ItisalmostimpossibletoclasswithanycertaintythenumerousLakeStationsofSwitzerland。SomefewcertainlydatefromtheStoneage，othersfromthetransitionperiod，betweenitandthatoftheearlyuseofmetals，orevenfromtheBronzeage。Asthereforetheyhavebeenoccupiedatdifferenttimesbydifferentpeople，someofthemhavingevenbeenstillinuseinthetimeoftheRomans，itismostdifficulttofixwithanyprecisionthedatetowhichbelongthevariousobjectsmixedtogetherbeneaththedeepwatersofthelakes。Wecanonlysaythatthenetsdifferverymuchinthesizeofthemeshes，andthethicknessoftheropeused。ThosefoundatRobenhausenareverylikethoseinuseinFranceatthepresentday。Therehas，infact，beennoadvanceintheartofmakingfishing-tacklesincetheremotedaysoftheLakeDwellers。
　　Weareignorantofthemodeofmanufactureofprehistoricnets。DidtheLakeDwellers，assomearchaeologistsaredisposedtothink，usealoom？DidtheyuseshuttlesandrollerssuchasareemployedbytheEsquimauxandCaliforniansofthepresentday？Itisimpossibletosay，butitissupposedthatthebears’teethsharpenedtoapoint，foundinsomestations，wereusedtotightenthemeshes。Thesemeshesweregenerallysquare，andeachonewasfinishedofwithaknotofthesamesizeateachintersection。
　　Theleadweightssoindispensabletofishermenofthepresentdayforsinkingthenets，wererepresentedinprehistorictimesbystones。Thesestones，whicharedrilledornotched，arefoundinalltheLakeStations。ThefragmentsofpotterypiercedwithaholefoundatSchussenried，aLakeStationoftheStoneageontheFeder-SeeWurtemburg，wereprobablyusedforthesamepurpose。InsomeoftheSwissLakeStationshavealsobeenfoundpiecesofwoodandcork，piercedwithoneormoreholes，whichhadcertainlyservedasfloats。
　　Numerousstoneimplementsofthemostprimitiveforms，oftenofrocknotnativetothecountry，havebeenfoundinsomeoftheislandsofGreece，aswellasinCorsica，Sardinia，Elba，andSicily。Thesediscoveriesbearwitnesstothepresenceofmanintheseislandsataveryremoteantiquity，thoughnoothertracesoftheexistenceofprehistorichumanbeingshaveasyetbeenfoundthere。Thesemencanonlyhavereachedtheislandsbywayofthesea。BoatsweretheonlymeansofcommunicationbetweentheLakeDwellersofSwitzerlandandthemainland，and，aswehaveseen，theancientScandinavianshuntedfishonthedeepocean。Wemustthereforeadmitthatattemptsatnavigationweremadeintheveryearliestdaysofhumanity。Alan，impelledbynecessity，orperhapsonlybycuriosity，wasnotafraidtolaunchhisbark，firstupontherivers，andlateruponthemoreformidablewavesoftheseaIlliroburetaestriplexCircapectuserat，quifragilemtruciCommisitpelagoratemPrimus。[74]
　　TheLatinpoetisright，andwecannotbutadmirethosewhowerethefirsttobravetheterrorsofthedeepandthehorrorsofthetempest；
　　fortheyweregiftedalikewiththeintelligencewhichconceives，thecouragethatdares，andthestrengththatachieves。
　　Treestornupbytherootsbytheforceofthewaters，andfloatingonthesurfaceofthosewaters，naturallyattractedtheattentionofprimevalman，andthefirstboatsweredoubtlessthetrunksofsuchtreesroughlysquaredandthenhollowedoutwiththehelpoffire。Laterexperienceledtotheadditionofaprowwhichwouldmoreeasilycleavethewater，andasternwhichwouldserveasapivot。Thesecanoes，ifsuchanamemaybealreadygiventothem，wereatfirstguidedbybranchesstrippedoftheirleaves，orwithlongpoles。Thenoarsorpaddleswereintroduced，whicharebetterforbeatingthewater，andinlaterbarkstraceshavebeenmadeoutofwhatissupposedtohavebeenamast，indicatingtheuseofasail。Theartofnavigationmaynowbesaidtohavebeeninaugurated。IndifferentpartsofEuropehavebeenfoundboatswhichcertainlybelongtoveryremotetimes，thoughtheirexactdatecannotbefixed。TheirconstructiongreatlyresemblesthatofthepiroguesofthePolynesians，orthekayaksoftheGreenlanders。Oneofthemostancient，nowintheBerlinProvincialMuseum，wastakenfromapeat-bogofBrandenburg。[75]
　　Itis27feetlongandscarcely16incheswide。
