* * * * * +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | Transcriber's Note: | | | | Inconsistent hyphenation matches the original document. | | | | This e-text contains characters with less common diacritics, | | non-ascii diacritical marks represented as follows: | | [vc] = c with a caron above | | [VC] = C with a caron above | | [VS] = S with a caron above | | [)e] = e with an accent breve above | | [=o] = o with a macron above | | | | Obvious typographical errors have been corrected in this | | text. For a complete list, please see the bottom of this | | document. | | | +--------------------------------------------------------------+ * * * * * SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTIONBUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGYBULLETIN 76 ARCHEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS I. CAVE EXPLORATIONS IN THE OZARK REGION OF CENTRAL MISSOURI II. CAVE EXPLORATIONS IN OTHER STATES III. EXPLORATIONS ALONG THE MISSOURI RIVER BLUFFS IN KANSAS AND NEBRASKA IV. ABORIGINAL HOUSE MOUNDS V. ARCHEOLOGICAL WORK IN HAWAII BYGERARD FOWKE WASHINGTONGOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE1922 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY, _Washington, D. C. , February 17, 1920. _ SIR: I have the honor to transmit the accompanying manuscript, entitled "Archeological Investigations, " by Gerard Fowke, and to recommend its publication, subject to your approval, as a bulletin of this bureau. Very respectfully, J. WALTER FEWKES, _Chief. _ DR. CHARLES D. WALCOTT, _Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. _ CONTENTS I. Cave Explorations in the Ozark Region of Central Missouri PageIntroduction 13The Upper Current River 18Shannon County 18 Bat Cave 18 Blue Spring, or Fishing Cave 18 Welch's Cave 18 Big Creek Cave 18Texas County 19 Smith Caves 19 Saltpeter Cave 19Dent County 20 Mammoth Cave 20 Guthoerl Cave 20 Short Bend Cave 20 Money Cave 21 Saltpeter Cave 21 Watson, Twin, or Onyx Caves 22 House mounds 22Phelps County 22 Bates Cave 22 Another "Bates Cave" 23 Renaud Cave 23 Marsh Caves 23 Wild-hog Cave 23 Shelters 24 Phelps Cave 24 "Key Rocks" 24 Jones Cave 24 Yancy Mills Cave 24 Lane Mound 24 Cairns on Lost Hill, at mouth of Gourd Creek 24 Exploration of the Gourd Creek Cave 28 Onyx Cave 34 Goat Bluff Cave 35 Cairns at Sugar Tree Camp 40 Tick Creek Cave 41 Cave in Pool Hollow 41 House mounds near Rolla 41 House mounds near Dillon 42 House mounds near St. James 42Pulaski County 42 McWilliams Cave 42 Davis Caves 42 Berry Cave 43 Maxey Cave 43 Yoark Cave 43 Graves at Laughlin's 44 Kerr Cave 44 Sell Cave 45 Phillips Cave 51 Bell's Cave 51 Camp-ground Cave 51 Bucher Cave 51 Graves near McKennan's 52 Roubidoux Cave 52 Richland Cave 52 Rollins Caves 52 Mix Cave 53 Double Cave 54 Railroad Cave 55 Bat, or Page, Cave 55 Tunnel Cave 56 Brooks Cave 56 Riddle Cave 56 Lane's Cave 56 Dry Creek Cave 56 House mounds 56 Riden's Cave 57 Saltpeter Cave 57 Miller's Cave 57 Ramsey's Cave 81 Graham Cave 83 Pillman's, or Spring Creek, Cave 83 Woodland Hollow Cave 84 Walled graves at Devil's Elbow 84 Cairns on Helm's farm 87 Ash Cave 89 Clemmens Creek Cave 89Camden County 89 Along the Niangua River 89 A fossil cave 91Miller County 91 Wright Cave 92 Wilson Cave 94 Bagnell Cave 94 Bode Cave 94 Luckenhoff Cave 94 Jurggenmeyer Cave 94 Daerhoff Cave 95 Cave near mouth of Tavern Creek 95 Bat Cave 95 Grave at mouth of Saline Creek 95 Stark's Cave 96 House mounds 96 Cairns 96Maries County 96 Indian Ford Cave 96 Lackaye's Bluff Cave 97 Hurricane Bluff Cave 97 Stratman Cave 98Osage County 98 River Cave 98 Rock-shelter 98 Steuffer Cave 99 Cairns 99 House mounds 99 "Indian Fort" 99Cole County 100 Natural Bridge Cave 100Morgan County 100 Speers Cave 100 House mounds 100 II. CAVE EXPLORATIONS IN OTHER STATES Introduction 101Indiana 102 Lawrence County 102 Martin County 102 Orange County 106 Crawford County 107 Harrison County 111Illinois 111 Monroe County 111Kentucky 112 Hardin County 112 Hart County 112 Edmonson County 115 Warren County 118 Barren County 119 Monroe County 120 Logan County 122 Todd County 122Tennessee 123 Montgomery County 123 Sullivan County 124 Bledsoe County 128 Sequatchie County 130 Grundy County 131 Franklin County 131 Marion County 132 Hamilton County 133Alabama 133 Lauderdale County 133 Colbert County 134 Jackson County 135 Dekalb County 137 Marshall County 139 III. EXPLORATIONS ALONG THE MISSOURI RIVER BLUFFS IN KANSAS AND NEBRASKA Vicinity of White Cloud, Kansas 151 Iowa Point 152 Near the mouth of the Nemaha River 152Vicinity of Troy, Kansas 153 Mouth of Mosquito Creek 153Rulo, Nebraska 154Near Howe, Nebraska 155Peru, Nebraska 156Papillion, Nebraska 156Vicinity of Omaha, Nebraska 156 Long's Hill 157 IV. ABORIGINAL HORSE MOUNDS New Madrid County 166St. François County 166 V. ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK IN HAWAII Introduction 178Molokai Island 179 The Rain Heiau 180 The sacrifice stones 181Hawaii Island 182 Kilauea 183 Waimea 183 Quarry on Mauna Kea 183 Kawaihae 183 East Point district 184 Napoopoo 184 Honaunau 184 Keauhou 185 Mookini 185 Laupahoehoe 187Maui Island 188 Kaupo, or Mokulau 188 Wailuku 188 Waihee 189 Burial places 190 In the Iao Valley 191Kauai Island 191 Lihue 192 Wailua 192 Dune burials 193 Waimea 194Conclusions 194Index 197 ILLUSTRATIONS PLATES 1. A, Cave on Big Piney River, Pulaski County, Mo. B, Cave on Big Piney River, Texas County, Mo. 12 2. A, Bluff at Mouth of Spring Creek, Pulaski County, Mo. B, Pillman's, or Spring Creek, Cave, Pulaski County, Mo. 12 3. Map of area examined 18 4. Bone and antler implements from Gourd Creek Cave, Phelps County, Mo. 34 5. Shell and flint objects from Gourd Creek Cave 34 6. Skull from Goat Bluff Cave, Phelps County, Mo. 38 7. Skull from Goat Bluff Cave 38 8. Skull from Goat Bluff Cave 38 9. Skull of child from Goat Bluff Cave 38 10. Flints from Goat Bluff Cave 38 11. Bone and antler implements from Goat Bluff Cave 38 12. Bone and antler implements from Goat Bluff Cave 38 13. A, Cairn 6 miles north of Arlington, Mo. B, Walled grave 6 miles north of Arlington, Mo. 38 14. Cairns on Roubidoux Creek, 6 miles from Waynesville, Mo. 46 15. Flints from Sell Cave, near Waynesville, Mo. 46 16. Objects from Sell Cave. A, Pestles or grinding stones; b, celt, pottery disks, paint stones, and skiver 46 17. Three skulls from Pulaski County, Mo. A, b, Skull from Sell Cave; c, d, skull from Bell's Cave, near Waynesville; e, f, skull from Miller's Cave 46 18. Teeth from Sell Cave and other caves, showing manner and amount of wear 48 19. Teeth from Sell Cave and other caves, showing manner and amount of wear 48 20. A, b, Skull from Miller's Cave, Pulaski County, Mo. ; c, part of skull of child from Miller's Cave 68 21. Skull of young woman from Miller's Cave 68 22. Skull of child from Miller's Cave 72 23. Diseased tibia of adult and diseased bones of child from Miller's Cave 72 24. Skull of child from Miller's Cave 72 25. Cache of flints from ash bed in Miller's Cave 72 26. Flints from Miller's Cave 76 27. Flints from Miller's Cave 76 28. Flints from Miller's Cave 76 29. Axes and pestles from Miller's Cave 76 30. Bone implements from Miller's Cave 78 31. Bone implements from Miller's Cave 78 32. Bone implements from Miller's Cave 78 33. Bone implements from Miller's Cave 78 34. Bone and antler implements from Miller's Cave 78 35. Antler implements from Miller's Cave 78 36. Skivers, showing stages of manufacture, from Miller's Cave 78 37. Shell spoons, pottery disks, and broken spoon made of a deer's skull, from Miller's Cave 78 38. A, Heiaus A and B, on Molokai Island, looking west; b, Heiau A, on Molokai Island, looking north; c, Heiaus A and B, on Molokai Island, looking south 180 39. A, Heiau A, on Molokai Island, looking south; b, platform in Heiau A, looking southeast; c, paved way in Heiau A, looking southwest 180 40. A, Paved way in Heiau A, looking north; b, fireplace in Heiau A 180 41. A, Heiau B, on Molokai Island, looking northwest; b, Heiau B, showing stone-paved interior, looking northeast 180 42. A, The "Rain Heiau, " Molokai Island, looking west; b, The "Rain Heiau, " looking south 180 43. A, The "Rain Heiau, " looking north; b, The "Rain Heiau, " looking southwest 180 44. A, The "Sacrifice Stones, " on Molokai Island, looking southwest; b, The "Sacrifice Stones, " looking west 180 45. A, The "Sacrifice Stones, " looking northwest; b, the "Sacrifice Stones, " looking south 180 TEXT FIGURES 1. Outline of Cairn (1), at Lost Hill, Phelps County, Mo. 26 2. Outline of Cairn (2), at Lost Hill, Phelps County, Mo. 26 3. Pipe from Cairn (2) 27 4. Outline of Cairn (3), Lost Hill 28 5. Fragment of glass bottle from Goat Bluff Cave 37 6. Pot from Goat Bluff Cave 39 7. Grooved ax from Goat Bluff Cave 40 8. Perforated object of antler from Sell Cave 48 9. Rubbing or polishing stone from Sell Cave 48 10. Flints from Sell Cave 49 11. Incised figure in sandstone near Miller's Cave 61 12. Incised figures in sandstone near Miller's Cave 61 13. Plan of Miller's Cave 62 14. Clay pipe from Miller's Cave 69 15. Perforated bone object from Miller's Cave 79 16. Adz or gouge of chert from Miller's Cave 79 17. Clay pipe from Miller's Cave 80 18. Columella bead from Cairn (4), Devil's Elbow 87 19. Columella bead from Cairn (5), Devil's Elbow 87 20. Plan of Fossil Cave 92 21. Section of Fossil Cave 92 22. Perforator and knife from Wright Cave 93 23. Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 18 feet 144 24. Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 20 feet 144 25. Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 22 feet 144 26. Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 26 feet 145 27. Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 28 feet 145 28. Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 30 feet 145 29. Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 35½ feet 146 30. Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 47½ feet 146 31. Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 60 feet 146 32. Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 70 feet 147 33. Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 90 feet 147 34. Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 93 feet 148 35. Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 175 feet 149 36. Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 180 feet 149 37. Plan of House Mound in St. François County, Mo. 168 * * * * * [Illustration: PLATE 1 a, Cave on Big Piney River, three miles east of Big Piney, Pulaski County. Mo. (Courtesy of Dr. P. J. Heuer, St. Louis)] [Illustration: PLATE 1 b, Cave on Big Piney River, in Texas County, Mo. (Courtesy of Dr. P. J. Heuer, St. Louis)] [Illustration: PLATE 2 a, Bluff at mouth of Spring Creek, Pulaski County, Mo. (Courtesy of Dr. P. J. Heuer, St. Louis)] [Illustration: PLATE 2 b, Pillman's, or Spring Creek, Cave, Pulaski County, Mo. (Courtesy of Dr. P. J. Heuer, St. Louis)] ARCHEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS I. EXPLORATIONS IN THE OZARK REGION OF CENTRAL MISSOURI BY GERARD FOWKE INTRODUCTION The geological structure of that portion of southern Missouri whichlies to the westward of the Archean rocks near the Mississippi Riveris peculiarly suitable for the development of caverns. The Ozarkuplift produced far-reaching undulations, and there seem to have beenno violent disturbances which would result in extensive faults, considerable displacements, or a pronounced inclination of the strata. Jointing and pressure cleavage, however, gave rise to innumerablecrevices in the limestone, through which percolating surface waterfound its way into all parts of the formations. By its solvent powerthis water gradually enlarged the crevices into passages which, multiplying and uniting, drained constantly increasing areas untilthey formed subterranean streams with a perpetual flow. Thus begancaverns; and these grew in depth, width, and height as the rock waseroded and dissolved. Tributary crevices were subject to the sameaction; and there was finally created by each of these water systems anetwork of cavities whose ramifications sometimes extend throughoutseveral townships. In time, sections of the roof, here and there, became so thin from the combined erosion taking place both above andbelow as to be unable to sustain their own weight; the overlyingstrata fell into the cave, and the volume of water flowing through itwas augmented by drainage which had previously been disposed of on thesurface. All this had to seek an outlet somewhere, except in thoserare instances where it maintains its downward course until, below thelevel of any open stream it can reach, it encounters an imperviousstratum and must lose itself in the deep rocks. Usually, however, itemerges in the face of a bluff or on the side of a hill; and theopening becomes "the mouth of a cave. " Occasionally, in suchsituations, the water continues to flow out; but usually it finds away to reach a lower level, and so the cave in time becomes dryexcept for such water as seeps through from the earth immediatelyabove. Sometimes, too, the point of discharge is at or perhapssomewhat below the level of a stream into which it passes; in theOzarks are numerous very large springs or fountains which by invertedsiphon or artesian action are forced up from subterranean streamslying at a greater depth. Few large caverns have the floor entirely dry, even when they are wellabove the bottom of the valley. Deposits in the front portion may bedry, perhaps dusty on the surface; but toward the interior moistureusually accumulates until they are muddy or until the water stands inpools or puddles. When this is the case there is sometimes a littlestream making its way to the front through a channel which it has cut;or seepage may dampen, possibly saturate, the lowermost portions ofthe otherwise dry earth. These details are controlled principally bythe direction and degree of slopes and by side openings which allowmore or less of the water to escape at some part of its journey. When a cavern is fairly lighted and has a dry floor, whether of rockor earth, it forms an excellent abode for a small community unable ornot disposed to construct shelters more comfortable or convenient; andthere is abundant evidence that many caves in the Ozarks were utilizedas habitations by the aborigines. It must be remembered, however, thatin the centuries which have elapsed since hunters or permanentoccupants first entered this region, many superficial changes havetaken place, not only about the entrances but within the caverns aswell. Very probably these alterations have converted caves onceoccupied into places which at present are quite unfit for suchpurposes. Talus has accumulated in front of the openings or partiallyfilled the front chambers; it may well be the case that this concealsmuch refuse. Caves which, from similar deposits, are now difficult toenter and dark to the doorway, may have been open and convenient. Furthermore, caves with wet or muddy bottoms may owe such condition tocauses which have recently come into operation; or if they alwayscontained more or less water, the primitive dwellers could in manycases have overcome such disadvantages by digging drains which havesince become choked and obliterated. Very small cavities, such as deeprock-shelters; or caverns with a great thickness of earth on thefloors, now showing no trace of remains; or those with entrances sosmall that it is necessary to crawl through--any of these, if clearedout to the bottoms, might disclose material dating back to very earlytimes. It might seem that the air in a cave constantly occupied would growstale and close; while smoke from the fires would in time becomeannoying. But Indians used for fuel only dry wood and bark, the smokefrom which would be a negligible factor. The varying pressure of theatmosphere outside creates a current of air in or out which is usuallyimperceptible but which penetrates to the deepest recesses and insuresventilation. In view of the very primitive conditions under which cave dwellerslived, as denoted by the artificial objects which they left, and thelow mentality indicated by the skulls, Mr. W. H. Holmes suggests that acareful and extended study of these abodes may disclose a culturelower than that prevailing among out-door dwellers in the samelocalities. As no effort would be required to secure warmth andshelter, and as food was abundant and easily procured, the people maynever have advanced from savagery, or may have retrograded. None of these possibilities are taken into account when reporting uponthe caves described in the following pages; the information offered isbased entirely upon the present appearance of the places mentioned. Toattempt more would be merely offering guesses. If "Cave Man"--using this term to designate the predecessor of anyrace or tribe known to history--ever existed in the Mississippi Valleyhe would not find in any part of it natural features better adaptedfor his requirements than in the Ozark hills. But, so far, not theslightest trace of his presence has been revealed. Products of humanindustry have been reported as occurring at great depths under otherconditions, even at the bottom of the loess; though in all such casesthere is some uncertainty as to the correctness of the observations. No similar reports have been made in regard to any cave yet explored. On the contrary, whatever may be the depth of the deposit containingthem, the artificial objects exhumed are uniform in character from topto bottom; the specimens found on the clay or solid rock floor are ofthe same class as those barely covered by the surface earth. Moreover, when they cease to appear they cease absolutely; the rock was sweptbare, or the clay was deposited, by the stream to which the cave owesits existence, and each is a part of the original formation. In thesecircumstances habitation would be out of the question. By careful search in the caves and rock-shelters of which the Indianknown to history availed himself, extensive and interesting museumcollections can be made. To find an earlier man it will be necessaryto investigate caverns which he found suitable for occupancy and inwhich the accumulation of detritus, from whatever source, has beensufficient to cover his remains so deeply that they can not beconfused with those of a later period; and it may be necessary, also, to discover with them bones of extinct animals. Should such a placeexist, it is extremely probable that there will be no outwardindication of the fact. No examination of a cavern is complete or is to be deemed satisfactoryunless a depth is reached where the geological deposits areundeniably of such age as to antedate the possible appearance of manupon the scene. This is not assured until the excavation has reachedthe original floor, which may be either the bed-rock or the clay leftby the eroding stream when its volume had become so diminished fromany cause that it was no longer able to keep its channel cleared out. Unless a cave is almost perfectly dry--and few of them are--the bottomcan not be reached until all standing or soil water has been drainedoff. Notwithstanding the most explicit directions, a stranger without aguide is frequently unable to find a cave unless its position isplainly visible from some well-defined spot. The winding valleys andthe multitude of ravines sometimes bewilder even those living amongthem. A few definitions of terms, or explanations of statements in thereport, may prevent misunderstanding. "Refuse, " "signs, " "indications, " "evidence, " referring to habitationor occupancy, mean mussel shells; animal bones; burned or workedstones; broken pottery; wrought objects of bone or shell; flintimplements, chips, or spalls; ashes; charcoal; in short, the materialordinarily found on the site of an Indian village, some or all ofwhich are to be seen where the caverns have been used for shelter. "Daylight" or "in daylight" is the greatest distance within theentrance to a cavern at which common print may be easily read or thenature of small objects lying on the floor determined with certainty. "Drip rock, " "cave rock, " or "cave formation" are general termsincluding stalactite or stalagmite; also deposits of similar origincoating the walls. Not all of these may be present in the same cavern. "Roof dust" is a substance, literally "lime sand, " produced by thesuperficial disintegration of the roof or walls. This process isgreatly accelerated where lichen or rock moss has gained a root holdon the stone. Roof dust in a dry cavern is the equivalent ofstalagmite in a wet one. "Cave earth" is the loose, loamy material usually found in the frontchambers of large caverns. It is made up of roof dust, sand, and siltwashed from the interior, outside dust and vegetable matter blown inby the wind, with minute amounts of clay or soil carried in byanimals. "Gravel" in a cavern is seldom noticeably water-worn, but is theangular débris resulting from the continued fragmentation of chertnodules released by erosion of the limestone. A "rock shelter, " or "shelter cave, " is a room or recess formed byatmospheric erosion in the face, usually at the base, of a cliff. Thedepth from front to back, under the projecting or overhangingunremoved bedrock above, is generally much less than the length asmeasured along the face of the bluff. They are nearly always dry, moreor less protected from storms, and when of suitable size and in afavorable location were much used as camping places. They are ratherrare in limestone formations but frequent in massive sandstone. "House mounds" are small, low piles of earth, similar in all respectsto those so numerous in southeastern Missouri and southward. Althoughthey are usually described as "standing in regular rows, " they are infact irregularly placed, though seldom as much as 100 feet apart inthe same group. Measurements of caverns explored were made with a tape line; otherswere estimated by stepping, or in the case of elevations, by sighting, consequently are only approximate, but the figures given will in nocase exceed the actual distance. Specimens reported from caves not excavated were found on the floor, sometimes in situations where no addition of cave earth had takenplace since the objects were left there; at other times where theywere brought from below by burrowing animals; and, again, where theyare exposed in the bed or banks of a drainage channel. In no cave so far examined has any evidence been found to show thatthe aborigines occupied any part of it beyond such point as wasadequately illuminated from the entrance. No doubt they may, at times, have retreated beyond the reach of daylight and been compelled todispel the darkness by means of fires; but such instances were rareand of short duration. Statements are sometimes made that specimens, usually flint implements, have been found far, possibly severalhundred yards, within the cavern. Such objects do not predicatehabitation at that distance; primitive explorers may have lost them. It has been pointed out, too, by Mr. De Lancey Gill, that a woundedanimal, taking refuge in a cave and instinctively seeking its darkrecesses, may carry in an arrow or spear whose point remains when theshaft has decayed. In the case of a large mammal, such as a bear or apanther, a number of arrow or spear heads might be carried in and befound close together long after the death of the victim. Cairns or stone-covered graves are of common occurrence; but with asingle exception the rocks in all those visited or reported are moreor less displaced. This is due to hunters digging out small wildanimals making a den in them; to treasure seekers who believe that"money" is concealed in them; and most of all to persons who arecurious to know "what there is in there. " The record of the investigations will be given by counties, beginningat the south and proceeding northward. Descriptions and notes of thesites mentioned will follow as closely as possible the samearrangement. A number following the name of a cave refers to itsposition as denoted by a corresponding number on the map (pl. 3). THE UPPER CURRENT RIVER A number of well-known caverns, some of them quite extensive, existalong the head streams forming the Current River. As originallyplanned, the work included a thorough survey of this region, but owingto various causes it was only partially examined. Several large caveswere reported as being along the river and its tributaries fartherdown than these researches were carried. Notable is one opposite themouth of Sinkin Creek, which was described as dry and very largewithin; but it was also stated that it can only be entered through asink hole with the aid of a ladder or pole 30 feet long. Such a caveis not likely to have been used for shelter. Others, as they weredescribed, seemed equally unfitted for this purpose. The onlyexception to this general rule is one in Spring Valley south of theCurrent and east of Sinkin. Such as were visited will be described in their geographical order. * * * SHANNON COUNTY BAT CAVE (1) This cavern is 6 miles above the mouth of Sinkin. It is near the topof a cliff, fully 300 feet above the river. The entrance is 30 feetwide and 10 feet high; within is a level earth-covered floor. Beingvery difficult of access, it was probably never inhabited. BLUE SPRING, OR FISHING CAVE (1) This is situated on the Terrell land, 4 miles below Akers post office. The entrance, 10 feet high and 20 feet wide, is almost at low-waterlevel; the river at flood height rises fully 20 feet above its top. Fifty feet within is a spring or well, 20 feet across, whose bottom isbeyond the reach of a line 60 feet long. It is said that eyeless fishof 3 pounds weight have been caught in this "Blue Spring. " WELCH'S CAVE This is 4 miles below Cedar Grove. It can be entered only in a boat, and the entire floor is deeply covered with soft mud. BIG CREEK CAVE There is a cave at the mouth of Big Creek which is often used as atemporary camping place by hunters and fishermen. The water entersit whenever there is a freshet in either the creek or the river; so itcould never have served as a place of permanent abode. [Illustration: PLATE 3: MAP OF AREA EXAMINED (Numbers refer to corresponding numbers in text)] * * * TEXAS COUNTY SMITH CAVES (2) On James I. Smith's land, on Big Creek, a mile above Niles, are threecaves. One is merely a round opening 5 feet in width and height, soonnarrowing to a crevice; it would not be mentioned except that in itwas a sandstone slab such as mortars are made of. This bore no marksof use; but