WCP1772

[1]

D^r A. R. Wallace

D^r Sir

So sorry my hastily written letter gave you so much trouble.

I happened to see notice of your birthday and write a spur of the moment letter.

The Mill modelled flints of M. Boule¹ sometimes shew a slight suggestiveness of Eolithic work but yet there is a great difference to the trained eye.

On the publication of his paper I visited every brickyard in this neighbourhood. but could find none to tally.

But when one looks at the huge harrows and considers the speed and time it is a puzzle how any flint escapes.

Today on receipt of your letter I determined to go to a distant whiting manufactory where as the chalk is used the contained flints which escape notice are in Keeping with M. Boule’s plan of observation.

The Brickyards before mentioned grind up loam containing drift flints, and are more tough & much more difficult to chip.

I spent 1 ½ hours examining two large heaps of waste flints, a few are rough flaked — one or two even show bulbs — but different to man struck flakes. [2] I forward some of my finds.

In a few instances I tried my hand at Eolithic and Palaeolithic work.

I pride myself on being a forger — not to deceive but in self defence.

[4 annotated sketches here]

[3] When Moin containing M. Daltin’s paper on Boule's¹ flints was delivered to me by late post on a Saturday night I was too busy to read and took with me to bed to read on Sunday morning. I knew nothing of the find apparently ruling out my life work –

My wife who has been bedridden for 2 ½ years raised me at 2.15 am.

I then read the paper & rose to pen my thoughts to a fellow worker — not disturbed as I felt I returned in Truth and my "lightening like" pen budded into rhyme

My friend to whom I sent got it printed without my knowledge, but I deemed it prudent not to put into circulation until we had escaped from the world. But am prompted to forward copy.

It may amuse.

return to bed at 4. a.m¹

P. Roy [illeg.] at the time of the "great find" wrote me to forward specimens of his. He replied.

"I have not the slightest doubt as to your human manufacture out of his immense increase by God to Man’s Antiquity"

Lord [illeg.] wrote last week said [4]

"There can be no doubt that many of your specimens are worked and are very interesting from Vevery point on the Plateau. but it seems to me they are in under tools of the Palaeolithic Age."

When we find Pals in Pliocene or Miocene then I may find way to call Early Pals but my seven years persistent work above 700 CD. and pits day in the Summit had [illeg.] only Eos. and I stick to my own opinions that they [illeg.]

I remain | yours respect[fully] | B. Harrison [signature]

PS Am glad to find Mr [illeg.] is[illeg.]. He came to see me 5 yrs since to [2 words illeg.] to Plateau – found for him — but he ought to know [illeg.]

[5] Flints from [illeg.] of Messrs Martin from Chapstow [illeg.] Kent bearing mill machine battering and re chipping by B Harrison made on spot Jan 9 1906.

[Sketch of worked flint, annotated:] tool used to flake

[Sketches of 2 worked flints, annotated:] All depend on the angle. If hit at a low angle a flake is the result as in [sketch] (a) extending back[?] — then follows a series of blows almost vertical — and cuts across. These characteristic Eo. chippings seem to me almost from the mill modelled. Man did not learn in a day or a century how to vary and become a face flaker.

[6] [Sketch of work flint, annotated:] low angle work. free chipping resulting in a Pal. B.H.

[Sketch of worked flint, annotated:] Occasionally a flint will nearly match by a series of blows accidentally being repeated as in this which is nice indeed — but very rare.

[Sketch of worked flint, annotated:] Nearer approach to free flaking mill modelled.