　　SirW。Wildedescribesseveralboatsfromthemarshesandpeat-bogsofIreland，[76]manyofwhichhavehandlescutinthewoodattheends，bythehelpofwhichtheycouldeasilybedraggedalongoverland。SirW。WildeaddsthattheIrishalsousedCURRAGHS，orCORACLES，whichweremerewickerframescoveredwiththeskinsofoxen。Thesefrailbarksintroduceustoanewmodeofnavigation；theyaremetwithnotonlyintiredifferentcountriesofEurope，butalsoinAmerica，andwereinusethereinpre-Columbiantimes。EvenmoreinterestingexampleshavebeenfoundinScotland。[77]TowardsthecloseoflastcenturyapiroguewastakenfromtheancientbedoftheClydeatGlasgow。Sincethenhavebeendiscovered，atdepthsvaryingfromsixtotwelvefeet，morethantwentysimilarboats。Thedepositsinwhichtheylayhadformerlybeenbeneaththesea，butarenowsometwentyfeetabovetheleveloftheocean。Greatchangeshavethereforetakenplacesincethesebarkswerelauncheduponthewaves。[78]Theirmodeofconstructionisanexcellentindicationofthedatetowhichtheybelong。Somewhicharehollowedoutofthetrunksofoaksbythehelpoffire，orwithablunttool，aresupposedbyLyelltodatefromtheStoneage。Othershaveclean-cutnotches，evidentlymadewithmetalimplements。Somearemadeofplanksjoinedtogetherwithwoodenpegs，andonecanoefoundinCountyGalwayevencontainedcoppernails。MostoftheboatsfromthebedoftheClydeseemtohavefounderedinstillwaters。Some，however，werediscoveredinaverticalposition，othershadthekeeluppermost，andtheselatterhadevidentlysunkinastorm。InoneoftheseboatswasadioritehatchetofthekindcharacteristicofNeolithictimes；another，thewoodofwhichwasperfectlyblack，hadbecomeashardasmarble，andinitwasacorkplug。Then，asnow，theoakwhichyieldscorkwasforeigntothecoldclimateofScotland。
　　WewillquotebutoneofthediscoveriesmadeinEngland。In1881acanoe，hollowedoutofthetrunkofatree，wasfoundatBovey-TraceyinDevonshire。Itlayinadepositofbrick-earthmorethantwenty-ninefeetbelowthehighestlevelreachedbythewatersoftheBovey。[79]Itwasmorethanthirty-fiveincheswide，anditslengthcouldnotbeexactlydetermined，theworkmenhavingbrokenitingettingitout。AneminentarchaeologistisofopinionthatthisboatdatesfromtheGlacialepoch，perhapsevenfromamoreremotetime。Ifthishypothesis，theresponsibilityofwhichweleavetohim，becorrect，thisisthemostancientwitnessinexistenceofprehistoricnavigation。WemustalsomentionaboatfoundnearBriggLincolnshire，afewfeetfromalittleriverthatflowsintotheHumber。Itisaboutforty-fivefeetlongbythreeandahalffeetwide，andissomethreefeethigh。Theprowisfluted。Therearenotracesofamast，thoughthesizeoftheboatmusthavemadeitdifficulttomanagewithoarsalone。
　　OneofthepiroguespreservedattheCopenhagenMuseumismadeofonehalfofthetrunkofatree，somesixfeetlong，hollowedintotheshapeofatrough，andcutstraightatbothends。[80]ItiscurioustocomparethisclumsystructurewithaboatrecentlydiscoveredbeneathatumulusatGogstadteninNorwayFig。14，ofwhich，thoughitdatesfromhistorictimes，wegiveadrawing，asitisagoodillustrationoftheprogressmade。ThedeadVikinghadbeenlaidinhisboat，asthemostgloriousoftombs；withitsprowpointingseawards，forwouldnotthefirstthoughtsofthechiefwhenheawokeinanotherlifebeoftheseawhichhadwitnessedhistriumphs？Thesidesoftheboat，whichwasmorethansixty-sixfeetlongandfifteenacrossthewidestpart，werepainted，andarounditwasrangedaseriesofshieldslappingoveroneanotherlikethescalesofafish，andnotunlikethedesignsseeninthecelebratedBayeuxtapestry。Ablockofoakintendedtoreceivethemastwasplacedinthecentreoftheboat，andneartheskeletonwereoarssomefifteenfeetlongandsimilarinformtothosenowinuse。
　　AncientScandinavianboatfoundbeneathatumulusatGogstadten。
　　InlayingthefoundationsofthebridgeofLesInvalides，Paris，aboatwastakenoutofthemudwhichhadlainthereformanycenturies。Likemostofthosealreadymentioned，ithadbeenmadeoutofasingletrunkroughlysquared。Everywhere，wemustrepeatonceagain，man’soriginalideaswerethesame；everywherethetreefloatingonthetopofthewaterexcitedhiscuriosity，andbecamethestarting-pointforoneofhismostimportantdiscoveries。TracesofsimilarattemptsatnavigationaremetwithinotherpartsofFrance；acanoewasfoundintheLoirenearSaintMars，andtheDijonMuseumpossessesanotherfromthesameriver，thelattersomesixteenfeetlong，andtraceshavebeenmadeoutofwhataresupposedtohavebeenseats，butmayhavebeenmerecontrivancesforstrengtheningtheboat。A