it had been carried in for some purpose--possibly by whitemen. The second cave, 50 feet from the first, has an entrance 20 feet wideand 4 to 5 feet high. Dry earth extends back for 40 feet; then comeclay and fallen rocks, sloping downward toward the rear. The roofmaintains its level as far as followed. No trace of occupation couldbe found. The third cave, 150 yards from the second, has an entrance 35 feetwide and 20 feet high. Dry cave earth appears for 20 feet, at whichdistance it merges with mud containing large rocks. The cavern extendsfor 50 feet in daylight; water from the interior spreads over thewhole floor to the inner margin of dry earth, where it collects in alittle stream which passes out along the foot of one wall. The earthdeposit seems to be thin. The only objects that could be found in thecave or about the entrance were a small sandstone slab, unmarked; asmall piece of deer bone; and one fragment of shell-tempered pottery. Not a flake of flint was seen. These caves are not worth working. * * * * * A fourth of a mile from the cave last mentioned is a rock grave on aledge which projects at about 40 feet (vertically) below the top ofthe hill. As near as can be judged, in its present torn-up condition, the cairn was originally about 10 by 20 feet in dimensions; so therewere probably two graves covered by the ordinary conical heaps ofstone, the depression between them being filled up to form a singlecairn. SALTPETER CAVE (3) Five miles west of Montauk, on Ashley Creek, is a cave noted forhaving two entrances which are separated by a triangular mass of rock, part of the original formation. This partition measures 30 feet acrossat the face of the bluff and terminates within 20 feet. The principalopening is 90 feet wide and 15 feet high. Dry cave earth extends back90 feet, at which distance water constantly falls from the roof andflows along the foot of one wall through the minor entrance. Thelatter is 30 feet wide, 10 feet high, and its bottom is 10 feet lowerthan that of the main opening. The volume of water passing out varieswith the seasons, but is sufficient at times to cover the entire floorof the side chamber and keep it swept free of earth and small gravel. In the front portion of the main cavern the dry earth is 5 feet deepin its thickest part; but as it has all been leached for obtaining thesaltpeter or niter diffused through it, none of it is in the originalposition. Some earth has also been brought from farther back, leached, and added to the pile in front; and much of this has been hauled outfor fertilizer. Near the main entrance is a large mass of breccia made up of smallangular limestone fragments cemented throughout with stalagmitematerial; it projects several feet above the present level of theearth floor, so the character of the cavern must have changed greatlysince this deposit was formed. The only artificial object found was a fragment, about an inch across, of dark, sand-tempered pottery. Owing to the extensive changes resulting from collecting thesaltpeter, the cavern would not repay investigation. * * * DENT COUNTY MAMMOTH CAVE The statement has been made that a large dry cavern, known as the"Mammoth Cave, " is in a bluff facing Current River, opposite the mouthof Ashley Creek. It could not be located; and residents in thevicinity assert that not only is there no cave near this site, butthere is none known as "Mammoth" anywhere in the region. Some of them, however, had a vague idea that a cavern bearing the same name exists"away down toward Eminence; it may be on Jack's Fork. " GUTHOERL CAVE There is a cave on the farm of Peter Guthoerl, 6 miles east of Salem. It is small, with very little level space in front of it, and waterfrom the interior runs or seeps out of it, keeping the floor muddythroughout the year. SHORT BEND CAVE (4) Short Bend post office is 12 miles northeast of Salem. Half a mileeast of it, in a bluff on the opposite side of the Meramec River, is acave with an entrance 25 feet wide and about the same in height; theroof forming a fairly symmetrical Gothic arch. Were it not for thepile of talus in front, water from the river would pour into thecavern in extreme floods; these subside very rapidly, however, andhave never percolated through the barrier. It is said that persons digging in a desultory way have unearthedbones which were assumed to be those of Indians because they were"red. " No description of them could be obtained, and they may not havebeen human bones at all. The floor is level and dry for about 80 feet back from the entrance, but no refuse of any kind appeared, except in the pile of talusoutside, which showed a small quantity of flint chips such as would beleft by hunting parties in repairing their weapons. MONEY CAVE This is a fourth of a mile down the river from Short Bend Cave. Ittakes its name from the customary tradition that Indians concealed alarge treasure here; the legend being authenticated by an "Indianchief" who told a white man that his people had buried much gold in acave in this bluff, built a fire over the money, then filled the mouthof the cave with earth and rock. Some of the persons who opened manysmall holes in searching for the hidden wealth claim to have foundashes in this cave, behind the barrier, which is only ordinary talus. The floor is of tough clay, fallen rocks, and stalagmite, all ofwhich, as well as the walls and ledges, were industriously dug andhammered for months by the treasure seekers. A cave with an entrance 15 feet wide, the same in height, and having adepth of 45 feet in daylight, lies between Money Cave and Short BendCave. In very wet seasons water runs through it from the interior; andhigh water backs into it from the Meramec River. SALTPETER CAVE This is three-fourths of a mile north of Short Bend post office, onthe opposite side of the river. The arched entrance is 25 feet wideand 20 feet high. Fifteen feet from the front the cave divides intotwo branches about equal in size; they have never been explored to theend. One branch continues straight back for about 100 feet, then turnsabruptly to the right for 50 or 60 feet, at which distance it resumesits original direction. The other branch turns directly to the rightand is in daylight for 50 feet. Much of the cave earth has been hauledaway for fertilizer, or leached for obtaining saltpeter, so that onlya small quantity remains in front. Farther back, in both chambers, thedry earth where not disturbed is 8 to 10 feet thick. The cavern is easily accessible, close to the river, and otherwisewell adapted for habitation; but careful search failed to reveal anyindication that it had ever been thus used. WATSON, TWIN, OR ONYX CAVES The two caverns thus variously designated are on the Meramec River, 14miles north of Salem. They are parallel to a depth of about 100 feet, being separated by only 10 or 12 feet of solid wall. The floors ofboth slope downward from front to rear, but not so rapidly as theroof, so that at this distance the caves apparently come to an end. But that they continue back into the hill is manifest from theappearance of the roofs. In some manner the rear portion of each hasbecome entirely filled with earth. Probably they unite somewherebeyond this point. Either of these caves is of ample size to make an excellent shelterfor a large number of people; but they are difficult of access, and noevidence whatever could be discovered indicating occupancy. In fact, this part of the Meramec Valley does not seem to have everbeen permanently inhabited. Residents say that relics, even flintimplements, are seldom found in the bottom lands; and this fact wascommented on by persons who have learned how common such things are inother localities. Small, rough hematite axes, however, occur inconsiderable quantities throughout the region. The ore outcrops atvarious places and solid nodules or fragments are plentiful. Chertknives or spearheads are found scattered promiscuously; and, rarely, an object made of other stone may be picked up. Very few specimens ofany description are symmetrical or carefully finished. HOUSE MOUNDS (5) On the Dent County infirmary farm, in Spring Creek Valley, a mile anda half south of Salem, is a group of house mounds, about 50 in number. They have not been much disturbed by cultivation; the creek and adrainage ditch have cut through several of them, but, as usual, thereis nothing in the construction to show their purpose. Two similar groups are on the Short Bend road, not far from Salem;another group on Peter Guthoerl's farm 6 miles east of Salem; and afourth group, partly within the corporate limits of Salem, on the roadto Rolla. * * * PHELPS COUNTY BATES CAVE On the farm of J. W. Riden, 6 miles southeast of Big Piney post office, is Bates Cave, of which every visitor to the region is speedilyinformed. It is entered with difficulty by sliding feet first down theinner slope of a pile of débris which fills the entrance almost tothe roof. Once beyond this, there is ample space. On the hillside, above the mouth, is a vertical shaft, like a well, due to the wideningof a crevice; access to the interior of the cave may also be hadthrough this by means of a long rope. Under present conditions, itwould not be used except as a temporary shelter or hiding place; forwhich purposes bushwhackers availed themselves of its advantagesduring the Civil War. This cavern is renowned far beyond its merits on account of its famous"ballroom, " where dances and picnics are held; artificial lights beingplaced on the walls. Possibly the manner in which it must be enteredhas something to do with its popularity. ANOTHER "BATES CAVE" Within a few rods of the cave above described is another, with anentrance 60 feet wide and 10 feet high. Cave earth, which is 5 feetthick above the bottom of a small stream coming from the interior, extends back to large rocks covering the floor; beyond these arerocks, wet clay, and gravel. The cave earth seems to run for somedistance under the receding walls. A milk house has been constructedin it, so that excavations are not permitted. RENAUD CAVE Four miles east of Edgar Springs, facing Little Piney, is Renaud(R[)e]n´n[=o]) Cave, on the farm of Charles E. Widener. The entranceis 50 feet wide and 10 feet high. Dry cave earth extends back for 65feet, then comes fallen rock for 100 feet or more. A little streamruns close to the north wall. Cave earth is 5 feet deep on the bedrockat the entrance and rises toward the interior. There is much refusewithin and also on the slope in front of the entrance. MARSH CAVES A shelter cave on Henry Marsh's farm, facing Little Piney, 2 milessouth of Yancy Mills, has a front 35 feet wide, 15 feet high, and runsback 60 feet. There is a wet-weather stream bed through the center. Bedrock shows at the entrance, rising toward the rear for a few feet, then becoming covered with cave earth, which probably has a maximumthickness of 2 feet. There is considerable refuse scattered about, butit is doubtful whether the shallow deposit would repay investigation. WILD-HOG CAVE A fourth of a mile from the above cave is one known as "Wild-hogCave, " because in pioneer days these animals gathered here for shelterand protection. It is a small, tunnel-like affair, with a solid rockfloor, and extends farther into the hill than anyone has ever dared toventure. SHELTERS Two small rock shelters near the Wild-hog Cave may have been resortedto as temporary camping places. PHELPS CAVE A cave on the farm of James Phelps, 2 miles south of Yancy Mills, isdescribed as small, with a narrow entrance. "KEY ROCKS" Near Yancy Mills there is something known as "the Key Rocks. " It cannot be found by a stranger and no guide was available at the time theplace was sought. It is described as a small, deep, circular hole insolid rock, in which were many stone covers or lids, one aboveanother, gradually diminishing in size and "cut to fit down on eachother. " It is probably due to stream erosion. JONES CAVE On Little Piney, half a mile south from Yancy Mills, is a large caveon the Jones farm. It is said to have a large entrance and much earthon the floor. As the owner uses it for a warehouse in which to storefruits and vegetables and utilizes the stream flowing through it forpreserving milk and butter, no examination could be made. YANCY MILLS CAVE There is a small, shallow cave near the top of the bluff, half a milenorth of Yancy Mills. It contains no evidence of occupation, exceptthat walls and ceiling are blackened with smoke, due, probably, tomodern refugees or hunters. LANE MOUND (7) It was reported, too late to visit the site, that on George Lane'sfarm, on Little Piney, a mile north of Yancy Mills, is a mound "8 feethigh, built of earth, " and surrounded with the usual evidences of avillage site, scattered over the level bottom on which it stands. CAIRNS ON LOST HILL, AT MOUTH OF GOURD CREEK (8) Gourd Creek flows into the east side of Little Piney River 12 milessouthwest of Rolla. It is less than 4 miles long, and but for three orfour large springs near its source, which keep its volume fairlyuniform, would be dry most of the year. Parallel with it, a short distance to the southward, is a ravineseveral miles in length, known as Coal Pit Hollow. This originallydischarged its drainage into Little Piney about half a mile above themouth of Gourd Creek. A ravine tributary to the latter, near itsmouth, has worked back until it has captured the flow of Coal Pit. Thelower end of the stream bed thus abandoned now forms a gap ordepression with a slight incline from the center in both directions. The crest of the deserted portion is about 50 to 60 feet above thepresent level of Little Piney. The hill inclosed by this quadrilateraldrainage is about a fourth of a mile in length along its top, has adirection almost north and south, with a nearly uniform slope alongthe summit, the southern point being somewhat higher than that at thenorth, and terminates abruptly at each end. The sides descend at oncefrom the center line of the ridge, like a roof with a slightly roundedcomb. On account of its isolated position the eminence is locally known as"Lost Hill. " It is not to be confused, however, with several similarformations in this region, to which the same term is applied and whichmay owe their existence to a like cause, or may be due to cut-offs bystreams. On the top of this particular Lost Hill are six cairns, five of themnear the northern end, the sixth just where the ridge breaks off tothe south. The margins are uncertain owing to the upper stones beingscattered by hunters as well as by credulous individuals who arefirmly fixed in the belief that all such "rock piles" contain goldhidden by Indians. So far as can now be determined the five at the northern end were 16to 18 feet across as left by the builders, the southernmost one beingsomewhat smaller. All are in uncleared land, and crevices between thestones are filled with a tangled mass of roots from the trees andbushes growing on and around them. The relative positions are about thus, measurements being made on theearth between the scattered stones: (1) 10 feet, (2) 10 feet, (3) 50feet, (4) 10 feet, (5) 1, 000 feet, (6). The distance from (5) to (6)is estimated by stepping and may vary considerably either way from themeasure given. Cairns (1), (2), and (3) were thoroughly excavated. CAIRN (1) This, the farthest north, was about 16 by 17 feet within the originallimits. When the outer loose rocks were removed there was disclosed awall of flat stones on the natural surface, so laid as to form aninclosure apparently intended to be practically square. It measured, across the center, from outside to outside, about 14 feet from northto south by 12 feet from east to west. The north and south walls werestraight, the others outwardly curved. The approximate outline isshown in figure 1. In most parts the wall was only one stone high; ina few places there was another rock laid up. Over and within this wallhad been piled loose stones, ranging in size from small pebbles tofragments of 150 pounds in weight, to form a heap whose originalheight was about 2 feet. [Illustration: FIG. 1. --Outline of Cairn (1), at Lost Hill, Phelps County, Mo. ] When all these were cleared away the space within the wall was foundto measure 9 feet in each direction. Three feet from the middle of thewest wall was a fragment of a child's skull lying on the undisturbedangular gravel which forms the natural surface on this ridge exceptwhere a small amount of recently decayed humus may be held by rocksand roots. Halfway between the center and the north wall was the topof an adult skull, with three fragments of long bones. These, whichwere much gnawed by rodents, were in black earth, evidently the formerhome of some burrowing animal. A foot north of the infant's skull were small remnants of an adult'sskull, probably belonging with the piece first found. There were alsosome scraps of animal bones, much gnawed. CAIRN (2) This measured from 16 to 18 feet across to the outer edge of the loosestones, and about 30 inches high. Under the top rocks was a rough wallsimilar to that in Cairn (1), but all the sides were nearly straight. The outline is given in figure 2. The outside measurements, across thecenter, were 15 feet each way. There were more stones in this wallthan in the first; mostly there were two, and in some places three, superposed. [Illustration: FIG. 2. --Outline of Cairn (2), at Lost Hill, Phelps County, Mo. ] Extending from north to south across the middle of the vault was a rowof large slabs standing on edge with their tops leaning toward theeast. Their inclination varied from nearly horizontal to nearlyvertical; so it would appear that they were not placed thusintentionally but had settled irregularly. Probably they had formedthe covering of a pen or vault, of poles or timbers, in which a bodyhad been placed. Close to these inclined slabs, near the north wall of the vault, wasthe effigy pipe shown in figure 3. It is made of a fine-grainedsandstone and seems intended to represent a buzzard with anexaggerated tail, though the beak is more like that of a crow. Thisspecimen lay between two flat rocks which were separated by a littleearth and gravel, but there were no traces of bone with it or near it. [Illustration: FIG. 3. --Pipe from Cairn (2). ] At a slightly lower level than the pipe were several flat stonesstanding at various angles. When these were removed there were foundfragmentary remains of at least three adults, lying in confusion, asif only the folded dismembered skeletons had been placed here. Theylay on a floor of slabs which, in turn, rested upon undisturbedgravel. The facts observed are difficult to interpret, as the original orderwas so broken up; but it would seem that as a preliminary to theburial of bodies or skeletons, the superficial earth had been scrapedaway and a rough stone floor laid, on which the bundled or foldedremains were placed and at least partially covered with earth andgravel. Other flat rocks were then laid over them, either directly onthe earth or more probably supported by poles placed across, whosedecay had allowed them to fall into the confusion in which they werefound. A small flint knife was among the remains. The pipe, being at a little distance from these bones, would suggestanother interment; but as no trace of such remained it may have beenplaced as an afterthought or a separate deposit. From these skeletons row after row of the slanting rocks continued tothe inner side of the eastern wall. Two feet east of the pipe was askull on its right side, the back against a small flat rock. It wascrushed flat, and only a small part of it remained. Possibly it hadturned after burial, as fragments of other bones were found here andthere toward the south from it, indicating an extended burial. Theteeth were hard, solid, and much worn. The bones found were more orless gnawed, and among them were scraps, probably of food animals, burned into charcoal. No bones found could be saved, as they were verysoft. CAIRN (3) This was similar in construction to (1) and (2), as is shown in figure4. The wall, along the outside, measured 14 feet on the south, 13 feeton the north, 15 feet on the west, and 14 feet on the east. Theinclosed space was 10 feet across each way. Some one had dug out muchof the south end; the northern end was undisturbed. [Illustration: FIG. 4. --Outline of Cairn (3), Lost Hill. ] The prior excavation had barely missed, near the west wall, a fewfragments of an adult skull and three teeth. About even with themiddle point of the west wall, 2 feet from it, was evidence of theburial of an adult--pieces of bone and skull, and some teeth. North ofthese, near the northwest corner, were fragments of two adult skulls, with one of which were some beads made of shells of water snails; 18of these were recovered, all more or less decayed. Between these twoskulls were parts of a child's skull, the teeth not yet through thebone. Inclined flat stones in the eastern half of the grave, the topsleaning eastward, denoted other burials; but nothing was found underthem, although small flat stones laid on the original surfaceindicated the bottom of a grave. Evidently several burials, of which all traces have disappeared, weremade in this vault. Owing to the practical identity of these three graves, the poorreturns, and the difficulty of working in a tangled mass of toughroots without displacing the stones so greatly that their properposition became a perplexing question, the remaining three were notexcavated. EXPLORATION OF THE GOURD CREEK CAVE (8) Near the mouth of Gourd Creek, on the north side, is a cave which hasacquired much local reputation from its size and also from theevidence it affords of a long-continued occupation by the aborigines. It is easily reached from the road which passes in front; wagons canbe driven into it and there is ample space for them to turn and passout. Formerly it was much resorted to as a pleasant place for socialgatherings; but in recent years it has been used as a barn andstorehouse. The owner, Mr. Valentine Allen, gave cheerful permissionfor all the excavation that was desired, subject only to the provisothat the floor be put back in condition suitable for the purposes forwhich he needed it. And it is only fair to state that he was not atall difficult to satisfy in this respect. A stream coming from the interior had a flow at the close of the longdrought in 1918 sufficient to fill a 2-inch pipe with a rapid fall; inwet seasons the water spreads from wall to wall until it comes towithin 100 feet of the mouth. Back in the cave, where the slope is greater, it has sufficient volumeand force to carry away all pebbles smaller than coarse gravel and thematerial that finds lodgment among the stones. The cave is easily traversed for almost 600 feet; beyond this arenarrow crevices and tortuous passages, where explorers must frequentlycrawl or clamber. One adventurous party proceeded until they reachedan opening on the other side of the hill; but this was so choked byfallen rock and débris from the hillside as to be impassable. Instorms a strong breeze passes through the main entrance, in or out inaccordance with the direction of the wind. Owing to the irregular outline of the cliffs, the width of theentrance can not be accurately given. From side to side, well underthe front of the ceiling the distance is 110 feet. Two hundred feettoward the interior it contracts to 50 feet. At the entrance the wallsare vertical to a height of 25 feet; a short curve at the top oneither side, due to the breaking away of the ledges, connects themwith the roof, which is somewhat higher. Being a single massivestratum, the top is practically horizontal, but the floor constantlyrises from the front with a slight and fairly uniform grade. The frontchamber is straight and well lighted for 300 feet, where it turnsabruptly westward; from this point the floor is solid rock which thewater keeps comparatively free from any loose matter except heavyblocks from the walls or top. Beginning at the entrance is a deposit whose farthest extensionreaches 100 feet into the cavern. It is composed to a small extent ofsand and clay carried by the stream, and of earth blown or washed infrom the outside; but, as investigation proved, it is mainly ashesfrom prehistoric fires. The surface of this deposit, especially towardthe inner end, is very uneven, being higher near the walls thanthrough the central portion. This is due to two causes: In very wetseasons water has carried away much of it, and a large amount has beenhauled out by the owner to scatter over his fields as a fertilizer. Hereports that in the course of this work he found quantities of potteryfragments, broken bones, flints, and "two or three" human skeletons, with fragments of others. This is the basis for the assertion, frequently heard, that "many" or "very many" burials had been madehere. The only human remains which he saved are the complete skull ofan adult, remarkably preserved and apparently that of a white woman; arather large lower jaw, of a man; a few long bones; and parts ofskulls and jaws of three or four children. From comments made and questions asked by visitors while theinvestigation was in progress, it seems that bones and teeth of deerand other animals are mistaken for those of people. No human boneswere uncovered in this work, except as noted below. There is a firm belief in the community that somewhere in this cave isconcealed $100, 000 in gold, seven "pony loads" in all, which was puthere by an old squaw, sole survivor of a massacre by which her tribewas exterminated. Much of the irregularity of surface noted in thedeposits is due to the efforts of persons trying to find this money. Before starting the work it was necessary to deepen the little stream, which had cut its way through the accumulation much nearer to thewestern than to the eastern wall of the cavern, in order to allow thewater to run out of the lower end of the deposit. Thorough drainage ofthe whole mass was impossible, as water continually seeped in from thegravel bed farther up, a condition which could not be remedied. Bedrock was reached at a depth of 3 feet below the channel. The lower2 feet of this distance was through a black, mucky substance which wasso tough and sticky that removing it was like digging through a bog. Following the bedrock as a floor, the western side of the deposit wasfirst examined. It had a width of 35 feet at the mouth of the cave, gradually narrowing inward for a distance of 75 feet, where itterminated at the