The antiquity of man in Tasmania.

I. Introductory Remarks:.
There exists in Tasmania perhaps the greatest unconformity in the history of evolution of the human race that we know of. Modern civilisation follows immediately on the most typical archaeolithic stage that is known to us. All intermediate stages which we observe in other countries are missing in that island.
From this point of view it was fortunate that the contact between the lower and the higher civilised race lasted for such a short time only. Not thirty years lapsed between the first encounter at Risdon ferry and the final deportation of the Aborigines to Flinders Island. This time was not long enough to adulterate the archaeolithic civilisation by the introduction of foreign ideas.
However deplorable it may be that the Aborigines died out so rapidly, there is at least one consolation in their fate —their civilisation has been delivered to us in all its characteristic features. But we have to thank another lucky accident for this, viz., the insular seclusion of Tasmania