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Footprints on the Sands of Time

"They are fraught with strange meanings, these footprints of Connecticut." -HUGH MILLER.

THERE is a great deal of truth in the saying of Emerson, that "everything in Nature is engaged in writing its own history." The more one studies the changes taking place every day on the surface of the earth, in order to read the riddle of the rocks beneath our feet, which contain Mother Earth's records of her past history, the more one is impressed with the truth of this saying. In fact, it is not too much to say that the whole science of Geology is founded on this idea. The geologist is he who interprets to his fellows the stony documents contained in Nature's "Record Office," and he finds the key to the interpretation of her hieroglyphics in watching her daily actions at the present time. One branch of this science, viz. Physical Geology, deals with the earth's physical features, interpreting in the light of this leading principle their history, and telling us how the river carved out its valley; how the volcano was built up; how the mighty mountains were raised up from the beds of ancient seas, to be carved out by the agents of denudation into all their varied and wonderful features.