level of the water. Its greatest elevation, at theside of the entrance, was about 10 feet; but this does not mean thatits thickness was so much at any point, as the rock sloped upwardquite as rapidly as the surface. So many stones were scattered throughit, fallen from the sides and roof, or rolled in from the outsidewhere they had broken loose from the cliff, that not more thanone-fourth of the area could be excavated. These rocks varied in sizefrom cobblestones to blocks weighing 3 or 4 tons. They were at alllevels, some lying on the rock floor, others only slightly imbedded inthe earth. Yet the superficial accumulation extended under all of themexcept such as were in direct contact with the bedrock, proving thatthe cave was occupied throughout the period in which such downfallsoccurred. An additional evidence of age is the fact that the usualdébris, such as bones, flints, pottery, ashes, etc. , lay in immediatecontact with the bedrock where this has weathered to a chalkyconsistency from 2 to 4 inches in depth since these objects were leftthere. Owing to the uneven surface of both the bedrock and the deposits onit, the thickness of the latter varied from 1 to 3 feet--not includingthe muck, which last, however, disappeared at the level where the rockrose above the water line. But, whatever the depth, more than half theoverlying material was pure ashes; either resting undisturbed on thefire beds, or piled in irregular masses, where they had been thrown toget them out of the way. The largest ash bed was near the wall; itmeasured from 4 to 7 feet across, with a very uneven outline, as ifmany fires had been made there at different times. The objects discovered included flint knives, spearheads, arrowheads(mostly broken), with many spalls and chips; potsherds (only verysmall pieces were found); animal bones; mussel shells; boneperforators; chert nodules, more or less flaked; two stone beads orbuttons; a small fragment of a pipe; but no mortars, hammers, pestles, cooking-stones, or hatchets, such as are usually found on the sites ofIndian villages. None of the pottery was decorated, but most of it wascord-marked, though some of it was so smoothed and polished as almostto appear glazed. It varied through a wide range of color, thickness, and general appearance, and was noticeably deficient in quantity. Infact, the west side of the cave had less the appearance of apermanently occupied site than of a camping place which was used as atemporary resort by traveling or hunting parties; but at the same timethe depth and amount of ashes showed that it had afforded shelterthrough a long period. The excavation on this side included all the space bounded by theditch, the wall, the mass of rocks piled at the entrance, and thewater-soaked earth toward the interior. The muck, and the large blocksscattered around, prevented a complete clearing out; but the partthoroughly examined had an area of about 600 square feet, perhaps alittle more. No human bones were found, in spite of reports of theirdiscovery and reburial by treasure hunters in the past; and there waswide disagreement on the part of visitors, who were also present whenthe bones were found, as to the number of such interments. All finallyconceded that there was only one adult skull, though there was muchargument as to the number of children's remains discovered, the personwho was blessed with the largest memory insisting there were 13 "allin a pile. " There was also some discussion as to whether the remainswere actually found near the west wall or had been carried over thereand reinterred after being exhumed on the east side. These particulars are given merely to show how little reliance is tobe placed upon the statements of perfectly truthful persons who donot observe closely, whose memory plays them tricks, who are notespecially interested in the matter under discussion, or whoserecollections naturally become jumbled after several years haveelapsed. Work was next begun on the east side, at the edge of the drainagetrench. Bedrock was reached as before, under 2 feet of muck, and wasweathered until quite soft and of a yellowish hue, for 3 or 4 inchesbelow its surface. An effort was made to keep on the rock as a floor, removing all the muck; but this was so water soaked, so tenacious, andso filled with chert and limestone gravel that it could not be managedwith either pick or shovel. A little of the gravel had no doubt fallenfrom the roof; but nearly all of this mingled material had washed downfrom the interior, as it was entirely similar, except for its darkcolor, to that forming the floor farther in. Consequently it wasnecessary to limit the explorations to that part of the deposit whichlay above the wet black mass. Numerous attempts were made to ascertainthe thickness of the latter; but water, gravel, and slush oozed orslid into the hole as fast as they could be removed, and it wasimpossible to reach the bottom. The eastward dip of the rock floor, asnoted on the western side of the cave, no doubt continues entirelyacross. If such be the case, then the original drainage line wasagainst the foot of the eastern wall. Later, because the channel wasobstructed by talus, the stream was forced more and more to the west, saturating, up to the level of its final outlet, the earth and asheswhich had accumulated. It may be, however, that either this line ofdrainage, or the mass of talus in front of the cave, is ofcomparatively recent origin. Such accumulations as those describedwould be impossible under present conditions. At any rate, thisdeposit of muck, then dry, started from the floor of the cave with theearliest occupation; for artificial objects of the same character thatoccurred in the dry deposit above were found in it to a depth of 3 or4 inches. They may continue to the bedrock, but on account of thestanding water no satisfactory observations could be made below thelevel indicated. Lying above the muck and, as intimated, practically continuous withit, was an accumulation of ashes with which here and there some earthwas mingled, though the latter made only a small proportion of theentire mass, and was sometimes entirely lacking from top to bottom. They were principally in strata or irregular layers, lying undisturbedwhere fires had been made; but there were also many scattered piles, usually small, where they had been thrown to get them out of the way. The excavation on the eastern side began with a trench 25 feet wide. When this had been carried about the same distance toward the wall, rocks and earth rolled and washed in from the outside were encounteredon the right, the side toward the mouth of the cavern. These reachedfrom the bottom to the surface, and were continuous with the bank oftalus. As results had been meager along here, the sides of the trenchwere turned to the northward and northwestward. The entire trench was43 feet long and varied in width from 30 feet in the central parts to18 feet at the extreme northern end. The left face reached, in itsentire length, nearly to the drain; on the right side the eastern wallof the cavern was uncovered for 15 feet. It embraced nearly all thearea not previously dug by others, except a triangular space at theeast side of the entrance, filled with large stones, as just stated. Near the middle of the excavated area was a heap of large fallenrocks, fully a carload in all; some of them imbedded in the muck, others barely penetrating the surface of the latest deposits. Asheslay under and between all of them, proving this side also had beeninhabited before the first of them had become loose, and thatoccupancy was practically continuous until the last one had fallen. The inmates, recognizing the danger, may have knocked these down. The greatest depth of ashes found in any part of the excavation was 7feet; but it may have been greater previous to any disturbance; nordoes this include such as may be present in the muck. There wereunbroken layers as much as 8 inches thick covering spaces 5 to 10 feetacross; many smaller, intact patches; and numerous masses, from a peckto a bushel in volume, removed from fire beds elsewhere. Charcoalamong them showed that bark and dead wood, principally oak, was themain reliance for fuel. The wrought objects found were flints, mostly broken or of roughfinish; very many small fragments of pottery; mortars made ofsandstone slabs; hammerstones or pestles; bone perforators; musselshells, some pierced for suspension or for attachment of a handle, some with outer surfaces and edges dressed for use as spoons; hematiteore, in the rough or rubbed to procure paint. There was a greatabundance of bones from animals used for food, mostly deer, thoughelk, bear, many smaller mammals, turtles, tortoises, turkeys, andother birds were well represented. Singularly enough, when theplentiful supply of fish in all the streams of this region isconsidered, none of their bones or scales were found, although theashes would have preserved them perfectly. Nor were there many burnedrocks, in view of the amount of pottery and the number of bones whichshowed that they had been boiled. Perhaps such stones had crumbled orwere thrown outside when near disintegration. There is a consensus of belief, or at least of statement, in theneighborhood that many human skeletons have been dug out close to theeast wall. In the only part reached during this work--which took inabout all that had not been searched by others--rocks lay along thewall, so large and so numerous that no graves could have been dugbehind or between them. By careful and persistent questioning it wasestablished that skeletons had been found in two places and a detachedjaw in another. A human skull, which was very soft and fell to pieces when uncovered, was found on, and slightly pressed into, the muck at a point 15 feetfrom the wall; there were no other bones about it, though a roughstone hammer, whose presence was probably accidental, lay close by. Asingle human molar was lying among some ashes. These were the only human remains found during the work, except twoadult femurs of different individuals, and fragments of a skull andsome other bones from a child and from an infant, all of which layclose to the wall where they had been thrown and slightly covered byparties previously working here. As the depth of the wet material on the rock floor of the eastern sideof this cavern is unknown, interesting results might be obtained by acareful examination of it; but this can not be made until a ditch isdug through it of sufficient depth to drain it thoroughly. Slight investigation outside the entrance showed a large amount ofbroken bones, pottery, and flint; and this dump may contain even morematerial than was found in an equal volume in the cavern. But inaddition to the rocks of all sizes broken off from the cliff, therewere also many which had rolled down from the hillside above; and allthese were so interlaced with roots as to make digging very difficultand unsatisfactory. Consequently further exploration at this site wasdeemed undesirable. Pointed bone and antler implements from Gourd Creek Cave are shown inplate 4. A shell knife, a bead from a fragment of sea shell, and typesof flint arrowheads appear in plate 5. * * * * * There is a village site on Gourd Creek bottom, at the foot of LostHill, and a little below the cave. Three small earth mounds are plowednearly level. * * * * * A small village site is located on the east bank of Little Piney, halfa mile below Gourd Creek. * * * * * In the bluff facing Little Piney, a mile below Gourd Creek, on theopposite side, is a small, shallow cave with a low roof. Water crackson the floor show that it is sometimes flooded. No signs of use areapparent. * * * * * On the hill over the cave just mentioned is a cairn, now destroyed. [Illustration: PLATE 4 BONE AND ANTLER IMPLEMENTS FROM GOURD CREEK CAVE, PHELPS COUNTY, MO. ] [Illustration: PLATE 5 SHELL AND FLINT OBJECTS FROM GOURD CREEK CAVE] ONYX CAVE (9) Five miles southwest of Arlington, near the Boiling Spring in theGasconade, is Onyx Cave, so named because much workable stalagmiteoccurs in it. It has a number of branches, some of which have beenexplored for several hundred yards without coming to the end. Theentrance is 90 feet in width. A pile of talus at the front, lyingpartly inside the cavern, reaches nearly to the roof; it has a heightof 26 to 28 feet above the level of the wet, muddy floor. Drainage isthrough a small aperture in the north wall, whose outlet is not known. Apparently the bedrock lies at a considerable depth; it is not visibleat any point in the steep ravine leading from the mouth of the cave tothe river. Formerly a large quantity of ashes covered much of theinner slope of the talus, where it is protected from the weather; butmost of them have been hauled away to scatter over the fields. Theyextend to a greater depth than any digging was ever carried. Thecavern has long been a refuge for stock, and this, with the tramplingof many visitors, has mingled all the superficial deposits, so that, while ashes may be seen mixed with the débris, no ash beds are now tobe found. There must be a very pronounced cavernous condition in this vicinity. At a number of places, even extending to a distance of 2 miles fromOnyx Cave, the passage of a wagon produces a rumbling sound, indicative of a cavity at no great depth. There are also many sinkholes, some closed, forming ponds, others with free openings. They areso numerous that no one of them drains any considerable area. Thelargest of these sinks measures from top to top of its slopes aboutthree-fourths of a mile long and half a mile wide. Around much of itsmargin are vertical cliffs; there are few places where descent ispracticable. It is 300 feet deep, perhaps more; for when theGasconade, more than a mile away, is at flood stage the water from it, backing through an underground passage, breaks in at two differentpoints not at the same elevation, and covers the nearly level floor ofthe depression, about 15 acres in area, to a depth or 15 to 20 feet. Another sink, near this, is conical in form, a fourth of a mile acrossand more than 200 feet deep. GOAT BLUFF CAVE (10) Goat Bluff Cave, 4 miles west of Arlington, on the left bank of theGasconade, is at the foot of a vertical cliff 50 feet high, the slopeabove rising about as much higher to the crest of the ridge. A fewyards to the west is a slight ravine through which, with a littleeffort, the top of the hill may be reached. In front, the declivity, while steep as earth will lie, furnishes fairly easy passage to andfrom the river which lies 200 feet below. The entrance to the cave is an arch 30 feet high and 75 feet wide, facing a little east of south. The width holds nearly the same for 90feet, whence it rapidly contracts to 20 feet; the roof meanwhiledescending to 10 feet above the floor. The extreme rear of thischamber is nearly filled with large blocks of stone. At the front partthe floor is several feet higher along the west wall than at the east;this condition being due to the combined action of accumulation fromthe ravine above mentioned and erosion by a little rivulet whichemerges from a crevice 30 feet within the entrance and flows at thefoot of the east wall. Beyond this the floor is practically levelacross the inclosed space, with a slight and uniform ascent toward therear. No evidence of rock bottom appears at any point. A preliminary cut at the outer margin of the cave showed two distinct, sharply separated strata. The lower is a red or yellow clay containingmuch angular gravel such as usually results from disintegration oflimestone in which chert is abundant. Above this is a deposit of veryloose fine material. Toward the rear the upper deposit had beendisturbed by "curiosity seekers, " who reported finding much evidenceof prehistoric occupation, such as ashes, charcoal, fragments ofpottery, and worked flint, as well as several skeletons, the latter"in a sitting position. " The last part of this statement is a mistake. The bodies were closely flexed and placed on the side; the bonessettled to the bottom of the grave, while the skull, if intact, isreached first by excavators and the conclusion drawn at once that itis "on top of the other bones. " This error of observation is quitecommon among relic hunters, and is not unknown among studentinvestigators. In order to dispose of material removed in excavating, it wasnecessary to start a trench from the slope outside the mouth of thecave. As it progressed the substratum of clay became wetter and moredifficult to dig. At 40 feet from the beginning, where the trench was11 feet deep, the seeping water accumulated until it covered thebottom of the trench, so that no greater depth could be reached. Acrowbar forced downward for 18 inches, as far as it could be driven, did not reach solid bottom. Not the slightest trace of human agencywas found anywhere below the top of the clay, and from this pointexcavations were confined to the upper stratum, to which alone thefollowing description is applicable. This deposit was composed partly of fine loose earth, probably carriedin by the wind and on the feet of persons and animals; partly of roofdust; and partly of ashes. A considerable portion of it was roughlystratified in layers of varying extent and thickness, though much ofit was irregular, and it was mingled throughout with campsite débris. Occasional layers of roof dust several feet across in any directionand of varying thickness, from a faint streak to 6 inches, so closelyresembled ashes that many persons could not be convinced of its truecharacter. Its occurrence in this manner indicates that duringconsiderable periods the cave was unoccupied, or at most used only asa temporary refuge. The intermittent character of occupancy is alsoshown by the distinct segregation of numerous successive layers ofkitchen refuse. About 10 feet within the point where a vertical line from the frontedge of the roof would meet the floor the skeleton of a very younginfant was found above and in contact with two thick angular blocks oflimestone weighing 300 to 400 pounds. These rested on the red clay andhad fallen from the roof. The thickness of earth above the bones wasabout 3 feet. Ten feet farther in, on the clay floor, under almost exactly 5 feet ofundisturbed material, were five flat stones. Three were of sandstone, the largest about 25 pounds in weight, such as can be found in placeonly on top of the hill. They were carefully arranged for use as afire bed; on and around them were potsherds, flint chips, animal andbird bones, and a bone awl. This was the greatest depth at whichartificial objects were found; and their position shows them to be asancient as anything discovered. [Illustration: FIG. 5. --Fragment of glass bottle from Goat Bluff Cave. ] At 25 feet in an interesting find was made. Eighteen inches below thesurface of the floor, in a mass of mingled charcoal, ashes, musselshells, flint chips, and other aboriginal refuse, was a small piece ofglass, apparently part of a bottle, shown in figure 5. Above it andextending for several feet on every side was an unbroken stratum ofroot dust from 2 to 4 inches thick. Above this, in turn were severalthin, undisturbed layers of camp refuse, about 6 inches in all, andthen 6 inches of the loose, incoherent surface earth. This discoveryis susceptible of two interpretations. One is that between the datewhen Indians could procure articles from the whites and the date atwhich they abandoned this fireplace there was time for theaccumulation of the given thickness of disintegrated material from theroof, the cave, or at least this part of it, not being used meanwhilefor a habitation; then for the accumulation of several distinct layersof camp refuse; and finally for the depositing of the cave earth overit all. This hypothesis is unreasonable. While the rate of formationof either roof dust or stalagmite is extremely variable, so that it isnot safe to predicate a definite antiquity for objects found beneatheven a considerable thickness of either, at the same time the smallarea involved precludes the idea that a number of occupants sufficientto account for the volume of débris could have lived here unless weallow a much longer period than would necessarily elapse within thedates indicated. The other, quite plausible, interpretation is thatthe glass was dragged to the spot by a ground hog or other animalwhose runway had become obliterated by settling of the loose materialthrough which it was made. The only purpose of elaborating this subject is to guard investigatorsagainst attaching too much importance to an article found under suchor similar conditions, whether it be a "palaeolithic type, " or an"object undoubtedly of European origin. " Thirty-five feet in, under three flat slabs whose upper surface was alittle more than 3 feet below the floor, was an adult skeleton, on theback, knees flexed to the chest. The body had been laid in a cavitydug in the clay to a depth of 6 inches. The bones were well preservedand fresh looking, but light and fragile. Forty feet in, 3½ feet down, was a flat stone under which were twoskulls. One, shown in plate 6, was perfect, with a full set of soundteeth; from the other, seen in plate 7, the lower jaw was missing. Noother bones were found except two cervical vertebræ, belonging to thesmaller skull. Undisturbed stratified ashes and roof dust were 30inches thick above the stone. To this point the trench was not dug to a greater width than 15 feet;it was now gradually extended to a width of 40 feet to include most ofthe central portion. Sixty feet in, in the upper part of the clay, like all the human bonesdiscovered, was a skull with the scapulæ, a few ribs, and one armbone. The lower jaw was missing, and two phalanges were inside theskull. With the scapulæ was one of a much smaller person. Eighteeninches from these bones, and 6 inches higher, was part of a lower jaw. At 50 to 60 feet in, on the clay stratum, lay a slab 10 to 12 feetacross and of varying thickness up to 18 inches or more. It fell fromthe roof so long ago that the latter is worn and smoothed above it inmuch the same way as at other parts. At the east edge of this slab wasa skull so soft and crushed that it could be taken out only in smallfragments; the teeth were very slightly worn, though of large size. Afew traces of other bones were found; not enough to identify. At thenorth edge of the slab were two skulls, one of which is shown in plate8; the other, which belonged to a young person, is given in plate 9. The limb bones, scapulæ, and hip bones, with a few others, were in asmall pile at one side; but neither lower jaw, no ribs, and only a fewvertebræ were found. [Illustration: PLATE 6 SKULL FROM GOAT BLUFF CAVE, PHELPS COUNTY, MO. A, Front; b, profile] [Illustration: PLATE 7 SKULL FROM GOAT BLUFF CAVE a, Front; b, profile] [Illustration: PLATE 8 SKULL FROM GOAT BLUFF CAVE a, Front; b, profile] [Illustration: PLATE 9 SKULL OF CHILD FROM GOAT BLUFF CAVE a, Front; b, profile] [Illustration: PLATE 10 FLINTS FROM GOAT BLUFF CAVE] [Illustration: PLATE 11 BONE AND ANTLER IMPLEMENTS FROM GOAT BLUFF CAVE] [Illustration: PLATE 12 BONE AND ANTLER IMPLEMENTS FROM GOAT BLUFF CAVE] [Illustration: PLATE 13 a, Cairn six miles north of Arlington, Mo. B, Walled grave six miles north of Arlington, Mo. ] About 65 feet in, near the west side, an inverted pot which shows nomarks of use was found in a mass of ashes filling a cavity the size ofa half bushel, which had been dug in the upper deposit. Scattered hereand there among the ashes were also some mussel shells andbroken deer bones; but the presence of these was probably notintentional, as the whole arrangement seemed to have the nature of avotive offering. This was the only perfect vessel found in the entirecourse of the explorations. It is of the ordinary "cocoanut form, " andis represented in figure 6. Seventy feet in was a skeleton, on the left side; the bones were softand came out in small fragments. This was fully 6 feet below thepresent surface, but some of this earth was piled up from earlierexcavations. [Illustration: FIG. 6. --Pot from Goat Bluff Cave. ] Beyond this point the ground had been dug over to such an extent thatfurther examination seemed useless, and the work was concluded. Throughout the deposit of black earth, ashes, and roof dust werescattered irregularly arrowheads and knives of flint, some types ofwhich are seen in plate 10; mussel shells; fragments of bones fromfood animals; bone perforators, some of which are shown in plates 11and 12; potsherds; hammers; pestles; two or three mortars; a groovedstone ax of granitic rock, presented in figure 7; and an abundance offlint chips. There is a small cave near the top of the bluff facing the Gasconade, a short distance above the mouth of Little Piney. Within a few yardsof the entrance earth and rock carried in from a sink on top of thehill fill the cavity to the roof. Water runs through after every hardrain. * * * * * Three small cairns, built of small stones, stood on the point of thebluff at the junction of Little Piney and the Gasconade. All aredestroyed. * * * * * On the edge of a high cliff over the Gasconade, 2 miles north ofArlington, are three cairns, destroyed. * * * * * In Bryant's Bluff, facing the Gasconade 3 miles below Jerome, are tworock shelters, neither of them more than 20 feet across in anydirection. In both are shells, bones, and pottery; a rough stonehammer was found in one. Exposure of bedrock on the outside shows thatthe earth deposit in either is not over 2 or 3 feet deep. * * * * * On top of Bryant's Bluff are four cairns, all of them torn up. Theextreme limit of the scattered stone is about 20 feet; so the cairnswere probably 12 to 15 feet in diameter. * * * * * At the mouth of Turkey-pen Slough, 4 miles north of Arlington, is aterrace with steep banks on two sides, next to the river and to theslough. On this stood a village. Three house sites are plainly markedby the refuse around, and there may be others; vegetation is verydense. Mussel shells and burned stones are abundant, and many flintimplements have been picked up. [Illustration: FIG. 7. --Grooved ax from Goat Bluff Cave. ] CAIRNS AT SUGAR TREE CAMP (11) Six miles north of Arlington is a clubhouse known as Sugar Tree Camp. A short distance from the building is a high vertical cliff risingalmost directly from the Gasconade. The top of this cliff, near thefront, is of solid rock, almost bare of timber or brush, and in a rowalong it close to the edge are seven cairns, all now so defaced