　　canoetakenlastyearfromthebedoftheCherisoftheshapeofatroughclosedattheendbypiecesofwoodfixedbymeansofverticalgrooves。Theprowhadbeenshapedinthefirstinstanceinthetrunkitself，anditwasprobablyowingtoanaccident，acollisionperhaps，thatithadhadtobemendedinthiswayFig。15。
　　AncientboatdiscoveredinthebedoftheCher。
　　TheLakeDwellersofSwitzerlandownedboatsfromthetimeoftheirfirstsettlementintheirwaterhomes。OneofthemfoundatRobenhausenismorethantenfeetlong，andisveryshallow，varyingfromsixtoeightinches。Likemostofthosealreadymentioned，itwashollowedoutofthetrunkofatree，bulgingouttowardsthecentre，androundedattheends。SofarnonebutstonetoolshavebeenfoundatthestationofRobenhausen，sothatwemustpresumethatitwaswithsuchtoolsthattheboatwasmade。ThelakesofBienneand。Geneva，andthestationsofMorgesandEstavayerhavealsoyieldedboatswhicharedoubtlesslessancientthanthoseofwhichIhavejustspoken。Innearlyallofthemtheprowiscuriouslypointed。OneofthemfromtheLakeofNeuchatel，largeenoughtoboldtwelvepeople，hasabeakatthesternandaroundedprow；butthereisnosignofanycontrivanceforkeepingtheoarsinplace。
　　Lastly，aboatbasbeenfoundinSwitzerlandsome3，900feetabovethevalleyoftheRhine，butnoonecansayhowitcametobeatsuchaheight。
　　AlakepiroguefoundintheLakeofNeuchatel。1。Asseenfromtheoutside。2and3。Longitudinalandtransversesections。
　　Thesecanoes，whatevertheirshapeorsize，canonlyhavebeenworkedbymeansofoars，yetoarshaveseldombeenfound。TheGenevaMuseum，however，hasonewhichcamefromthemuddybedofanItalianlake，andothersarepreservedintheRoyalMuseumofDublin，whichhaveeverysignofgreatantiquity。Indefaultoftheactualoars，wehaveotherproofsoftheiruse。Gross[81]mentionsaboatFig。16inwhichholeshadbeenmadeintheupperpartsofthesidestoholdtheoars。In1882apiroguewastakenoutofthebedoftheRhoneatCordonAin，whichhadbeenhalfburiedinthemudoftheriver。Thewoodwasblackandtheupperportionswerecharred，butthemiddlepartwasstillintactandveryhard。Theholes，piercedinthesidesatregularintervals，mayhaveservedtokeeptheoarsinplace。Thepositionoftherowersatthebottomoftheboatwasveryunsatisfactory。Itwasnot，however，untillaterthatwefindseatssoplacedastoenabletherowerstoputoutalltheirstrength。AtarecentmeetingoftheAnthropologicalSocietyJuly21，1887M。Letourneauobservedthattheruddercameintouseveryslowly。ItwasnotknowntotheEgyptiansortothePhoenicians，nor，whichisstillmorestrange，totheGreeksandRomans。Theirvessels，whatevertheirsize，wereguidedbytwolargeoarsGUBERNACULUMplacedinthestern。TheChineseappeartohavebeentheonlypeoplewhowereacquaintedwiththeuseoftherudderfromtimeimmemorial。ItisprobablethatfromthemitpassedtotheArabsandevenperhapstothepeopleofEurope。
　　AdiscoverymadenearAbbevilleisthemostancientexamplewehaveoftheuseofthemast。Someworksbeingexecutedatthefortificationsofthetown，broughttolightaboatwhichmusthavebeensometwenty-onefeetlong。Twoprojectionsformpartoftheplanking，leavingbetweenthemarectangularspaceinwhichthemastwasprobablyfixed。[82]
　　ProfessorGastaldispeaksofawoodenanchortakenfromapeat-bognearArona，beneathwhichwasapiledwelling。HedatesitfromthetingewhentheuseofbronzewasalreadybeginningtospreadinthenorthofItaly。AstoneofpeculiarshapefoundatNiddauis，theysay，anANKERSTEINanchorstone。ThisnameisalsogivenbyFriedeltoagood-sizedroundlumpofsandstonewithadeepgroovenearthemiddle。Lastly，Kerviler，incrossingabasinoftheBayofPenhouet，nearSaint-Nazaire，foundseveralstoneswhichhadevidentlybeenusedtokeepboatsatanchor，andwiththeaidofwhichwecangetanideaofthemethodsemployedbyancientnavigatorsFig。17。