject--The teachings of the Bible--Nature of
the evidence of man's antiquity--Geology--Astronomy--Unfolding of
life--Nature of our inquiry.

Who can read the book of the past? Who can tell us the story of
Creation's morn? It is, not written in history, neither does it live
in tradition. There is mystery here; but it is hid by the darkness of
bygone ages. There is a true history here, but we have not learned
well the alphabet used. Here are doubtless wondrous scenes; but our
stand-point is removed by time so vast, the mist of years is so thick
before us, that only the ruder outlines can be determined. The delicate
tracery, the body of the picture, are hidden from our eye. The question
as to the antiquity and primitive history of man, is full of interest in
proportion as the solution is beset with difficulties. We