thatany attempt at investigation is useless. The smallest, at one end ofthe row, is of the common circular form, about 12 feet in diameter. Three others seem to be of the same type; but their appearance may bedue to their destruction. One is shown in plate 13, a. The otherthree are walled vaults. The largest, at the other end of the row, wasbuilt up like a foundation wall of sandstone slabs. It is rectangularin form, measuring on the outside 16 by 28 feet. All the walls aremore or less destroyed; the small portion of one remaining is shown inplate 13, b. Two "walled-up graves" reported on the first ridge northof Sugar Tree Camp, and one reported on the first ridge south, neverexisted. There is a small cairn on a high peak half a mile east of thecamp. TICK CREEK CAVE In a ravine which joins Tick Creek about 2 miles from where the latterflows into the Gasconade, and about 12 miles north of Arlington, is alarge cave known as the Saltpeter Cave. The opening is wide and high, but the mouth and floor are muchobstructed by large fallen rocks and the bottom is constantly wet fromwall to wall with running and seeping water. There is another entrance to this cavern around a corner of the bluffand much higher up on its face. This opening is small and the slopingpassage from it to the cavern is almost closed in places by dripformation. It was never inhabited. CAVE IN POOL HOLLOW (12) A mile east of Newburg a ravine now known as Pool Hollow, but formerlycalled "Strawhorn's" [Strawhan's] Hollow, opens into the right (north)side of Little Piney. Two miles from the river is a cave at the headof a little cove. The entrance, facing directly south and visible fromhalf a mile down the ravine, is 12 feet high and 75 feet across. Therear wall, where the cave makes a turn at 150 feet from the mouth, isplainly visible from the outside. At 60 feet within water reaches from wall to wall, and a constantstream flows along the left side. The talus at the mouth is of toughclay with many rocks scattered through it, and much of it has settledback into the cave. Water drips from many places in the roof, so thatno part of the floor is ever entirely dry. Some broken flints and chips were picked up about the mouth and infront of the cave, but nothing else could be found. In dry weather there might be spots which would afford a resting placefor campers, but no continuous occupancy was possible. HOUSE MOUNDS NEAR ROLLA (13) Nearly 2 miles northeast of Rolla is the beginning of a little valleywhich for a short distance is parallel with the Frisco Railway andclose to the right of way; it then turns to the southward. Along this"draw" are numerous mounds, starting well toward its upper end andfollowing its course for nearly a mile. They lie along either side, and reach into the tributary widenings. Most of them are on the flats;but they are also scattered along the hillsides, those farthest fromthe water having an elevation of about 50 feet above it. They varyfrom 30 to 60 feet in diameter and from 1 to 3 feet high. In all, theyare scattered over an area of at least 100 acres. HOUSE MOUNDS NEAR DILLON Half a mile west of Dillon a ravine heads at the Frisco track, goessouth a short distance, then turns southeastward. Near the trackbegins a group of mounds which reach for fully a mile along both sidesof the little stream. There are more than 100, most of them small, though at least one is 60feet across and 3 feet high. HOUSE MOUNDS NEAR ST. JAMES (14) At the northern border of St. James is a small shallow valley with anorthern and eastern trend, practically parallel with the FriscoRailway, and for 3 miles or more not over a fourth of a mile from itat any point. Starting near the Soldiers' Home is a group of mounds which extend forfully 2½ miles down both sides of the valley. Some are partly cut away by the stream, others are on the narrow flatbottoms subject to overflow with every hard rain, still others arebuilt on the slopes to an elevation of 40 feet. They are somewhatlarger than the average, a diameter of about 60 feet and a height of 3feet being not uncommon. * * * PULASKI COUNTY MCWILLIAMS CAVE (15) A cave on the McWilliams farm, near Jack Hinshaw's, at the upper endof the Big Eddy, near the south line of Pulaski County, has anentrance 8 feet high and 15 feet wide. There is a good light for 150feet, at which distance the cavern turns. It is an excellent locationfor an Indian home, having a floor of dry earth, and a small amount ofrefuse was found; but the earth has been thoroughly dug over in thesearch for missing residents, some human bones rooted out by hogshaving given rise to a belief that these may have been murdered andconcealed here. DAVIS CAVES (15) Facing Roubidoux Creek, on the farm of J. W. Davis, 3 miles north ofCookville, are three caves. The largest is 40 or 50 feet above thefoot of the bluff. It has an entrance 30 feet wide, the roof being 8feet high. It is well lighted to a depth of 120 feet, where it curves. No refuse was observed, but the situation is favorable for habitation. Another cave, near this, has an entrance 30 feet wide and 10 feethigh; it is well lighted for 40 feet back. The third cave of this series is a rock shelter a short distance southof the second, and higher up in the bluff. All these appear to deserve an examination. BERRY CAVE A cave on George Berry's land, in a ravine opening into the east sideof Roubidoux Creek, 3 miles from Hanna post office, has a smallentrance which is nearly closed by "drip rock, " the roof, walls, andfloor being thickly incrusted. These deposits, which it is said areeven more abundant farther in, seem to be rather rapidly increasing involume. MAXEY CAVE (16) What is known as Maxey's Cave is 7 miles south of Waynesville, on thewest side of Roubidoux Creek. It is by far the largest open cave inthis region, the entrance being 40 feet high and 100 feet wide. Itextends across the head of a ravine, and if the loose earth at thesides were cleared away it would be found still wider. The entirefloor is covered with a mass of rocks of every size up to severaltons, except at one side of the entrance where there is a small amountof loose earth. The front chamber is 300 feet long to where the cavernforks; in one of these forks daylight extends for 100 feet farther, or400 feet from the mouth. Marks on the walls show that the entire flooris sometimes covered 2 or 3 feet deep with running water. A survey made some years ago disclosed a mass of earth and rock "along ways back in the hill;" definite figures could not be obtained. Beyond this point it was impossible to proceed. By runningcorresponding angles and lines on the surface outside the surveyorscame to a very large sink hole, into which flowed the drainage ofseveral farms. This explains the flood marks. Clearly the roof of thecave had fallen in at this point. YOARK CAVE Yoark Cave, a fourth of a mile east from Maxey's in a bluff facingsouth on the left bank of Roubidoux Creek, has an entrance 40 feetwide, 30 feet high, and is in daylight for 150 feet. Cave earthextends for 100 feet from the entrance, and apparently continues fromthis point under the gravel and clay which have washed from theinterior. It is on the land of A. L. Foote, having been in his familycontinuously since it was secured by Government patent. The name isderived from "Grandma Martha Yoark, " who was among the earliest whitesettlers in the region. Her home was on the opposite side of thecreek, in a pioneer log cabin, the last vestige of which, except thestones of the chimney, disappeared before the Civil War. In the front portion many large rocks are lying on the surface of theclay floor and others are imbedded in it; probably still others areentirely covered. Farther back the clay is mixed with gravel washedfrom the interior. This deposit is never entirely dry and in rainyseasons is quite muddy. The difficulty of removing or digging underthe rocks, added to the certainty that water would be encounteredbefore the bottom is reached, render useless any effort at completeexcavation. The amount of refuse on the surface, however, is a goodindication that such researches as would be possible in the upperlayers, among the rocks, would disclose a large quantity of aboriginalremains of comparatively modern date. GRAVES AT LAUGHLIN'S (17) On the Laughlin goat ranch, 6 miles southeast of Waynesville, a highnarrow ridge level along the top and sloping abruptly on each sideextends northward from the hills on the right side of Roubidoux Creekand terminates in a vertical cliff. Bedrock projects on the top and onboth sides, and vegetation is so scanty that the crest is almost a"bald. " On the summit of this ridge are seven cairns, the first one only a fewfeet from the edge of the cliff, the last one about 300 feet back, near where the ground begins to ascend toward the plateau. They aresmall, none more than 3 feet high, and all have a depression in thetop where the stones have been thrown out from the center toward theoutside by relic seekers and rabbit hunters. In three of them flat stones remaining in place at parts of the marginindicate that an irregular square inclosure was constructed around thebodies, as in those examined at Gourd Creek. Possibly this featureexisted in all of them at the time of their construction, but therewas no evidence that any of them had been walled up like those atSugar Tree Camp or the Devil's Elbow. Views of their presentconditions are shown in plate 14. KERR CAVE (17) Near the site of Kerr's Mill, on Roubidoux Creek, 5 miles south-eastof Waynesville, is a cave at the foot of a bluff, the entrance 60 feetabove the bottom of the hill. Viewed from the outside it has theappearance of a rock shelter 40 feet wide and 45 feet deep. Abovemost of it the stratum forming the roof is 15 feet high; near thefront the successive overlying strata project in a hollow curve untilat the face of the bluff the drop from the ledge to the talusimmediately beneath it is fully 50 feet. At one side, near the rear, is a passage 5 or 6 feet wide, not visiblefrom the front, extending back into the hill. Although the cave isusually dry, clean gravel in this passage shows that sufficient waterflows through at times to prevent earth from accumulating; furtherevidence of which fact is found in the mud cracks of the floor and theferns growing amid the rocks, large and small, which cover it. The place could never have been occupied except for temporary shelter, and there is no evidence that even this use was made of it. SELL CAVE (18) Half a mile directly south of Waynesville, on the farm of Dr. W. J. Sell, is a cave located in the northern end of a ridge entirelydetached from the surrounding hills. The entrance, facing northeast, is halfway up the point of the ridge, overlooking a fertile bottomalong Roubidoux Creek. From the top of the ledge over the entrance thehill has an easy upgrade for a fourth of a mile to the summit, whichis at an elevation of 250 feet above the creek. On top of the hill isthe site of an Indian village where some mortars, grinding stones, andnumerous flints have been found. The roof of the cave has partially fallen in at the entrance, forminga re-entrant curve 30 feet across and extending 11 feet inward; thelarge blocks from this, and from the stratum described later, werelying on and in the talus at the present front but did not extend tothe red clay beneath. Some of the blocks could be reduced with a heavysledge hammer to an extent that made it possible to roll them out ofthe way; but 24 of them had to be broken up with dynamite. The talus at its thickest part has a depth of 6 feet; it extends downthe hill on the outside and has washed back into the cave, graduallydecreasing in quantity, to a distance of 50 feet. The roof, at thefront, is 5 feet above the talus; the thickness of the ledge formingit is only 8 feet, the slope of the hill starting from this line. Owing to the restricted width of the ridge, on top, the entire areadraining over the ledge measures only 70 feet in width above theentrance, and narrows irregularly to a breadth of 30 feet at anoutcrop 120 feet up the hill, or with an approximate space of 6, 000square feet. On this small tract more than half the rock is bare, withscanty patches of soil and humus in the crevices and on flat places. At the present time the water which flows over the ledge during hardrains is scarcely turbid; consequently a period of several centurieswas required for the débris to accumulate. Fourteen feet back from the farthest-receding part of the curve of theroof at the front is the edge of a stratum 3 feet thick; the bottom ofthis was 3 feet above the talus immediately beneath it. This stratumis continuous, with a perceptible dip to the interior, as far as itcan be seen. The width of the cave at the mouth is 44 feet; 30 feet within itwidens to 51 feet. A small amount of water making its way from theinterior over the level floor collects in a little basin scooped outto receive it, and sinks into the floor near the inner foot of thetalus 55 feet from the entrance. At this point the width of the caveis 36 feet; the height to the roof is 4½ feet. As the floor beyondhere is soft mud, the cavern was not followed farther. Owing to the limited space between the floor and the roof it wasnecessary to remove the excavated earth to the outside. The waterwhich flows from the hill and falls upon the talus during rains alsohad to be provided against. A trench 4 feet wide at the bottom, withsufficient slant to the sides to prevent them from falling in, wasstarted 25 feet out from the entrance, on a level which gave it adepth of 6½ feet at the highest point of the talus, thus carrying it afew inches into the clay which was the original floor of the cave. This depth also brought it well below the level of the little poolinside. When its greatest depth was reached the excavation was at oncewidened to 25 feet, thus reaching well toward the cliff on eitherside. Growing trees and large rocks made a greater width hereimpracticable. In the talus were flint implements, none small enough for arrowheads, some well finished, others roughly made, a few being shown in plate15; three sandstone mortars and fragments of four others; probably 100cobblestones used as hammers and pestles, some of them pitted on thesides, a few showing marks of much use (pl. 16, A); a small, verysolid piece of hematite worn round by use as a hammer; a small, imperfect tomahawk made of quartzite (pl. 16, B, a); many musselshells, some used as knives and scrapers; animal bones, some of themworked into implements, including a perfect skiver (pl. 16, B, b);several pieces of hematite and limonite used as paint stones (pl. 16, B, c); many fragments of pottery, some of them worked into disks andperforated (pl. 16, B, d); occasionally small deposits of charcoal, ashes, and burned earth. The meager amount of artificial material, andits random distribution, as if one piece was lost here, another thrownthere, throughout the talus from the present surface to the underlyingclay would appear good evidence that the cave was never used as aplace of permanent abode, but merely provided temporary refuge atintervals extending over a prolonged period. [Illustration: PLATE 14 CAIRNS ON ROUBIDOUX CREEK, SIX MILES FROM WAYNESVILLE, MO. ] [Illustration: PLATE 15 FLINTS FROM SELL CAVE, NEAR WAYNESVILLE, MO. ] [Illustration: PLATE 16 A, Pestles or grinding stones B, Celt, pottery disks, paint stones, and skiver OBJECTS FROM SELL CAVE] [Illustration: PLATE 17 Skull from Sell cave. A, Front; b, profile Skull from Bell's cave, near Waynesville. C, Front; d, profile Skull from Miller's cave. E, Front; f, profile THREE SKULLS FROM PULASKI COUNTY, MO. ] None of the pottery was decorated in any way, though most of it wascord-marked; no piece was found which had a handle or a foot. Nearly half a bushel of pieces was found, fragments of many differentvessels, with a range in thickness from one-eighth to three-fourths ofan inch. If all this talus were examined, much material might be found, but theresult would not justify the labor. Fifteen feet west from the east corner of the cave, 8 feet within theedge of the roof, 3½ feet under the surface of the débris, which was afoot lower here than at the highest point, was a bundled or bunchedskeleton; only small fragments of arm and leg bones, most of the lowerjaw, a little of the upper jaw, and traces of skull were remaining. The bones were small but solid. They were packed tightly in the dark, wax-like clay, but there were no indications of a grave; the earth incontact with them could not be distinguished from that lying aroundthem. The body had been crowded into the smallest possible space, withthe head against a large stone. All the teeth were well preserved, some of them not at all worn. Small fragments of deer bones were foundamong the remains; these, also, were very soft and decayed. In fact, all bones found, whether human or other, in this wet, tough, heavy earth were nearly destroyed, and such portions as remained hadbut little more consistency than the mud in which they were imbedded. Much care was necessary in order to get them out. Sixteen feet from the entrance, 13 feet from the east wall, 4½ feetdown, 18 inches above bottom, were part of a large femur and a fewfragments of other bones too small and crushed to identify. Seven feet southwest of this femur, 14 inches lower, was a closelyfolded skeleton, the skull nearly north, the other bones toward theeast wall. Some mussel shells, fragments of deer bones, and two flintknives were near the head. The body had been placed in a shallow holedug in the talus as it existed at that time, some earth thrown overit, and small rocks piled on. The covering rocks were under 3 feet ofdetritus, washed in since they were placed there. Near the knees was apiece of antler, neatly perforated, with rounded ends, giving it theshape of a reniform bannerstone (fig. 8). This may have been anornament, an arrow-shaft straightener, or the holder for a drill or afire-stick. Near it was a polishing stone deeply worn on both sides(fig. 9). Twenty-two feet within the reentrant curve at the front, 20 feet fromthe west wall, at the bottom of the talus, was a skeleton, the skullin small fragments, which, however, were held in place by the toughclay. The teeth were worn below the enamel in places; two well-workedflint knives and one rough one (fig. 10) were near it. The boneslooked as if they had been thrown in, occupying only a small space;but probably a folded body had been laid in on the left side. At 24 feet from the entrance, 17 feet from the west wall, in a holedug to 20 inches below the present surface of the talus, were brokenand spongy bones of an adult. Pelvis, feet, and leg bones were inconfusion; the tibiæ were reversed in position, but it may be that thebody was laid on the back with the knees flexed and that the bones hadfallen as they were found. This is probable, as each patella was whereit belonged, and the body lay extended toward the southeast, as shownby the position of the skull. The humerus was about 12 inches long;all the bones were in small pieces. There were many mussel shellsamong and above the remains, over which earth and small rocks had beenpiled. [Illustration: FIG. 8. --Perforated object of antler from Sell Cave. ] Two feet south of this skeleton and a few inches lower were thecrushed and decayed bones of an old person with the head lying towardthe east. The one tooth found (a molar) was worn entirely below theenamel except for a small space at the front; the dentine was polisheduntil it resembled a piece of agate. Mr. De Lancey Gill first remarkedthe fact that wear of this character denotes that the individual didnot gnaw bones, crack nuts, or indeed bite hard on any substance. Ifhe had done so this thin shred of enamel would have broken off. Twolarge rocks which lay on the head and body seem to have been thusplaced before the grave was filled with earth. [Illustration: FIG. 9. --Rubbing or polishing stone from Sell Cave. ] Near these bones were fragments indicating three other interments; thehumerus of the last was perforated. Other arm bones found showed the same olecranal perforation. Twenty-one feet from the entrance, 19 feet from the east wall, was askeleton, closely folded, on left side, head toward rear of cave. Theteeth were worn flat. The bones were crushed by rocks laid on or abovethe body at the time of burial, as was the case with all the skeletonsfound in this part of the cave; probably timbers had been interposed. [Illustration: PLATE 18 TEETH FROM SELL CAVE AND OTHER CAVES, SHOWING MANNER AND AMOUNT OF WEAR] [Illustration: PLATE 19 TEETH FROM SELL CAVE AND OTHER CAVES, SHOWING MANNER AND AMOUNT OF WEAR] Near the surface, 18 feet from the entrance, 14 feet from the eastwall, were the right half of a skull and of a lower jaw; a few small, scattered pieces of skull were found near them. The teeth were muchworn, some of them were decayed, and two had the roots swollen anddistorted by ulceration. South of the skull were fragments of feet andleg bones, probably belonging with it. This interment was of muchlater date than the others. Thirty-two feet from the front, 16 feet from the east wall, 2½ feetbelow the surface, and a foot above the bottom of the talus, was afolded skeleton, on left side, head toward the interior of the cave, face directly upward. So much of the skull as could be recovered isshown in plate 17, a, b. The teeth were much worn, the bones broken, soft and spongy, falling away with the clay as it was removed fromabout them. The femur was about 17½ inches long. [Illustration: FIG. 10. --Flints from Sell Cave. ] Wear of teeth among aboriginal people does not of necessity denote agreat age for the individual. Grit from ashes and fine sand frommortars and pestles will cut away the enamel to a much greater extentthan would result from the use of ordinary food. The condition of the teeth mentioned, as well as of some from otherlocalities, is shown in plates 18 and 19. From the inner end of the ditch, or runway, at the entrance theexcavation was carried back for 40 feet in a direct line; or makingallowance for passing around a massive rock which was in a positionwhere it could not be blasted, for 43 feet; the depth of the talushere was 3 feet. On the east side the talus was removed to the wall, a distance of 28feet from the edge of the trench, and the wall rock exposed for 22feet, to the rear bank of the excavation. * * * * * All work, so far, had been carried on at a level a few inches belowthe bottom of the talus, which rested directly upon the floor of claywashed out from the interior of the cave. Beginning next at the outer end of the trench, the entire spaceincluded in the first excavation was deepened by a little more than 6feet, giving a new floor about 13 feet lower than the highest part ofthe talus. All the material thus removed showed that it was laid downby flowing water, sometimes so quiet as to deposit clay of impalpablefineness, sometimes with a velocity sufficient to carry stonesweighing 3 or 4 pounds. The material varied--red clay, now jointed, was the topmost layer; below it, in patches and layers, were darkearth, resembling soil; clay of different shades of yellow, brown, red, and gray, sometimes almost blue; some of it uniform, some of itmingled, one or any or all of the different sorts in small compass;deposits of one sort filling sharply defined channels or potholes cutin some other sort; occasionally there was a slight admixture of sand. All included limestone pebbles, which were plentiful in some depositsbut entirely absent from others, were weathered to a chalkyconsistency, the larger ones to a depth of perhaps half an inch, thesmaller ones throughout. Scarcely any chert was included, although itis abundant on the hill; the few pieces seen were very small. It took five weeks of steady work, with two men, to clear out thesecond level. In all this clay there was not the slightest trace ofbone or other indication that living beings of any kind had existedeither in the cave or in any place from which the clay had come. At 24 feet from the eastern side of the trench, projections on theface of the east wall denoted that bed rock was not far away. A hole 8feet across, at the rear of the excavation, reached sand with a slightadmixture of clay a few inches under the level at which the work wasbeing conducted; and 4 feet down, or 17 feet from the top of thetalus, the rock was found. It was rough and furrowed, like a solidstratum that has been long exposed to atmospheric weathering. Further exploration was useless. The sand results from disintegrationof the Roubidoux sandstone belonging next above the limestone in whichthe cave was formed. None of this remains on the hill; it has all beencarried away by erosion. There is not now any sink hole or creviceabove the level of the cavern through which the sand could have madeits way. Such an opening must have existed at one time, on the slopeat one side or the other, or farther back where the hill is now cutoff. In either case, erosion has carried away its walls and filled upthe channel leading from it, and thus obliterated its site. Toaccomplish this would require a long time; enough to produce aconsiderable alteration in the topography, and so to predicate for thebottom deposits in the cave an antiquity far beyond the possibleappearance of man in the region. PHILLIPS CAVE The Phillips Cave faces Roubidoux Creek near the Big Spring, a milesouth of Waynesville. Access to the interior is possible only bycrawling some distance on wet clay. Other caves in the same line ofbluffs are either very small or almost inaccessible. No refuse appearsabout any of them. BELL'S CAVE (18) In the upper part of the bluff bordering Roubidoux Creek just west ofWaynesville, on the farm of Robert A. Bell, are numerous caves, mostof them quite small. One, much larger than any of the others, has anentrance 27 feet wide and 12 feet high. The floor is of earth mingledwith small rocks, and rises gradually toward the rear until at 70 feetit almost reaches the roof, although the open space enlarges fartherin. The width of the cave varies from 19 to 32 feet. Several largerocks have fallen from the roof and walls at a comparatively recentdate, as they lie directly upon the earth or are only slightlyimbedded in it. Shells and flint flakes occur in small amount, but the cave is sodifficult of access that it was probably but little used. Some human bones, rooted out by hogs, were scattered over the floor;only a few