Forbidden Archeology_ The Full Unabridged Edition - Michael A. Cremo [315]
In this regard, Laing (1894, p. 389) wrote: “if we accept . . . the skulls of Castelnedolo [sic] and Calaveras, which are supported by such extremely strong evidence, it would seem that as we recede in time, instead of getting nearer to the ‘missing link,’ we get further from it. This, and this alone, throws doubt on evidence which would otherwise seem to be irresistible.” In other words, the fact that the discoveries violated evolutionary expectations was sufficient to overrule all other testimony.
It is indeed true that J. D. Whitney’s reports of skeletal remains and artifacts, which imply that anatomically modern human beings existed in California over 9 million years ago, do call into question the theory of human evolution, as presently understood. How can humans not have changed over that vast period of time? Whitney was certainly aware of the implications of his findings. Writing 11 years before the discovery of the Java ape-man, Pithecanthropus erectus, he stated: “All the investigations of geologists and ethnologists thus far have failed to obtain satisfactory evidence of the existence at a previous epoch of any type of being connecting man with the inferior animals, or decidedly lower in grade than races now inhabiting portions of the earth, or anything that we fail to recognize instantly as man” ( Whitney 1880, p. 286). More explicitly, Whitney concluded: “Man, thus far, is nothing but man, whether found in Pliocene, Post-pliocene, or recent formations” (1880, p. 288). He did admit the chance that some precursor of modern humanity might someday be found in strata older than Pliocene, but his tone in presenting this possibility suggested a challenge to his opponents rather than a fervent and soon-to-be-fulfilled hope of his own.
In the decades following Whitney’s statements, fossils displaying varying degrees of apelike and humanlike features did in fact come to light in Pliocene and post-Pliocene formations. But their discovery does not, however, automatically eliminate the many remains of anatomically modern humans discovered in the same, and earlier, formations. Nevertheless, the anomalously old human discoveries were eliminated by advocates of the recent evolution of the modern human type. If this elimination had not occurred, it would not have been possible to speak of the newly discovered ape-man-like creatures as precursors of Homo sapiens sapiens, human beings of the modern type.
6.2.6.2 Captain Akey’s Report
On January 1, 1873, the president of the Boston Society of Natural History read extracts from a letter by Dr. C. F. Winslow about a discovery of human bones at Table Mountain in Tuolumne County. The find was made in 1855 or 1856, and the details of it were communicated to Winslow by Capt. Akey, who had witnessed it. The discovery took place about 10 years before J. D. Whitney first reported on the famous Calaveras skull. Regarding the finds Whitney described, Winslow (1873, p. 257) wrote: “some distrust as to their identity has been entertained in certain scientific circles. The verification of such discoveries is all important to the interests of science, and I take great pleasure in communicating another fact to the Society of the same character; and in order that the record may in this instance be placed beyond dispute, I have requested my informant to substantiate his statement made to me in due legal form before a notary public.”
Winslow (1873, pp. 257–258) then went on to relate: “During my visit to this mining camp I have become acquainted with Capt. David B. Akey, formerly commanding officer of a California volunteer company, and well known to many persons of note in that State, and in the course of my conversation