remained, the hogs having chewed up most of them. Part of afemur belonged to a person about 18 or 20 years of age. A skull andpart of a lower jaw, lying several feet apart but belonging to thesame individual, were secured; they are shown in plate 17, c, d. Fewof the teeth remained, though all had been in place at the time ofinterment. CAMP-GROUND CAVE This is three-fourths of a mile west from Waynesville. It is small, with a muddy bottom, and could never have been occupied. BUCHER CAVE Bucher Cave is 2 miles northeast of Waynesville. It has a small, lowentrance, nearly closed by a pile of chert gravel mixed with someclay, which has been carried by surface water from the slope above. GRAVES NEAR MCKENNAN'S On a low spur, projecting about halfway up a high hill oppositeMcKennan's house, 2½ miles northeast of Waynesville, are two of theordinary stone graves or cairns, both small. One has been torn apart;the other is intact. They are mentioned only because in the one which has not beendisturbed the stones are sunken at the center, affording good evidencethat timbers were placed over the corpse before the stones were piledup. ROUBIDOUX CAVE (19) In a vertical bluff overlooking the junction of Roubidoux Creek andthe Gasconade River is a cavern with a high, wide entrance givingaccess to a large chamber which has several smaller but well-lightedrooms opening into it. There was formerly a considerable depth ofearth on the rock bottom, but most of it has been taken out forfertilizer. What is left is dry near the entrance, but wet farther in. Although it would make an ideal Indian home, being easy of access andwithin a few rods of the two streams, there could be found noindications of such habitation; and owing to the small amount of earthremaining, the presence of many large rocks, and the close proximityof a large club house on the public highway immediately in front, noexcavation is possible. A cairn on the point of the cliff over this cave has been completelydemolished. RICHLAND CAVE (20) There is a large cave at the head of a ravine a fourth of a mile belowthe bridge over the Gasconade River, on the Richland and Hanna road, 7½ miles from Richland. The entrance is 70 feet wide and 40 feet high;daylight extends to a point 200 feet within, where the cave dividesinto two parts, both of which turn abruptly. Cave earth near theentrance on one side is scanty in quantity, damp and moldy; but beyondthis it is dry, unevenly surfaced, and appears to have been somewhatdisturbed. There is considerable refuse on and in the dry earth as farback as the inner end of the front chamber, and were it not for themany rocks, too large to be removed, which cover nearly the entirefloor and would make excavation very difficult and incomplete, thedeposits would probably repay investigation. ROLLINS CAVES (19) On the farm of Sam T. Rollins, 2½ miles northwest of Waynesville, aretwo large caves. The first, in a bluff facing the Gasconade, half a mile above themouth of Roubidoux Creek, is 50 feet above the bottom of the hill. Theentrance, toward the northeast, is 45 feet wide and 36 feet high. Thesides are parallel for 45 feet; at that point the east wall abruptlyrecedes for 12 feet and then continues in a curving line for 120 feetfarther, to an outlet in the side of a shallow ravine trending towardthe west. This opening, 13 feet wide, is filled nearly to the top withdébris which slopes steeply for 40 feet into the cave. The west wall, at 45 feet, makes an outward curve to a branch whichleads northwest for 25 feet and has an opening on the side of the hill25 feet wide and 20 feet high; the talus at the front is 12 feet highand slopes steeply into the cave. Beyond this branch the west wallextends in a straight line to the small outlet at the ravine. The floor of the cave has a gentle incline from the bottom of thedébris in the rear to the main entrance. No refuse could be found in the cave or around any of the threeentrances; and the place would not be suitable for a shelter in winteras the wind, no matter from what direction, blows directly through it. The second cave is near the foot of the hill, half a mile up the riverfrom the first. A gentle slope in front leads to the bottom land alongthe stream. The entrance, toward the northwest, is 60 feet wide and 10feet high. At 65 feet within is standing water; marks in a channelalong the west wall show that at times there is an outflow with adepth of a foot or more. At the front is a great amount of taluspartly fallen from the ledge forming the roof, partly washed down fromthe hillside; the outer slope is 20 feet high, the inner slope has aslight incline to the standing water. The entire deposit within thecave and in front of it is of tough, sticky clay. Many large rocks lieon the surface or slightly imbedded, and large trees grow on thetalus. No indications of occupancy could be discovered. MIX CAVE (21) On the Mix farm, half a mile below the Gasconade bridge on theWaynesville and Crocker road, on the left (west) side, at the head ofa ravine, is a cave with an entrance 75 feet wide and 20 feet high. Cave earth, apparently not more than 3 feet thick at any point, although it gradually rises to a level 6 feet higher than the floor atthe mouth, extends back 80 feet; beyond this is water-soaked clay andgravel reaching 60 feet farther to a turn in the cave, making adistance of about 140 feet in daylight. There is a shallow channel 12feet wide along the east wall from the gravel to the entrance;evidence that at times a volume of water of that width flows out ofthe cave. The cave earth is damp for several feet from the line ofits contact with the clay, a certain indication that its lower portionis saturated. Much refuse, including several mortars, is distributed over the floor, and it is especially apparent in the bed of the little stream; butfully half the surface is covered with rocks too large to be removed, and these, together with the water, will effectually preventsatisfactory excavation. One of the mortars has a grinding cavity on one face 12 by 20 inchesand 3 inches deep at the middle; on the other face, which has beenpecked, apparently with a flint tool, to make it level and even, isalso a cavity, but it is small and shallow, showing that this side ofthe stone was but little used. DOUBLE CAVE (21) On Walter Miller's farm, 1½ miles below the Crocker and Waynesvillebridge, on the left side of the river, is the "Double Cave, " so calledfor the reason that it has two entrances. The one farthest down theriver is more nearly in line with the general trend of the cavern. Itsopening is 35 feet wide and 20 feet high. At 40 feet in from themouth, on the left or up-river side, the two parts of the cavernunite, a triangular partition of the original limestone strataseparating them up to the point of junction. Across the apex of thetriangle the main cave is 50 feet wide; there is no vertical wall onthe right (east) side along this portion, the roof sloping downgradually until it meets the earth floor; it may extend farther, making the cave that much wider at the bedrock bottom. The cave earthat its highest point is fully 10 feet higher than at the entrance; butthis may not mean that it is 10 feet deeper, for there are indicationsthat the rock floor also rises from the entrance toward the interior. Digging in the front part of the main cave--that is, in the portionbehind the lower entrance--would be impracticable owing to the hugerocks, some of them lying on the floor, others deeply imbedded in theearth; consequently part of them, at least, fell while the cave wasinhabited. From the junction of the two branches the cave earth extends back 60feet to clay and gravel washed down from the interior; there is amplelight at this point, and for some distance beyond. In part, thisgravel seems to overlie the loose earth; it is still depositing, andthe manner in which the various materials intermingle and overlap attheir meeting place indicates that the cave earth to some extentunderlies the gravel and clay. This feature is worth investigating, asit might have a bearing upon the relative age of the cave deposits. The entrance to the branch cave is 20 feet higher in the face of thebluff than that of the main cave, and consequently much above anywater flowing from the interior; it is 20 feet wide by 15 feet high. Measured along the east wall, it is 40 feet from this entrance to theapex of the triangle separating the two parts of the cavern. Thegreatest width of the united caves, 70 feet, is just beyond thispoint. The earth floor in the branch, a fine-grained yellow earthapparently deposited by quiet or gently flowing water, is 3 feethigher than it is at the highest point farther back in the cave, andis 4 feet or more higher than the bedrock at the front. No directcommunication is possible, in front, from one entrance to the other. The only means of transference is by passing through the cavernsaround the triangular partition, or by going down to the talus fromone opening and then up to the other; though only a few feet ofdescent is necessary. There is an easy passage to and from theGasconade, which flows at the foot of the bluff; and a good path ineither direction to the top of the hill. Very little refuse occurs, and the site is not worth examining. RAILROAD CAVE On railway property, north of the Gasconade River on the east of theWaynesville and Crocker road, is a noted cave which "runs clearthrough the hill, " and can be entered from either end. From thedescriptions given it certainly could never have been utilized as adwelling place. BAT, OR PAGE, CAVE Bat Cave, so named because it formerly harbored immense numbers ofbats, is on Robert Page's land, 4½ miles from Crocker, near theWaynesville road. The entrance is 40 feet wide and 30 feet high. Caveearth extends for more than 200 feet in plain daylight; at this depththe cave separates into two branches, one directly over the other. Thelower division continues into the hill on a level; the upper rises ata slight angle; neither is high enough to permit a man to stand erect. The greatest width, a few rods from the front, is 55 feet. A drainagechannel near one wall shows a considerable outflow in wet weather. Inthe low, vertical bank of this drain, gravel and small rocks aremingled with the earth in such quantity as to comprise more than halfthe mass. But this is probably due to the fact that a large quantityof earth, mostly, of course, from the upper part of the deposits, hasbeen taken away for fertilizer. Neither in the bank of the littlechannel nor about the pits left by this digging is any refuse to beseen, and there is none about the entrance. So, in spite of itssuitability for residential purposes and its favorable situation, itdoes not seem ever to have been utilized. TUNNEL CAVE (22) A fourth of a mile from the Bat Cave is a natural tunnel orunderground passage which has its beginning in a deep sink hole half amile away on the farther side of the hill. Into this depression poursall the water that comes through a ravine more than 4 miles long, receiving several tributaries on the way; thus draining severalhundred acres of steep hillsides from which storm water runs offalmost as quickly as from a roof. From the sink hole it passes intothe upper end of the tunnel, an opening 10 feet high and 20 feet wide. Trash and drift around this inlet show that the water rises above itstop. The lower opening of the tunnel is a beautiful, regular arch, 100 feetwide and 50 feet high. For some distance in, the interior is so chokedwith huge rocks, which reach almost to the roof near one side at thefront, that it resembles a great quarry. Gravel, sand, and driftwood, including a large log 15 feet long, are piled on these rocks to aheight of 20 feet. BROOKS CAVE Brooks Cave, 11 miles southeast of Waynesville, has an entrancethrough a sink hole in a level field. It is small and dark for somedistance back, and was never occupied. Openings of this character are never the original mouths of caverns;they are due to the roof falling in at a point where it has becomethin by wearing away from below. RIDDLE CAVE Riddle Cave is on John W. Schord's farm, near Wildwood. The entranceis through a sink, similar to that at Brooks Cave, and is due to thesame causes. It could never have been occupied. LANE'S CAVE Somewhat more than a mile north of Big Piney post office is a caveknown as Lane's Cave. Near it is a smaller cave; also a rock shelter. They are all small, high up in the cliff, hard to reach, andunsuitable for living in. DRY CREEK CAVE A cave on Dry Creek, north of Lane's Cave, is small and almostinaccessible. Never used. HOUSE MOUNDS (23) There is a group of house mounds, about 100 in number, close to thesite of the "Ranch House, " which formerly stood near "The Falls" 4miles southwest from Big Piney. Two other groups, north of this one, carry the mounds for about 4 miles along a little valley, whichextends north and south about midway between Big Piney and Bloodland. Most of the mounds, in all the groups, are on the slight slopesbordering either side of the little stream--which sometimes ceases toflow--but a few of them are on the narrow strip of level land alongthe banks. There is another group south of Bloodland. They were not learned of intime to visit them. RIDEN'S CAVE A mile southeast of the steel bridge across Big Piney, on theEdenville road, is Riden's Cave, in a small ravine opening intoanother ravine. The entrance is 25 feet wide and 8 feet high, and thefront chamber extends 30 feet to an abrupt turn. There are large rockson the floor near the mouth and some cave earth and a small amount ofrefuse at the front. Apparently it was never occupied except as atemporary camp. SALTPETER CAVE Near Miller's Spring, 2½ miles northeast of Big Piney, in a highbluff, is a large cave whose name is derived from the quantity ofsaltpeter collected from it in the early settlement of the country. Earth for leaching was removed to such an extent that bedrock is nowexposed near the entrance and at several places within. In additionmany large rocks cumber the floor, consequently excavations would notyield satisfactory results, although refuse still to be seen in thecave and in front of it shows that it was a place of aboriginalhabitation. MILLER'S CAVE (24) Three miles northeast of Big Piney is a cavern which from itsposition, formation, and surroundings is particularly adapted to therequirements of primitive people in search of a permanent shelter. Itis situated in a bluff rising from the left bank of Big Piney River, 200 feet above the level of that stream and half that distance belowthe summit of the hill of which the bluff forms the front. It lies inthree different tracts of land, but the greater portion is on the farmof Daniel S. Miller, who lives a little more than half a mile away. For three generations it has been widely known as "Miller's Cave. " Itopens toward the southeast, the river at this point flowing north ofeast, and thus secures protection from the cold winds of winter, receives the greatest amount of light through the day, and has theadvantage of sunshine at the season when this is most needed. BigPiney, like all streams in the Ozark region, is extremely crooked andits bed is a continuous succession of riffles and pools, or eddies asthey are locally known. In front of the cave is one of these poolsnearly a mile long and at lowest stages fully 15 feet deep in places;even now it yields an abundance of fish, turtles, frogs, and mussels, all of which are important items in the aboriginal dietary. A fourth of a mile above the cave Big Piney makes an abrupt turn, coming to this point from the southeast. Here it receives the outflowfrom a large spring located at the foot of the hill, a fourth of amile to the southward, which boils up in a pool 40 feet across and atits lowest stage discharges several thousand gallons every hour. Itsvolume responds quickly to a heavy rainfall and to the succeedingperiod of fair weather, although its level never passes above or belowcertain fixed points. A singular feature of this spring, one which hasgiven it a wide reputation, is its rhythmic ebb and flow. Withabsolute regularity, regardless of atmospheric conditions, it swellsfor six hours, then subsides for an equal period, stages of high andlow water occurring at the same hours every day. The extreme range oflevel is about a foot. Intermittent springs are not uncommon; but theregularity of this one is remarkable, particularly so as its action isnot affected by changes in the volume. A dam was built below thisspring by the father of Mr. Miller to furnish power for a mill; whenthe mill was not running the noise of the falling water, reenforced bythe echoes from the hills around, could be heard a long distance andgave it the title of Roaring Spring. The Indians had a name for itwhich was interpreted by the whites as "Blowing Spring;" but as thereare no unusual currents of air in the vicinity it is probable theproper translation would be "Breathing Spring, " on account of itsrecurrent motion. The branch from this spring, following a coursealong the foot of the hill, is wide and shallow, though swift, and isnearly filled with a dense growth of long, moss-like vegetation whichwas greedily devoured by deer, herds of them being frequently seen inthe water by early settlers. From the mouth of the cave several hundred acres of fertile alluvialland can be seen along both banks of the river. In the bottom landlying nearest to the spring branch--which is itself entitled to becalled a creek--and extending southward to Miller's residence, partlyon an upper terrace, but mostly on the low land, was a village site onwhich were formerly many small mounds which from the description wereundoubtedly house mounds. Mortars occur in numbers, while fragments ofpottery and flint, as well as many unbroken implements, were formerlyabundant to a depth of several inches. On the opposite side from thecavern, in the angle formed by the abrupt turn of the river, isanother village site. A ditch, with an interior embankment about 6feet high, formerly extended in a curved line across the point. Thisfortification was about 600 feet long, coming to the river bank ateither end. In the part thus protected were many low, small moundsplaced close together but quite irregularly. These were probably housemounds. No trace of any of this artificial work is now apparent exceptthat a difference in color may be seen here and there when the soil isfreshly turned, all the earthworks having been plowed and draggedlevel as interfering with cultivation. A great amount of brokenpottery, flint implements, and fragments of animal bones has beenuncovered here. In fact, the field is known locally as "the placewhere the Indians made their pottery. " This site seems to have beenoccupied within historic times; after an unusual freshet some yearsago, many "round musket-balls, such as belonged to the old-fashionedmuzzle loaders"--"hundreds, " or "two gallons, " of them is the usualversion--were picked up where the loose soil had washed off. There isa local tradition, long antedating the discovery of the bullets, thata "battle" was fought here between the French and the Indians. On the hill over the cave are three cairns, but they have been sosearched through that scarcely a stone remains in its proper place. There is also the site of a flint-working industry, a space 40 or 50feet across being strewn with spalls, flakes, and chips. When, in addition to the sustenance provided by deer and other largegame, there is taken into consideration the great numbers of wildfowls which frequented the rugged hills and numerous streams; themultitude of small mammals which found security in the myriad cavitiesand crevices in the cliffs; the abundant food supply in the river; andthe further fact that so many mortars and pestles meant theutilization of nuts and the cultivation of corn and no doubt of otherfoodstuffs as well; it is apparent that the problem of meresubsistence was one with which the natives had but little need toconcern themselves. That full recognition was accorded to theseadvantages is amply attested by the great quantity of flints foundeverywhere in the vicinity, the numerous workshops on the hills and inthe bottoms where the ground is thickly strewn with débris in everystage from the intact nodule or block to the finished implement, andthe amount of refuse not only in this cavern, but in the SaltpeterCave in the same bluff and in the Freeman or Ramsey Cave 3 miles downthe river on the opposite side. Miller's Cave, however, possesses anadditional advantage, one probably not to be found elsewhere. This isthe absolute security of its inmates from the attack of an enemy. Themouth of the cave is in the face of a perpendicular bluff, the wallon either side so smooth that not even a squirrel can obtain afoothold. The upper stratum of the precipice projects to such anextent that a rope or a ladder let down from above would fall severalfeet beyond the outer edge of the floor. Below, there is a verticaldrop of 30 feet to the top of the rough talus which is as steep asrocks and earth will lie. If an assailant, by approaching from eitherside, should reach the foot of this bluff he would offer a fair targetfor stones rolled or hurled down by defenders who are safely out ofreach of missiles from any direction. The only means of entrance is a small opening in the west wall, communicating with another cave. This is so restricted in size as topermit the passage of only one person at a time, and he must assume acrawling or crouching posture. This opening, which for distinctionwill be called the doorway, has its top, sides, and bottom coated withstalagmite formation; so it may once have been somewhat larger than atpresent. The limited amount of the deposit over the natural rock ateither end of the orifice is evidence, however, that it could neverhave been high enough for a man to walk through without stooping, orwide enough for two persons to pass each other; consequently one manarmed with a club or other weapon could easily guard it against anynumber who might attempt to enter. The cavern from which this opening leads, and which will be called theouter cave, is close to and nearly parallel with the face of thebluff, and its course is therefore approximately east and west, forming nearly a right angle with the main cavern. It has a slightcurve, so that the doorway is not visible to one who is approachingfrom the outside until he is within a few yards of it. The outer cave has its beginning at a point where the bluff bendstoward the north; that is, where there is a shallow reentrant curve, formed by the face of the cliff breaking away at this part and rollingdown the hill; a considerable portion of this cave itself has beenthus destroyed, as shown by another entrance into the bluff beyond. Much talus has accumulated in this cave, over which there is atpresent a fairly easy though winding and zigzag path to the entrancefrom the top of the hill, and a rough and difficult way from thebottom. It is a natural presumption that dwellers in the cavern hadwell-constructed though necessarily devious pathways of easy grade toboth the top and the bottom of the hill; but owing to the loose natureof the débris on the outside slopes all trace of these, when abandonedor no longer kept in repair, would soon be obliterated by surfacewash, landslides, and the roots of trees. By the side of the upper trail, at the bottom of the sandstone ledgecapping the hill, are many large blocks which have split off from thisstratum. On the flat surface of two of these are about 25 figures, pecked into the stone apparently with a pointed flint implement. Oneof them measuring 6½ by 30 inches, shown in figure 11, bears someresemblance to a flying bird. All the others are of uniform design, anoval or elliptical figure with a straight line or bar passing throughan opening in one end. These vary from 4 to 18 inches in length; twoof them are shown in figure 12. Owing to the rough weathering of thestones accurate tracings were not possible, but the illustrations givea fairly correct idea of the inscriptions as they originally appeared. [Illustration: FIG. 11. --Incised figure in sandstone near Miller's Cave. ] [Illustration: FIG. 12. --Incised figures in sandstone near Miller's Cave. ] The front part of the outer cave is partially filled with large rocks, gravel, and clay, which have fallen or been washed in. A window-likeopening on the right, or south, side admits additional light. Near theinner end the cave divides, one branch going to the southeast andopening in the face of the bluff, the other turning north andterminating abruptly near the doorway, which is worn through its rearwall. A rough diagram (fig. 13) with some measurements is appended toshow this cavern's peculiar structure. Feet. Width at mouth (A) 17 From mouth to "window" (B) 21 Width of window (B), which has a very irregular outline 3 From window to where cave divides (C) 39 From corner of divide (c) to opposite corner (H) 13 From corner (H) to rear wall 11 Greatest width, from (B) to (F) 22 Width from (C) to (G) 10 From north wall near (G) to face of bluff (D) 28 Height at mouth from talus to roof 8 Height from floor to roof between (C) and (G) 13 Lowest point in the cave (near C), below entrance (A) 7 Mouth, at (D), lower than floor at (C) 4 A small amount of refuse on the floor suggested use of the outer cavefor residence or shelter; but excavations at several points uncoveredbedrock, with very irregular surface, at depths of 6 inches to 2 feet, the earth containing very little refuse and no ashes. On the talus atthe entrance, and also at the bottom of the bluff in which the cavesopen, is much refuse which the inmates threw out as rubbish. [Illustration: FIG. 13. --Plan of Miller's Cave. ] The front chamber of the main cavern is quite regular in form, goingstraight back like a vault for 80 feet, then turning abruptly westwardwith a width of 47 feet, the west wall making almost a right angle atthe corner. The east wall abuts squarely against the rear; a narrowcrevice leads eastward from their junction, but as this was filledwith water and mud no exploration in it was attempted. The floor of the front chamber, from wall to wall, and from near thefront to within 27 feet of the rear, was entirely of ashes, no earthbeing visible until the extremity of these at either end was reached. The floor of the western extension is covered with fine earth, washedin, which gradually increases in volume until it fills the cave towithin a foot of the roof. It was not examined beyond this point. Measurements show these dimensions: Width of cave at mouth feet 64 Least width of cave, 24 feet from mouth do 45 Greatest width of cave, from doorway to branch in cave in eastern wall feet 74 Shortest distance from line of least width to line of greatest width, as given above feet 18 From mouth of cave to doorway do 51 Height of doorway inches 42 Width of doorway do 33 Length of floor of doorway do 56 § From mouth of cave to top of slope of ashes at rear feet 84 From top to bottom of slope of ashes at rear do 16 From foot of ash slope to rear wall do 27 Extent of ashes in turn of cave along foot of wall beyond corner of west wall feet 22 Width of these ashes, from foot of wall to the pool of water do 22 Width of cave from corner of west wall to east wall do 56 From corner of west wall to rear of cave do 47 Height of extreme front from floor at edge of bluff to most projecting ledge above feet 35 Height from shelf or ledge near front of east wall to general level of roof feet 14 Height from ashes to roof at middle of cave do 10 § This measure also represents the thinnest portion of the wall separating the main cave from the outer cave. The walls were, as is usual in caverns, somewhat irregular, therebeing a narrow bench or shelf along each side near the front, whileprojections and indentations alternated from front to rear. There werenumerous small holes and crevices, enlargements of seams and joints bypercolating water at an early stage in the cave's history. Thesefurnish homes for various wild animals, and nearly all of them containbones, sticks, and trash taken in by ground hogs and wood rats whichseem to find much pleasure in carrying such things from place toplace. The work of excavation began at the extreme front of the cave, wherethe original bottom, a mixture of sand, clay, and chert gravel, hadbeen exposed through removal of the ashes by winds and driving rain. Almost immediately rocks, large and small, fallen from walls and roof, were encountered and interfered greatly with the digging. In the upperfoot of the clay were streaks of sand and ashes, among which a musselshell and a flint chip were found; and the top of the clay was quiteuneven, appearing as if carried and thrown here, as perhaps some of itwas early in the occupancy of the cave, with the object of making amore even or level floor farther back. But this admixture was onlysuperficial; below it, the material had all the appearance of arunning water deposit. A ledge extended along the east wall for 40 feet, with a width of 12to 14 feet; at the inner end it was about 4 feet below the generallevel of the floor. At 8 feet below its top a second ledge projectedfrom it, sloping toward the center, slightly for 8 feet then morerapidly for 10 feet farther, where it merged into the bedrock. Thencame level, nearly smooth rock for 18 feet, to the foot of the slopeof the west wall, 14 feet out from that side of the cave. This wasprobably the original drainage channel. By the gradual erosion of new channels through the limestone and theconsequent abandonment of old ones, subterranean drainage iscontinually altering its direction and force. In this way caverns maybe left entirely dry, with bare floors; or may, especially if theyreceive the drainage of sink holes, be partially or even entirelyfilled with débris thus carried in. Like others, Miller's Cave hasundergone such changes. It was begun by clear water; enlarged byerosion and by breaking down of walls and roof; presently clay, sand, and gravel were carried in; finally the water no longer flowed throughthe front, but found its way out in some other direction. In time thedeposits became sufficiently dry to afford a good site for camps andfor permanent occupation. There is no way of ascertaining the rate atwhich these changes took place; it may have required many centuries tomake an appreciable difference in appearance; or, on the other hand, the transition from one stage to the next may have been rapid. Along the foot of the ledge from the east wall the clay was only a fewinches deep; farther out on the ledge, and on the projection extendingfrom it, were layers of red sand. Occasionally a small patch of itappeared along the western side. Probably it was washed in among thelast of the natural deposits. There was considerable chert gravel mixed with the clay, makingexcavation as difficult and laborious as digging up an old, much-traveled macadamized highway. The surface of the ashes sloped upward rather rapidly for a distanceof 29 feet from the front. Kitchen refuse, found in them from thestart, contained many mussel shells; bones, including those of bear, deer, panther, turkey, and other large fowls, tortoise, turtle, fish, and various small mammals and birds; potsherds; broken flints, withthe débris of chipping work; mortars, pestles, hammers, and mullers. Near the west wall, 14 feet from the mouth, imbedded in the ashes anda foot below their surface, was a well-preserved cranium, shown inplate 17, e, f. There were no other bones, not even the lower jaw; itseems to have been thrown here and covered with the dumped ashes. At 18 feet from the mouth the rocks became larger and so numerous asto be almost in contact, projecting above the ashes and imbedded inthe clay down to bedrock; they extended for 22 feet farther in and towithin 14 feet of the west wall. The clay attained its highest levelat the beginning of this pile of rocks, having an elevation of 9 feetabove bedrock; it became lower toward the interior, with its surfaceeverywhere rough and irregular. The rocks were too large to be either moved or broken up, and owing tothe condition of the roof an attempt to reduce them by blasting wouldhave been attended with great danger, so they were perforce left inplace and as much as possible of the clay between and under them dugaway. Beyond those near the front, others, not reaching the top, werefound one after another buried in the clay; owing to their constantlyincreasing number, and to the inward slope of the east wall, thelimits of the excavation gradually narrowed, hampering the movementsof the workmen, and it was necessary to handle the earth two or eventhree times to get it out of the way. There was growing risk, too, ofthe projecting rocks splitting off or breaking out of the clay matrix. As some of them weighed several tons, the danger became too imminent, and efforts to continue along the bedrock had to cease. Two other attempts were made to get to the bottom; one at 40 feet fromthe mouth just beyond the large rocks on the surface, and one at 15feet farther in. The last one started on an area 8 by 15 feet, whichwould have been ample if the sides could have been carried down evenapproximately straight. Neither of these efforts met with success, forthe same reason that led to the abandonment of the first one. From here to the end, examinations were confined to the deposit ofashes. The surface, except as it had been disturbed by relic hunters, was practically level from wall to wall, but the depth varied with theundulating top of the clay beneath. Where it was deepest, in thecentral portion about 50 to 75 feet from the mouth, the deposit had athickness of 6 feet. From this it diminished to about 3 feet on thesides, with an occasional thinner patch on a narrow shelf formed by aledge or a crevice. The average thickness was close to 4½ feet, so theamount was not far from 800 cubic yards. This was composed entirely ofashes from small fires for cooking, heating, and lighting purposes, increased to a very limited extent by kitchen waste, and by discardedor mislaid wrought objects. It represented the combustion of manyhundreds, perhaps of thousands, of cords of wood, all of which had tobe carried in from the hilltop or slopes and passed through theconstricted doorway. This labor would be a sufficient guarantee ofeconomical use; we may be sure that no fuel was wasted. If proof wereneeded of such a self-evident proposition, it would be found in thealmost complete absence of charcoal; here and there, but seldom, asmall mass of it showed that a burning chunk, covered up, hadsmoldered until the inflammable portion was consumed. Bunches orhandfuls of coarse grass or small weeds had undergone the sameprocess. Perhaps these had been used as kindling. In all the deeper parts the ashes had been dumped promiscuously, fromfires made at other points; no camping fires seem to have been madealong the middle of the cave until the depressions in the clay hadbeen at least partially filled. The ashes in the upper 4 feet of theash beds where these were deepest, and in nearly all the shallowerportions, were stratified and usually level, though at the front andrear the strata followed the natural incline of the slopes. The firstimpression was that the ashes had been carefully spread out, ordragged, to make their surface even; but it was discovered, whenshoveling some of them for the second time, that ashes may assume thisappearance no matter how carelessly thrown. The ashes at the top, to adepth of 3 or 4 inches, were as fine as flour, and when shoveled backhung in clouds for hours at a time, to the great discomfort of theexcavators, whose eyes, throats, and nasal passages were in a state ofconstant irritation. The stratified or laminated, hard-packedcondition below the loose surface means, perhaps, that they wereoccasionally sprinkled and trampled by the occupants to prevent thistrouble. Possibly they were covered with mats, skins, weeds, orleaves, in the parts where the inmates congregated. The loose, incoherent condition of the lower portions, which "shoveled likesnow, " may denote that only a few persons dwelt here at first, whofound ample room on the higher ground near the doorway. However, allsuch attempts at explanations are not much better than mere guesswork, and we must be content with accepting the facts as we find them. Where the ashes were white and packed hard, whether on the site of afire or in thin layers where thrown, they contained very littleextraneous material; whereas in the darker, more mixed material brokenbones, potsherds, shells, and other refuse were abundant, while therewas scarcely a cubic foot anywhere in which was not found a piece offlint or bone, sometimes several such objects, which had beenintentionally altered from their natural condition. Near the center of the cave was a curving pile, 6 by 2 feet, andseveral inches thick, of mussel shells of every size from less than aninch to above 5 inches in length; more than half of them were over 3inches. None of them showed any marks of fire; some had both valves inposition, as if they had never been opened, and a few of the larger ofthese had been filled with small shells and closed again. A few werebroken, but most of them were entire. About 1, 400 valves were in thispile, meaning that at least one-half of that number of mollusks wereconsumed. The first interment was found at 46 feet from the front, 14 feet fromthe east wall. The folded skeleton of a very old person lay on theright side, head east, in loose ashes, on a large flat rock whose topwas 30 inches below the surface. This rock had not been placed here, but had fallen from the ceiling; probably its existence was not knownuntil it was uncovered in digging the grave. The skull still retainedits shape, in part, being held in place by the ashes, but fell inpieces when this support was removed. A portion of it was gone; twofragments were found, several feet away, not near each other, one ofwhich fits in the skull, and the other probably belongs with it also. The frontal bone is nearly half an inch thick; the sutures partiallyobliterated; the teeth worn down to the necks, some of them nearly tothe bone; the forehead is low and receding. A restoration is seen inplate 20, a, b. In addition to the missing portions of the skull, mostof the ribs, half of the lower jaw, and nearly all the dorsal vertebræwere absent, probably having been dragged away by ground hogs. Thebones are all light and fragile. Lying above the skull, in contactwith it but supported by the ashes on both sides, was half of a largemortar hollowed on both sides. Above the skeleton, and extending forseveral feet on every side, was an undisturbed stratum of closelypacked ashes, 17 inches thick at the middle, which broke off under thepick in large clods; these, of course, had accumulated after the bodywas interred. The spongy condition of these bones, in spite of the preservativeaction of the ashes, is evidence of the fact frequently noted, thatwith advancing age some change takes place which renders them lessresistant to destructive influences. Bones of children only a fewweeks old near this skeleton held their structure perfectly and wereeasily secured. Ten feet east from the pile of mussel shells, at a slightly lowerlevel, was nearly half a gallon of snail shells which had been boiled, probably in soup. With them were a few pieces of bones. Scattered irregularly through the ashes were many cavities whichsomewhat resembled the "postholes" so common beneath the mounds inOhio. Some were barely an inch in diameter and a foot deep; from thissize they varied indefinitely to the largest, which was a little morethan 3 feet deep, reaching from about a foot below the undisturbedlayers just under the loose surface ashes to within about a foot ofthe bottom. "About" is used advisedly, because at this point neitherthe top nor the bottom of undisturbed material could be determinedwith certainty. The lower 2 feet of this cavity was uniformly 7 inchesacross; above this it slightly expanded, funnel-like, to a diameter of8 inches at the top. The sides of this, as of all of them, large orsmall, were as smooth and hard as if made with a posthole digger or aboring tool. Strata of ashes, not changing their level or appearancein the least, were continuous around the margin. But the holes werenot always straight; some of them changed direction as if due to acrooked post or stick. Nearly all of them were rounded, evenhemispherical at top or bottom, or both, like the bottom of a pot. They were not molds, for nothing could have been taken out of themwithout changing or destroying its form. If they had contained anysolid substance like a post it must have stood unchanged until thelayers of ashes surrounded and covered it, and then must have socompletely disappeared as to leave no trace of its existence. Theywere not formed by driving any object down, because in that case thebottom would not have been so regularly rounded and the ashes aroundthe sides would have been more or less displaced. They were not due toburrowing animals. In fact, if there be imagined a nearly cylindricalmass of ice, straight or slightly crooked, with rounded ends, placedupright and retaining its position unmelted until completely buried, the appearance of these cavities will best be understood. Some of themwere filled to the top with fine loose ashes which occasionallycontained fragments of bone, shell, and pottery; sometimes they werenearly empty, with traces of decayed wood at the bottom, mingled witha little ashes and charcoal. In one was found a long, perfect boneperforator, shown at a in plate 30; in another near the corner of thewest wall was found the pipe shown in figure 14. About 45 feet fromthe front near the east wall were four of them of different diametersand depths but all in a straight line within a space 2 feet long;these were in front of a crevice under an overhanging ledge where aman could not stand upright. Wigwams may have been erected in thecave, or at least skins stretched to prevent drafts or to confine theheat of fires in winter and perhaps to insure some degree of privacyif this were desired; but there are no present indications of suchshelters unless these holes were to secure them; otherwise theirpurpose or object is still unsolved. They would probably not containposts for hanging things on when the walls afforded so many smallcrevices and holes into which poles better adapted for such purposescould be thrust. [Illustration: PLATE 20 a, b, Skull from Miller's Cave, Pulaski County, Mo. (a, front; b, profile). C, Part of skull of child from Miller's cave (front view)] [Illustration: PLATE 21 SKULL OF YOUNG WOMAN FROM MILLER'S CAVE a, Front; b, profile; c, back] Other holes or depressions, shallow, saucer-shaped, or dish-shaped, some dug in the underlying clay, others at any level almost to the topof the ashes, were fire pits or cooking places, containing charcoaland ashes. Two such depressions were lined with a coating of gumbohalf an inch thick, which, however, was not mixed with sand or shell. Pots may have been shaped in these. Occasionally a small mass ofgumbo, never so much as a peck, sometimes as small as a pint measure, would be found loose in the ashes, seemingly thrown there at random. Two pieces were squeezed into a rough ball; one was patted or rolledinto a flattened sphere with a rounded depression on one side. Thesewere no doubt intended as material for making vessels, as was aroughly cylindrical mass of red clay and pounded shell as large as aquart cup--the "biscuit" of modern potters. About the middle of the cave a saucer-shaped depression, 4 feet acrossand 10 inches deep at the center, had been dug in the red clay; asheshad been deposited to a depth of 2 feet over this space before theexcavation of the hole was begun, and streaks of red clay lay at aboutthis level all around the pit. Many rocks, large and small, apparentlythrown in, were in this basin and above it. No fire had been made init; nothing buried; and the upper layers of ashes extended across itunbroken. It forms another of the unsolved problems. [Illustration: FIG. 14. --Clay pipe from Miller's Cave. ] In the den of a burrowing animal smaller than a ground hog was thefrontal bone and upper portion of the face of a child of 8 or 10years; 12 teeth are cut and others can be seen. It is shown in plate20, c. Part of a cervical vertebra lay at the top of the skull, andthere were fragments of a few other bones. The ulna of a child, broken off at the wrist, was near the doorway ina mass of refuse in a ground-hog burrow. For several feet in everydirection around here the ashes were traversed by the tunnels and densof these animals, some of them extending down into the clay. Twenty-five feet east of the doorway, a foot below the highest layerof unbroken ashes, was the top and back of a thin skull. Sixty feet from the front, 15 feet from the east wall, at a depth of14 inches, was a partial skeleton, lying on the back. The right arm, folded, lay by the side; the left forearm across the pelvis. All bonesfrom the atlas to the sacrum, except some bones of the hands andwrists and the left ulna, lay in such position as to show they hadbeen interred with the flesh on, or at least while the cartilagesheld them together; but no trace of the skull--which had lain towardthe west--or of any part of the legs or feet was present. Fragments ofcoarse cloth were adhering to the pelvis. The bones, which were almostlike punk, were those of a young person, the caps of the long bonesbeing separate from the shafts; but they were of good size, thehumerus being 13 inches long. The left ulna (at least a left ulna) layabove where the face should have been, but some inches away, with oneend near the surface. It is quite probable that ground hogs areresponsible for the condition of this skeleton, and that some of thebones found scattered in the ashes belonged to it. About a foot underthe bones, but not connected with the burial in any way, were threelarge pieces of a large pot. Four feet east of this, a foot lower, was the skeleton of a baby, thehumerus only 3½ inches long. The bones rolled out with some looseashes, and not all of them could be recovered. Thirteen feet from the east wall, 16 feet from top of rear slope ofthe ashes, 4 feet below the surface was part of a skeleton. The boneslay on a damp, close-packed bed of ashes 6 inches thick. They wereclosely folded, the femurs and lower leg bones being in contact; theskull, scapulæ, right humerus, sacrum, and some of the vertebræ weremissing. Such bones as remained were in their proper positions, exceptthat the sternum lay in the pelvis and the elbows at the knees. All ofthem were in a space only 18 by 22 inches, measuring to the outermostpoints. The situation of such bones as remained indicated that part ofa skeleton had been buried after the flesh had decayed, or had beenremoved, but while the joints were still united, and covered withloose ashes, whose settling had caused some sagging of the stratifiedashes, a foot in thickness, which lay above them, there being noevidence that they had been disturbed since they were placed here. Allwere as light as cork and, except the left tibia, which was 15½ incheslong, fell to pieces when taken up. Eight feet east from the last skeleton was one of a very young infant, on left side, head toward the front of the cave. It was 2½ feet belowthe surface, partly under a jutting portion of a large rock whose topwas above the ashes. It lay on small angular rocks, with similar rocksover it. Two feet west of this was the ulna of a child 10 years old. Sixteen feet from the east wall, 10 feet from top of rear slope, 2feet under surface was another infant's skeleton, lying on the back, head toward the mouth of the cave. The femur was only 4½ inches long. Fifteen feet from east wall, 8 feet from top of rear slope of ashes, alittle more than a foot below the surface, was the closely foldedskeleton of a woman between 20 and 25 years of age. It lay on theright side, with the head east. The bones were in perfect condition, even the coccyx being intact. All the teeth were present, solid, andsymmetrically set. Unbroken strata of ashes a foot thick above thisskeleton sagged somewhat owing to settling of loose ashes thrownaround and over the body at time of burial. The skull is shown, front, profile, and back, in plate 21. A few inches below these bones, with ashes intervening, were piledsome bones of a child of about 8 years. The caps of the joints werenot adherent, and some of the teeth had not come through the bone. Theskull, which was intact, lay on left side, vertex north, ribs, armbones, and feet bones lay on the top, at the back, and at the vertex, in contact with the skull and with one another. As there was noevidence that they had ever been disturbed by animals, it would appearthat only the bones mentioned had been deposited; even the lower jawwas absent. They lay in a mass of kitchen refuse, shells, burnedbones, charcoal, and ashes, the upper layers of which were curved asif the bones had been laid on a level area of this mixed material andthe rest of it piled over them. Their position, and the small numberof them, indicates that the flesh had been used as food. The skull isshown in plate 22. Between this partial skeleton and the complete one above it, apparently thrown in with the refuse which covered and surroundedboth, were fragments of two large pelvic bones which did not belong toeither of them. Directly below these burials, 3 feet under the surface, was part of aninfant's skeleton, with five shell disk beads among the bones; theonly instance in which ornaments were found with human bones. Theskull and some other bones were present, but most of the remains haddisappeared into the runway of a burrower. At several places in the central parts of the cavern, at almost anylevel between the top and the bottom of the ashes, were human bones, singly or a few together, some of them apparently remains ofinterments, others carried to the points where found. Most of thesescattered bones were of children or infants; but now and then largerones were found, notably two large adult tibiæ which were a footapart. While a few of them may have been thrown in with the ashes, most of this confusion resulted from the activity of rodents, thoughsome of it was due to desultory former investigations. At one point was the perfect lower jaw of a child 8 or 10 years old;with it were a scapula and some vertebræ which may have belonged toit, also some ribs, vertebræ, and arm bones of an infant. Two or threeof them bore marks of fire, especially an ulna of a child which wascompletely charred. Four feet from east wall, 4 feet below surface, at the beginning ofthe slope to the rear, was the skeleton of a child less than 2 yearsold. It lay on left side, head east, legs bent, one arm folded withhand by head, the other along the body; just such a position as wouldbe assumed by a sleeping infant. Some of the teeth were cut. All thebones were in place, though soft and brittle; above them was anunbroken stratum of ashes. Four feet west of this, 2 feet higher, was the skeleton of a stillyounger child. Sixteen feet from east wall, at the beginning of slope to rear, nearthe bottom of the ashes, was an adult's skeleton, extended on back, head west. Three rocks, weighing from 75 to 300 pounds, were placedover the body. Most of the bones had disappeared from decay; themiddle third of one tibia was much enlarged by disease, as shown inplate 23. Eleven feet east of this, 4 feet below surface, was an adult skeleton, folded, on right side, head toward rear of the cave. The bones werespongy and soft. Portions of the feet and legs, most of the pelvis, the left arm, and some of the vertebræ were present, but there was notrace of right arm, skull, or shoulders. A slab weighing 100 pounds ormore was set on edge just where the head should have been. One tibia, the only bone with both ends remaining, measured 14½ inches. Near the wall, just beyond the break of the slope, was the entireskeleton of a dog so old that its teeth were rounded and smooth. Ithad been killed by a spear thrust entirely through its body, from theright side, both scapulæ being penetrated; the holes are three-fourthsof an inch in diameter. The skull of a fox was found near this, higherin the ashes. Fifteen feet from east wall, halfway down the slope, 18 inches undersurface, was the skeleton of an infant only a few days old. No traceof pelvis or right leg remained, though all the other bones were wellpreserved. Twenty-four feet from east wall, at beginning of rear slope, was thecomplete skeleton of a young child, extended, on back, head towardrear of cave. The bones showed evidence of disease, as may be seen inplate 23. The skull is shown in plate 24. Nineteen feet from east wall, 13 feet from foot of slope, was a hole4½ inches to 5 inches in diameter, 21 inches deep, extending into theloose dark earth underlying the ashes. The bottom of the hole wasmuddy, being at about the level of the standing water, and containedcharred and decayed remains of oak wood. Ashes, in layers having thesame slope as the surface, extended over it, proving the post (?) tohave been burned some time before the cave was abandoned. [Illustration: PLATE 22 SKULL OF CHILD FROM MILLER'S CAVE a, Front; b, profile] [Illustration: PLATE 23 DISEASED TIBIA OF ADULT AND DISEASED BONES OF CHILD FROM MILLER'S CAVE] [Illustration: PLATE 24 SKULL OF CHILD FROM MILLER'S CAVE a, Front; b, profile] [Illustration: PLATE 25 CACHE OF FLINTS FROM ASH BED IN MILLER'S CAVE] West of the doorway a ledge, projecting from 4 to 6 feet, extended tothe west corner. It was covered 2 feet deep, or less, with ashescontaining the usual refuse. Large rocks lay on this, or hadfallen over it to the clay lying against its lower part, or intothe ashes on the clay. Near the west wall were four holes in an almost straightnorth-and-south line. The first (1), was 29 feet north of the doorway, 18 inches deep and 7 inches in diameter. In it was the clay pipe shownin figure 14. Number (2), 5 feet from (1), was 24 by 9 inches; No. (3)2 feet from (2), was 26 by 7 inches; No. (4), 4½ feet from (3), was 30by 5 inches. Fourteen inches northwest of No. (1) was another hole, 15by 3 inches. The description on a previous page as to character, appearance, and contents applies to all these holes; the ashesextended above all of them in continuous layers. A little to the west of No. (1) was a small pile of crumblingfragments of sandstone and limestone used in boiling food. Near No. (4), a foot under the surface, on the slope, 15 feet from thewater, was a small pile of charcoal on which lay a human scapula, somevertebræ, fragments of ribs, most of a humerus, and most of a femur ofa person not fully matured; they were of good size but the cap fellaway from the humerus when it was moved. Some of them were withoutmarks of fire, others were charred, while a few pieces were burned tocinder. As the mass was surrounded by clean ashes, it could not bedetermined whether the charcoal had been burned where found, or hadbeen carried here. Whichever it was, the bones had been thrown on thepile. Thirteen feet just north from the corner of the west wall was a hole19 by 7 inches which differed from the others in that the bottominstead of being rounded was irregular, and deeper at one side; thetop, however, showed the usual hemispherical contour. Two feet from corner of west wall, almost under a point projectingfrom it, 4 feet below surface, was a cranium from which the upper jaw, one orbit, and part of the right parietal were missing; with it were alower jaw, a clavicle, a sternum, the bones of the left arm, and somephalanges, all in good condition, except the ulna, which was broken. No other bones were present. The skull lay on right side, face towardthe wall; the arm bones were on it, and the other bones by it. Withand around them were some deer bones. The entire lot had theappearance of being thrown together here at one time, and it wouldseem that the flesh of all of them had been eaten. Fourteen feet north from the corner, halfway down to the water, in thewet earth at the bottom, were human bones evidently placed hereentire, but so decayed and broken that nothing could be ascertainedexcept that it seemed a closely folded body or skeleton had beendeposited. The teeth were worn down to the gums. The refuse behind the corner of the west wall was cleared away as faras the conditions would permit. The amount of water at the rear ofthe cave varies with the rainfall; sometimes it almost disappears, again it may be fully 2 feet deep; but at all times the earth andashes near it are saturated above its lowest level. Consequently, onaccount of the mud, excavations could not be carried fully to the endin either direction. As scarcely anything was found in the last fewfeet, this omission was not important. The entire distance worked over, from the front margin to the linewhere no further advance could be made, at 14 feet from the water, was91 feet. No spot that could be reached throughout this length was leftundug. The small openings in the west wall presented no features worthy ofspecial mention; but those in the east wall yielded interestingresults. First of these was a small cave 39 feet from the main entrance. At thefront its width was 11 feet; 6 feet within it narrowed to 4 feet. Ahole on the north side ended at a crevice that led to a chamber higherup, from which, in turn, another crevice extended. All this space, even beyond the point to which a man could worm his way, was filledwith fine earth and ashes containing much refuse. Worked objects werefound at the greatest distance which could be reached. A few feet within the entrance this minor cave divided into threeparts. A crevice trending northward is too small to follow. The twoothers extend in a general easterly direction. The central branch, theleft of the two, also closes within a few feet. Neither of thesecontained anything but natural earth. In the one to the right, 7 feetfrom the entrance, was a pocket on the south side, 18 inches wide, 30inches high, and 4 feet deep; it was filled with ashes containing boneand shell, but no worked object except a flake scraper. At intervals, within the next few feet, were two mortars, a much used pestle, somebone awls, and flints, all of them in places where it was scarcelypossible for a man to sit erect, as the tunnel-like cavity, circumscribed by solid rock, was nowhere as much as 4 feet indiameter. At its narrowest part it measured only 3 feet high and 18inches wide. At 20 feet the cave opens into a well-like enlargement, 5 by 6 feet, and 5 feet high. Bone and shell in small amounts were found here, andamong them the skiver shown at d in plate 36. From this well-like cavity three branches start; one continuing in adirect line east, one to the north, and one to the south. The east(middle) branch is only 24 inches high and 17 inches wide, with solidrock all around. It contained ashes, with a little refuse, as far as aman could reach. The branch to the north is entered through an opening 3 feet high and31 inches wide in a thin wall of the original rock, just within whichit widens to nearly 7 feet, holding the same height of 3 feet. Withinthis doorway, on the red earth bottom, were a small mortar and agrinding stone worn by much use; both were stained with red paint. Afoot farther in was part of a skiver; and 2 feet beyond this was alarge knife of white chert almost as clear and compact as chalcedony, shown at a in plate 27. Ashes continued in the north tunnel for 26feet from the entrance, beyond which no further progress was possible. Before this point was reached, the refuse which had been continuallydecreasing in amount no longer appeared. The tunnel leading from the well toward the south is 19 inches high, 3feet 9 inches wide. At 3 feet it branches; one fork, 2 feet high and17 inches wide, turns eastward and curves to join the east branch fromthe well. The other branch continues south, but soon closes; in itwere found a small piece of an adult's skull and the hip bone of ayoung child. The floors in all the branches of the small cave were covered from 3to 12 inches deep with a reddish mixture of sand and clay, on whichwere ashes filling the space above almost to the roof. In a few placesrefuse was found in this silt, of the same general character as thatin the ashes, but in very small amount. This is not significant; suchremains were dragged down by animals, which range everywhere. The twodeposits are quite separated and distinct. The clay and sand on the rock bottom came from disintegrated rock ontop of the ground outside, or at any rate from some level higher thanthat where they are found now; but how ashes, shells, broken bone, andespecially how worked objects came to be in places too contracted fora man to creep, and where they could be neither carried nor pushed, isnot to be explained except on the hypothesis of a chamber above, whence they may have worked or may have been thrown down; but at noplace, either in the cave or in the outside surface, could there befound any evidence of such communication. Fifty-five feet from the mouth of the cave, in the east wall, is acrevice into whose lower portion extended the red clay of the cavernfloor. It branched into various tortuous divisions, all of which werefilled with ashes containing a large proportion of refuse. It appearedat first that all this had settled in, or been thrown in, from themain cavern; but one branch, having a very irregular outline, was insuch situation and trended upward at such an angle that it could nothave been filled from below. As in similar cases previously noted, however, no other opening to it was to be found. The smallest workmancleared it out to as great a distance as he could crawl and use atrowel, but did not succeed in reaching the end of the deposits. At the bottom of the crevice were ground-hog burrows extending betweenloose rocks, under ledges, and into the red clay. All these werefollowed as far as they could be, and found to contain quantities ofrefuse. There was also a considerable amount of fine dark earth in theburrows, showing they have another outlet somewhere. Occasionally amass thrown out by a shovel or a trowel contained more refuse thanashes. There was nearly everything which was found elsewhere in thecave, and almost every shovelful contained something worth preserving. Near the rear of the cave erosion of the lower part of the easternwall formed a rudely triangular recess or cavity 30 feet long by 7feet deep at the widest part. The upper margin of this was below thesurface of the ashes, so that its existence was not suspected untilthese had been removed from in front of it. The roof was 5 feet abovethe rock bottom, the entire space being filled with loose material. The upper 2 feet of this was clean ashes in which were greatquantities of refuse, so much that it had all the appearance of ageneral dumping ground. Below this depth, patches of fine dark earthwere mingled with the ashes and refuse. The latter continuallydecreased in quantity, until at a foot above the bottom they ceasedaltogether, the lower portion of the deposit consisting of nothing butearth. The pure ashes were slightly damp; and the moisture increasedwith the depth until at a foot above the bottom the earth wassaturated and could no longer be removed with tools. The refuse in the ashes consisted of animal bones, entire or infragments; broken flints and pottery; mussel and snail shells; andnumerous wrought objects. These continued, though in smaller amount, where the ashes were mingled with earth, though bones and shells weresoft owing to the moisture, and could be removed only in fragments. Among them were the flint shown at a in plate 28, and the hematite ax, at a, plate 29. The latter was at the lowest level to which the ashesextended; perhaps its weight caused it to settle below the place atwhich it originally lay. Near the middle of this chamber, 2 feet from the rear wall, lying atthe bottom of the mixed ashes and earth, were 12 entire and 3 brokenleaf-shaped blades; they were not closely piled, or arranged in anyorder, but seem to have been hastily or carelessly laid or thrown on asmall space. Another was found a foot away. They are shown in plate25. [Illustration: PLATE 26 FLINTS FROM MILLER'S CAVE] [Illustration: PLATE 27 FLINTS FROM MILLER'S CAVE] [Illustration: PLATE 28 FLINTS FROM MILLER'S CAVE] [Illustration: PLATE 29 AXES AND PESTLES FROM MILLER'S CAVE] Here and there among the refuse were found the upper jaw, with leftorbit, of a young person; a fragment of an occiput, perhaps belongingwith the above though not lying near it; fragments of the skull of ayoung child; half of an ulna of a child probably 12 years old; a smallfragment of the lower jaw of an adult with one molar remaining in it, which has been burned until black. These fragments were all in suchposition and condition as to show they were not carried in by animals;were not disinterred from graves and placed here; were not in anyway accidentally present; but had been gathered up with the refuse andthrown in as a part of it. The broken or burned condition of these, aswell as of other human bones found at random among the ashes of themain cave, are presumptive evidence that dwellers here sometimesdevoured the flesh of human beings; and the fact that a majority ofsuch bones are those of children indicates that it was not eatenthrough a belief that the valor and skill of an enemy could be thusabsorbed by the victor, but that it was used as food, like the fleshof any other animal. Such conclusion may not be justified; but thefacts are not readily accounted for otherwise, except on the equallyrepulsive hypothesis that the inmates of the cave were brutallyindifferent to the bodies or skeletal remains of their fellows. Omitting this question from consideration, however, there is stillample evidence that the inhabitants of Miller's Cave were in a lowstate of savagery, or, if the phrase be preferred, in a very primitivestage of culture. There was a remarkable paucity of articles used asornaments or for personal decoration, and the few that were found weresimple and crude, being only rubbed stones or rough pieces of boneswhich were possibly intended for beads or pendants. The pottery, whilestrong and serviceable, was plain in form and devoid of anyornamentation or design except that a few pieces showed impressionssuch as would be made by scratching or pressing with the end of asmall stick or bone. Nearly all of it was cord-marked, though some wassmooth, one red piece appearing almost glazed. It varied much inthickness, hardness, and color. Most of it was dark gray, some red, occasionally a piece yellowish or nearly white; due to the differentclays of which it was made. So far as observed it was tempered withshell. The shards were small, as if when a pot was broken thefragments were still further demolished. The curvature showed therewas a wide range in size, from about a pint to 2 gallons or more. Their mortars were natural blocks or slabs of sandstone, such as maybe picked up by thousands in the immediate neighborhood, and showed noalteration of form beyond ordinary wear except that the rough faces ofa few were pecked, apparently with a pointed flint tool, to make themless irregular. Some were flat and smooth from use with a muller orgrinding stone; most of them were worked or hollowed on only one face;a few showed depressions on both sides; one had a few hemisphericalindentations near the margin, like those observed in cup-stones. Only one pestle was dressed into any of the forms which we areaccustomed to associate with the name, and this was a truncated conewith rounded top, shown at b in plate 29. All the others werecobblestones from ravines or the river shore. A few had undergone nochange in form; most of them were battered on the perimeter; a few hadpitted sides; some had been used as pestles, mullers, or grindingstones until the surface was more or less smooth. All such stones areclassed as "pestles, " for convenience; they could have also been usedas hammers, bone crushers, and in various other ways. In all, 73 mortars were found; counting only those stones which boremarks of use as such. The largest one was at the bottom of the ashes, near the doorway. There were more than 100 pestles which bore evidenceof much use; and probably as many more on which there was little or nosign of wear. As the cavern was not of sufficient size to provideliving quarters for many families at any one time--10 or 12 at themost--the large number of these utensils may imply that the inmateswould not use an object which had previously belonged to some oneelse. Among the flint implements there was a wide range in the character ofstone, the shape, and the degree of finish, although the variation insize was quite limited. Very few of them may be classed as eitherlarge or small. The longest, shown at a in plate 28, measured 5½inches; few were more than 4 or less than 2 inches. Tapering stemspredominated. The principal forms are shown in plates 26-28. Onlythree arrowheads were found; but this was to be expected, as arrowswould be used only out of doors. One of these of clear, fine-grainedpink and white chert, shown at b in plate 28, so far surpasses indelicate finish any other specimen secured that it is probably exotic. The large number of cores, blocks, spalls, and flakes shows that manyimplements were made and repaired here. But, while a few specimensshowed that their fabricators were masters of the chipping art, mostof them were roughly finished. Some which are so little altered fromthe original form of the rough flake or spall that they would beclassed as "rejects" if found about a flint workshop have a smoothnessor "hand polish" which denotes much service. There is the possibility, of course, that hunting or traveling parties from some other part ofthe country may have availed themselves of the shelter, either when itwas temporarily unoccupied, or as guests of those living in it; andthat these, also, may have left some small articles when theydeparted. However this may have been, all the objects from the top tothe bottom of the deposits, in dry ashes or in sticky mud, in crevicesor branch caverns, on the red clay, the barren muck, or thebedrock--all, if we may except the few flints of superiorworkmanship--are identical in general character: That is to say, anyobject from any part of the deposited material had its practicalduplicate at various other points on different levels. Only three grooved axes and three pestles were found. They are shownin plate 29, along with a cobblestone used as a pestle. [Illustration: PLATE 30 BONE IMPLEMENTS FROM MILLER'S CAVE] [Illustration: PLATE 31 BONE IMPLEMENTS FROM MILLER'S CAVE] [Illustration: PLATE 32 BONE IMPLEMENTS FROM MILLER'S CAVE] [Illustration: PLATE 33 BONE IMPLEMENTS FROM MILLER'S CAVE] [Illustration: PLATE 34 BONE AND ANTLER IMPLEMENTS FROM MILLER'S CAVE] [Illustration: PLATE 35 ANTLER IMPLEMENTS FROM MILLER'S CAVE] [Illustration: PLATE 36 SKIVERS, SHOWING STAGES OF MANUFACTURE, FROM MILLER'S CAVE] [Illustration: PLATE 37 SHELL SPOONS, POTTERY DISKS, AND BROKEN SPOON MADE OF A DEER'S SKULL, FROM MILLER'S CAVE] The cave was especially rich in objects wrought from bone and antler. A few of these are shown in plates 30-36 and figure 15. [Illustration: FIG. 15. --Perforated bone object from Miller's Cave. ] Plate 36 illustrates four stages in the manufacture of skivers. Itshows that instead of being always rubbed down from its natural formthe bone was sometimes split by blows of a stone hammer untilcomplete, subsequent smoothing probably resulting from use, as shownby the implement at c. When skivers were broken, the ends were dresseddown for other uses; as observed in the upper row of plate 32. Shell spoons, knives, and scrapers were abundant. Some are shown inplate 37, along with perforated pottery disks and the bowl of a spoonmade from the frontal bone of a deer. Figure 16 represents the only adz or gouge form implement found. It ismade of gray chert, the edge highly polished. In figure 17 is shown abroken clay pipe, identical in form and material with that in figure14. [Illustration: FIG. 16. --Adz or gouge of chert from Miller's Cave. ] The red clay which had formed the floor of the excavated area from themouth of the cavern to well past the central portion suddenly dippedto the north and to the east shortly before reaching the corner of thewest wall. Attempts to follow it downward were frustrated by blackearth, which when dug with pick or shovel assumed the consistency of"hog-wallow mud. " For a space of 4 or 5 feet inside the doorway, whose floor was about 3feet higher than the average surface level in the cave, the ashes werenot more than a foot thick, the clay rising to this extent. It spreadout fan shape, with a continuous slope for several yards in everydirection, thus making an easy grade for entrance and exit. There are three ways in which this condition could have been broughtabout. First, the aborigines may have constructed a graded way; though it isnot at all likely they would have piled the clay so far to each side. Secondly, it may have washed through the doorway from the outer cavewhen the main outlet of the latter in the face of the bluff toward D(fig. 13) was obstructed in some way. This is improbable. Thirdly, it may be due to material deposited in the eddy or swirlcreated by the corner of the west wall whenever a large volume ofdrainage water flowed from the westward in the main cave and wassharply deflected toward the south when it struck the east wall. Thisis no doubt the correct explanation. Whether or not these floods had any part in piling up the clay at thedoorway, beyond doubt it was to them that the clay, gravel, and sandresting upon the floor of the main cave owe their origin. To them islikewise due the dark earth overlying the clay at the rear andcovering the floor of the recess in the east wall. Clearly, there wasat one time in the cave's history a current at intervals, whichcarried mud and small rocks from the interior of the cave, or from theoutside surface through sink holes, and left at least a part of itwhere the velocity of the stream was checked. Later, much of thiswater found other drainage channels, and the coarser matter could nolonger be carried into the cave; but at times of unusually heavyprecipitation enough of the torrent followed the old course to bringin the dark earth. The last is due to top soil containing a largeamount of humus from decaying vegetation. Finally, no more water camethis way except as seepage, which is the condition at present. [Illustration: FIG. 17. --Clay pipe from Miller's Cave. ] The pool at the rear may be entirely empty in dry seasons; and afterheavy rains may contain a depth of 2 feet. This water now has a greasylooking scum and a sour, unpleasant odor. The cave was inhabited before the water had entirely ceased to flowthrough it; this is proven by the alternation of refuse and silt inthe recess under the east wall. Kitchen waste would be thrown here, and when the water rose sediment would cover it. There was then dryground near the doorway; and the water in the pool, having an outlettoward the east, through the crevice, was fit for use, except, perhaps, when turbid. On the rear slope, 18 feet from the water, the excavation was carriedto the level of the bottom of the pool. The lower 2 feet was mud, andat the bottom water oozed in. Scattered through this muddy earth wasmuch charcoal in small fragments; and for a short distance it alsooccurred for a few inches below the surface of the red clay. Thischarcoal was carried in by the water at the same time as the earthwith which it was associated, and must be due to fires on the hilloutside. At any rate, it did not come from any fires made within thecavern. No refuse or worked objects of any kind were found in thisblack earth, except in the recess in the east wall, as described, andin the upper portion immediately under the ashes. Such as existedoutside the recess may have become mixed in the same way; that is, bybeing thrown on the top as it existed at the moment and being latercovered by the water; or it may have worked in from the ashes above. Nor was there much refuse in the ashes on the rear slope, althoughthese were quite regularly stratified. To entirely remove the rocks and clay and expose in a satisfactorymanner the bedrock floor would require months of labor, the use ofmechanical appliances, and complete drainage to the rear wall throughthe mouth of the cave. Without attempting to make a detailed list, there may be given asummary of the objects shipped to the National Museum: 12 skulls, most of them more or less broken. 10 partial skeletons, including those of children. 8 fragments of skulls from different individuals not included in the above. 74 objects of shell. 711 worked flint objects; knives, scrapers, cores, etc. 10 grooved axes, tomahawks, and flint hammers. 10 mortars. 40 pestles, stone hammers, rubbing stones, etc. 413 wrought objects of bone and stag horn. 2 clay pipes. 1 box of pottery fragments. A number of small objects, not classified. There were left in the cavern several hundred broken flints; more than60 mortars; probably 200 stones used as pestles, hammers, etc. , andseveral large wagonloads of shell, bone, and broken pottery. There is no way in which the age of the deposits in either the Milleror the Sells Cave can be determined. The accumulation of ashes in theone and of talus at the front of the other would certainly imply thelapse of several centuries, perhaps a thousand years of continuousoccupation. Intermittent habitation would lengthen this period. RAMSEY'S CAVE Ramsey's Cave, better known as Freeman's Cave, is in a bluff on theright bank of Big Piney River, 3 miles below Miller's Cave. It isabout 150 feet above the level of the stream and the same below thesummit of the hill behind it. Within a hundred yards to east and westare shallow ravines by which access is fairly easy to a ledge nearlyon the same level as the cave; this is wide enough for one person totraverse, but in most places too narrow for two abreast. The talus infront is rough and steep but a crooked path with no difficult gradescan be made to the water. Chambers on each side near the entrance, which are accessible only bymeans of a ladder, provide excellent living quarters and commandapproach from any direction, even along the foot of the cliff oneither side. The entrance, which faces southwest, is a symmetrical arch 75 feetwide and 20 feet high. Bedrock shows just in front, covered with loose material washed overthe cliff. The floor ascends and the roof descends toward the rear, until at 70 feet they approach within 6 feet of each other; beyondthis the cave is choked with fallen rocks and with earth and gravelprobably from a sink hole some distance back on top of the hill. Refuse shows about the entrance and for 40 feet toward the rear, whereearth from the interior has worked down over it. The surface is strewnwith rocks, large and small, so that excavations are possible only insmall areas. Several holes were dug at intervals between the front andthe rear; a considerable amount of ashes was found over the middleportion, thrown from still farther back. Very little was found inthem. The rock bottom slopes upward slightly and was covered in someplaces with clay and gravel, on which lay the ashes and other refuse;these were nowhere more than 3 feet deep, and usually much thinner. The place was so difficult to work in and the returns were so scantythat systematic investigation did not seem warranted, and the work wasnot extended. The only objects secured were a bone perforator, part ofanother one, a snail shell, apparently a bead, a very small piece ofsandstone used as a grinder or polisher for bones, a fragment ofworked mussel shell, and nine rough flints. There were also a fewsmall fragments of pottery. A man living near the cave reported that a few years ago he wasdigging in a narrow space between the east wall and a large fallenrock. He came upon the feet of two skeletons and took out the lowerleg bones. Being assured by a friend that these were not bones ofIndians because they were not "red, " and so must be remains of whitepeople, he replaced them and threw the earth back on them. He wascertain the spot had never since been disturbed; but in this he wasmistaken, for investigation revealed a pile of human bones lying inconfusion, in which the frames of two individuals, as he had said, were mingled; but no trace of the skull or jaw of either. Evidentlysome one had come afterwards in search of the skulls. The femur of thelarger individual was just 19 inches long; the other frame was muchsmaller; but all other bones were in such fragmentary condition theycould not be measured. There is a rock shelter a short distance down the river from theRamsey Cave and in the same ledge. It is 45 feet long, 15 feet deep, and 8 feet high in front, the roof coming down to the floor at therear. There is nothing to show that it was ever used, even as acamping place. * * * * * A fourth of a mile above this cave is another from which flows anever-failing spring. There is a pile of ashes near the front, containing some refuse, but these mark only the site of an occasionalcamp, as the place could not be occupied in wet weather. GRAHAM CAVE On Graham's land, high up in a bluff facing Big Piney, opposite themouth of Spring Creek, is a small cave difficult to reach and notsuitable for occupancy. PILLMAN'S OR SPRING CREEK, CAVE (25) At the mouth of Spring Creek, on land of John Pillman, near the top ofthe bluff, is a cave with an entrance 30 feet wide and 30 feet high. Asteep rock ledge at the front offers an impassable obstacle to anystock except goats. The front chamber is well lighted for a distanceof 80 feet, where it makes a turn. Bedrock is exposed near theentrance and rises toward the rear, showing here and there through thecovering of earth, which is not more than 2 feet deep anywhere. Watercracks appear even in the highest spots, proving the floor to besaturated at times. There is considerable refuse inside the cave, butnone in front, and it is reported that human skeletons have been foundin it. If so they must have been on a ledge or in a crevice. Plate 2, a, shows the hill, from the west; plate 2, b, the entrance to thecave. Two large cairns stood on top of the bluff above the cave. So far ascan be determined in their dilapidated condition, there seems to havebeen a row of stones inclosing a definite area, but it is impossibleto ascertain with certainty whether this was the case. On a lower ridge, to the north, are three similar but smaller cairns. These are constructed entirely of sandstone slabs, and there wasplainly some sort of system used in placing them; but, as in the caseof the first, it can not now be determined whether there was acontinuous wall, and, if so, whether it was more than one stone high. * * * * * A village site is reported in the river bottom on David Thomas's farmon the Big Piney, near Moab. There were cairns, now totally destroyed, at two places on the ridgeover which passes the road from Devil's Elbow to Spring Creek. WOODLAND HOLLOW CAVE A minor ravine, known as Woodland Hollow, opens into a small unnamedcreek a mile above its junction with Big Piney River at the Devil'sElbow. In the west slope of this ravine is a large cave, named fromits location. Through the middle part the floor is muddy; along thewall on the left, dry cave earth, with a width of 20 to 30 feet, extends for 70 feet from the entrance, its surface 4 feet above thelevel of the wet floor. A smaller amount of dry earth lies along theopposite wall. The sides of the cavern recede at the bottom, the dryearth passing under them. No estimate can be made as to the totaldepth of the deposits. At the mouth of a ground-hog burrow were twobone perforators, potsherds, fragments of bones, and pieces of workedflint, including two knives, which had been thrown out by the animal. Two mortar stones were found on the margin of the dry earth. The cave belongs to Philip Becker, of St. Louis, who peremptorilyrefused to allow any examination whatever to be made; the only case inthe whole region where cheerful permission was not given for anyamount of excavation desired. Three cairns, all demolished, stood on the Stuart property, half amile from Woodland Cave. * * * * * There is a cairn on top of Lost Hill, half a mile south of Blue, orShanghai, Spring on Big Piney. WALLED GRAVES AT DEVIL'S ELBOW (26) Three miles above the point at which it passes out of the hills intothe bottom lands on its way to the Gasconade, the Big Piney Riverdoubles on itself with an abrupt curve, which raftsmen have named "TheDevil's Elbow. " For more than a mile above and below this bend thestream flows in opposite directions in nearly parallel east and westchannels around the foot of a spur from the high land to the west. Into the Elbow, on its outer curve, three ravines from the east andsoutheast open within a fourth of a mile. They form the boundaries oftwo very narrow ridges or "hog-backs, " which terminate in precipitousslopes near the river. For some distance back from the points thelimestone bedrock crops out, a slight accumulation of earth in thecrevices supporting a scanty covering of weeds but being insufficientto permit the growth of trees or bushes; hence the term "balds" bywhich they are locally known. The ridges have a gradual and nearlyuniform slope toward the summit of the hill, which lies half a mileto the eastward. The sandstone capping the hill appears within a fewhundred feet and is covered with an abundant growth. On the upland aremany large trees. The ridge farthest south, on the farm of Joseph Ross, has five stonegraves along the crest, numbered here in their order from the bluff. Number (1) is a few rods below the sandstone outcrop, and isconstructed partly of weathered limestone blocks such as are now lyingaround it and partly of sandstone slabs carried from farther up thehill. All the other cairns, although (2) and (3) stand on thelimestone bedrock, are built entirely of sandstone fragments rangingfrom the size of a brick or smaller to pieces weighing over 200pounds. At first sight the cairns appeared to be only piles of stones throwntogether; but more careful inspection showed that each burial placewas outlined by a wall, laid up with as much regularity as waspracticable with the material at hand, and inclosing a spaceapproximately square. Measuring from face to face of their walls, thespaces between these cairns were as follows: (1) to (2), 21 feet; (2)to (3), 19 feet; (3) to (4), 36 feet; (4) to (5), 34 feet. Not one of these walls was intact at the time of examination; huntershad torn away portions of all of them in pursuit of small animalswhich had sought refuge among the stones; and such parts as were notthus injured were more or less displaced by roots of trees penetratingin every direction the soil which had accumulated in the open spaces. So far as could be judged in their chaotic condition, the first stepin their construction was to lay a row of slabs around the arearequired; then another row upon this; and the work was continued inthis manner until the desired height was reached. As a rule, thestones were so laid as to break joints and to interlock at thecorners, for greater stability; but in a few places this was not done. If a stone, once laid up, did not fit as it should, the buildersapparently did not take the trouble to replace it with another bettersuited to the requirements. Seemingly, care was taken to build in sucha manner that each outer face should be vertical, and in a straightline from corner to corner; but the inner side was left rough andirregular according to the shape and size of the blocks, no attemptbeing made to even it up. If timbers of any kind had been laid acrossthe top, resting on the walls, there remained no indication of thefact. However, the bodies may have been protected at the time ofinterment by small vaults or pens constructed of poles, whose decaywould allow the stones to settle, and of which no traces would now beleft. The space inclosed by the walls was filled with loose stones lying insuch disorder as to suggest that they had been carelessly or hastilythrown in to fill the interior and round up the top; but some of thisconfusion may have resulted from the same causes by which the wallswere defaced. It does not appear that any stones had been piled against the outsideof the walls to assist in retaining them in place; such as were foundin this position were either thrown there by the present inhabitantsor had fallen from the top. Two of the cairns, the second and the third in order, were so torn upand overgrown that no investigation of them was attempted; the threeothers were fully examined. CAIRN (1) In the first, that nearest the terminus of the ridge, all stones lyingagainst the outside of the structure were thrown aside, bringing theouter face into plain view. The inclosure thus revealed resembled therude foundation of a small building. Measuring from corner to cornerthe north wall was 14 feet long, the south wall 16 feet, the east wall14 feet, the west wall 13 feet. The walls were as straight and thecorners as square as they could well be made with surface rocks nottrimmed or dressed from their natural rough condition. The space within was next freed of stones; the topmost were 3 feetabove the outside level, though no doubt higher when first piled. Theinside measurements were: North wall 10 feet, south wall 10 feet, eastwall 9 feet, west wall 9 feet; all measurements being approximate, asno definite boundaries could be determined. The south wall was practically destroyed; the others were not muchinjured, but no longer plumb, as they undoubtedly were whenconstructed. The east wall was in best condition; the outer face wasnearly vertical; the top of the highest stone remaining in it was 28inches above the bottom of the lowest. The general appearance of thewall indicates that it was somewhat higher. After the stones were thrown out there remained a deposit of loosematerial, composed to some extent of very scanty soil and of humusfrom decayed weeds and leaves, but principally of disintegratedsandstone which had settled or washed in. Its thickness above bedrockwas about 16 inches. All this was carefully examined. Near the center, a few inches above the natural bedrock, were somefragments of human bones which seemed to belong to two adults. Anotheradult body, or skeleton, bundled or closely folded, had been placedagainst the south wall, which had partially fallen in on it. Pieces oflong bones, including heads of two femurs, the ends of the bones at anelbow, phalanges, and a fragment of rib were found in a space lessthan a foot across. Nothing more of them remained and nothing else wasfound. CAIRN (4) The fourth grave in order was worked out in the same manner as thefirst. On the outer face the north wall measured 14 feet, the southwall 15½ feet, the east wall 16 feet, the west wall 14 feet. Theinterior lengths were: North wall 12 feet, south wall 11½ feet, eastwall 12 feet, west wall 11 feet. Near the center were a few fragments of bone, with a columella bead 4inches long, perforated lengthwise. It is shown in figure 18. To theeast of these, also to the south, were other fragments, indicating, inall, at least three interments. [Illustration: FIG. 18. --Columella bead from Cairn (4), Devil's Elbow. ] CAIRN (5) In grave No. 5 the walls on the north and the south were entirely tornout except some stones in the bottom row of each; the upper portionsof the east and the west walls were also gone. For this reason therocks lying outside the structure were not removed. The north wall, outside, was 15 feet long; the south wall, 14 feet;the east wall, 16 feet; the west wall, 14½ feet. The correspondinginner measurements were, north wall, 10 feet; south wall, 10 feet;east wall, 12 feet; west wall, 12 feet. But as the position of thecorners was uncertain these figures are no doubt somewhat in error ineither direction. The central portion had never been disturbed, the stones lying as theywere put originally, except for a possible settling due to theirweight; the top of the rounded heap was about 4 feet high. Thisjustified the hope that something might be discovered beneath them. But although the entire space within, up to the fairly defined innerfaces of the walls, was thoroughly cleaned out down into the untouchedgravelly subsoil, no trace of a bone or other indication of a burialwas found. The only artificial object was a section 3¼ inches long ofa columella perforated lengthwise, apparently lost by the wearer, asit lay on the natural surface. This is shown in figure 19. [Illustration: FIG. 19. --Columella bead from Cairn (5), Devil's Elbow. ] CAIRNS ON HELM'S FARM To the north of the Ross farm, on the ridge which is owned by DanielHelm, are three stone graves made of shapeless limestone blocks suchas cover the surface around them. One of these is about 300 yardsfrom the bluff, on a knoll capped with the sandstone; the others areat the break of the ridge. All have been opened, two of thempractically demolished. Those on the end of the ridge are only 14 feetapart, measuring from their adjacent margins, and were about 16 and 20feet in diameter as built, both being somewhat widened now owing tothe stones having been thrown outward from the central parts byhunters. Each was probably 3 feet high. The smaller, being least defaced and nearly free from timber, wasentirely removed, except a small portion along one margin, and theearth beneath it examined down to the bedrock. There was no sign of awall; but one that would stand could not be made with stones roundedby weathering. Remains of at least three bodies were found. One was laid in acrevice; only a few fragments of the long bones were left. With scrapsof bone from another body were four teeth worn almost to the roots. They were not close together, but this was due to small burrowinganimals which had scattered them. Of the third body, a few pieces ofarm and leg bones remained. By itself, loose in the earth, was asingle molar, not in the least worn, and with a very small root. So far as appearances go, it seems the bodies were laid on outcroppingrock, or in crevices, and stones piled on them without any attempt atorder or arrangement. The graves on the Helm farm are merely piles of stone, such as arefound in various States. Those on the Ross place are of the same typeas the cairns on Lost Hill at the mouth of Gourd Creek in PhelpsCounty, but of a more advanced form. In both places flat stones werelaid to inclose the burials. At Lost Hill, however, there was seldommore than a single layer, while at the Devil's Elbow a regular wallwas built, seven superposed slabs being observed at one point with acertainty that others had been placed above these. They are not of thesame class as the walled graves found in earth mounds along theMissouri River. In the latter, the inner face of the wall was assmooth and regular as it could be made, the outside being rough andupheld by stones and earth piled against them; while in those on BigPiney care was taken with the outer face which, it seems, was intendedto be left exposed to view, while the inside was rough and hidden bystones thrown in. But no inference must be drawn from the differentmethods of filling or covering the vaults after they were completed. Along the Missouri, earth was abundant right at hand, but stones had, as a rule, to be carried some distance; while on the bluffs of theGasconade and its tributaries the reverse was the case. Petroglyphs, 75 feet above the level of the river bottom, are reportedto be cut in a bluff facing the Gasconade River on the east side, 2miles below the mouth of Big Piney. * * * * * A rock shelter not more than 15 feet wide and 10 feet deep is near thetop of the bluff overlooking the Gasconade, almost opposite the mouthof Big Piney. It contains a quantity of ashes, but as it wasfrequently resorted to by bushwhackers during the Civil War, and isstill much used by trappers and hunters who camp in it, these areprobably not due to Indians. ASH CAVE So near to the county line that there is some uncertainty as towhether it lies in Pulaski or Phelps County is Ash Cave in a bluffover Baker's Lake, an artificial pond, 4 miles west of Arlington. Thecave is small, and notwithstanding its name it contains no ashes orother remains of occupancy. The great number of large rocks on thefloor makes examination impossible. CLEMMENS CREEK CAVE (27) At the head of a ravine opening into Clemmens Creek, about 4 milessouth of Dixon, near the Piquet orchards, is a cavern with an entrance55 feet wide and 40 feet high. The depth is 110 feet to loose rocksand clay, partly from the sides and roof, partly washed in throughside caves and crevices. There is a small amount of cave earth alongone wall, but it is damp, moldy, and covered with a growth of minutegreen fungus. Most of the floor, however, is of clay strewn with looserocks and swept over by water at times. There is no refuse, and the cave was never fit for habitation. CAMDEN COUNTY ALONG THE NIANGUA RIVER (28) It is widely known that many caverns exist along the Niangua River andits tributaries, in Camden County, especially in the vicinity ofHahatonka, or, as it is locally termed, "Tonky. " This is one of theshow places of Missouri. The name includes a post office; a store; aschool; an immense spring coming out at the foot of a cliff; the creekformed by this spring; a lake of several hundred acres, made bydamming the creek; a picturesque ruined mill with the usualaccessories of such a building; numerous caves; and a magnificent, butunfinished, residence crowning one of the hills. This has alreadycalled for an expenditure of half a million dollars; and at leastdouble that sum, additional, will be required to complete it inaccordance with the original plans. Whether it be due to the nationalappreciation of architectural beauty or the national appreciation ofability to do things in a large way, the palace seems to impress mostvisitors more than the remarkable combination of natural features. The principal caves in the vicinity have distinctive names, as "Onyx"(there being two thus called), "Robbers', " "River" (this because thereis a stream in it which can be crossed only in a boat), "Bridal, " etc. Others are named for the owners of the land, or from some peculiarity, as "Dry, " "Bunch, " "Morgan, " "Arnholdt. " Many are not deemed ofsufficient importance to have specific titles. All those named were visited, as well as a number of the others. A detailed description is not necessary. Not one of these caverns hasever been occupied unless as a temporary shelter. Some are flooded atintervals, either from the outside or by interior drainage; some havevery restricted entrances and are dark at the front; some have rockfloors or muddy bottoms; some can be entered only by clambering overtalus to an opening at the bottom, or near the bottom, of a sink hole. Some shallow cavities, which under different conditions would beavailable as rock shelters, are in places difficult of access, remotefrom water, or otherwise unsuitable. Some of these caverns have wonderful deposits on ceilings, walls, andfloors, rivaling in beauty and ornate patterns those of the mostfamous caves of the country; and if they were easily accessible orcould be conveniently explored, would attract hosts of visitors. Onein particular, the "Bridal Cave, " so called from a mass of stalactitematerial fully 10 feet from side to side at the top, which hangs indelicate translucent loops and folds and convolutions, equals Luray orWyandotte for beauty, though not for extent. * * * * * It was reported that two walled graves stand on a "bald" on the farmof Will Robert Eidson, on the divide between the Niangua and theLittle Niangua Rivers, about 4 miles north of Roach post office. Theywere described as "rocks laid up in a regular wall about 4 feet high, and about 30 steps square, and filled up inside with rocks. " A visitto the site disclosed two ordinary cairns, made by throwing weatheredlimestone boulders into a rounded heap. Both piles have beenscattered, and as they now exist one is about 25 feet, the other about30 feet across. Such exaggerated, misleading descriptions are common, and result in much fruitless investigation. Several caves are reported in the vicinity of Toronto, in Camden andMiller Counties; especially the Cokely Cave, 4 miles from Brumley onthe Linn Creek road. From the descriptions given by informants, noneof them appear to be suitable for habitation. Many cairns exist on the ridges in this region, especially on highpoints overlooking valleys. All of them were built up with chert orlimestone blocks, and all are more or less torn up. So far as could belearned there is no sign of a wall in any of them. In the present state of knowledge, Camden County offers no inducementfor archeological research. A FOSSIL CAVE (29) The geological deposits in this region comprise three principalformations which are named in the State report as the Jefferson Citylimestone, the Roubidoux sandstone, and the Gasconade limestone. It isin the last (which is the lowest) that caverns are found. In various places erosion, either internal or superficial, or both, has formed crevices or sink holes through which the disintegratedsandstone finds its way into caverns below, where it accumulates andhardens until more resistant than when in its original condition. Further erosion has in several places carried away the limestone fromaround these intrusive masses, allowing them to project above thepresent surface. Sometimes, where the sand piled up, they resemblehaystacks; but usually they are of indefinite form, having spread outon the floor of the cavern, as such material will do in a shallowstream. An interesting example of this action is the "Standing Rock, " 4 mileswest of Linn Creek, the county seat. Here was formerly a large cavewith an eastward trend until near the mouth, when it turned sharplysouthward, the opening being in the direction of a little stream. Thelower end of this cave became solidly filled with sand, and the waterfound an outlet farther back. All the limestone which formed the roofand walls of the middle portion of the cave is gone, a narrow ravinemarking its course. The sandstone obstruction held its place, and nowextends directly across the ridge between the two ravines. Its surfaceis an exact cast of the interior of the cave which it filled, andnodules of chert, remaining when the limestone dissolved, are stillimbedded in its surface. The line of demarkation between the limestonematrix, where this still exists in part, and the siliceous filling isas distinct as that between the stone and brick in a building. Theloose cave earth shows plainly under the sandstone near the formermouth of the cavern. Plan and section are shown in figures 20 and 21. * * * MILLER COUNTY WRIGHT CAVE (30) A mile and a half west of Brumley, near Glaize Creek, is Wright, orBrumley, Cave. The entrance is 15 feet high and 40 feet wide. At 20feet from the mouth the width contracts to 20 feet. The depth is 120feet in daylight to a stalagmite floor. Dry cave earth extends for 35feet from the entrance, at which distance it reaches tough, stickyclay; this continues to the stalagmite. Above the clay are growingstalactites. [Illustration: FIG. 20. --Plan of Fossil Cave. ] In front of the entrance were a few flint chips, but no indications ofpottery or shell. A small implement, shown in figure 22, was foundwhich is of interest because it was worked to a sharp point at one endof a narrow drill, while the other end widened into a squared formwith a straight base which was dulled and polished from use as acutting tool; the entire surface was polished from long service. Anobject of this kind would be highly suitable for mending moccasins andleggins. Finding this and nothing else strengthens the probabilitythat this cave was used as a temporary camping place, but was neverpermanently occupied. [Illustration: FIG. 21. --Section of Fossil Cave. ] WILSON CAVE (31) Facing Barren Fork of Tavern Creek, on the farm of John R. Bond, 8miles northwest of Iberia and 12 miles southeast of Tuscumbia, is acave celebrated by reason of a provision in the will of a formereccentric owner. There is a small cave which has an opening in the bluff, a few feet toone side of the larger cave. This can be reached only by means ofladders 60 feet long. Jack Wilson came from Ireland and settled on Tavern (or Cavern) Creekin 1822. For a number of years he lived in this cave, with hisfamily. He died in 1855, leaving instructions that his body was to bepacked in salt and placed in the small cave, "with a ten-gallon caskof good whisky, " the entrance then to be sealed up. In order to carryout his last wishes, and at the same time to give him a "Christianburial, " his wife had all his internal organs removed and interred ina cemetery; his body was filled with salt, and placed in a coffin, which, according to his wishes, was deposited in the cave, with thewhisky. On the seventh anniversary of his death the whole communitywas to assemble to "eat, drink, and be merry. " For many yearsresidents in the vicinity had used the cave as a place for festivegatherings; but this occasion was to be on a scale beyond anythingpreviously attempted. If necessary, Scriptural methods were to beemployed; that is, messengers were to be sent out in all directions, urging every one to come. The floor was to be enlarged, and a platformerected on it. When all were assembled, the whisky and the coffin wereto be brought from their resting place and set on the platform. Thencertain famous fiddlers were to ascend the platform and play, whilethe guests danced. When the whisky was exhausted, and the fiddlers inthe same condition, the picnic was over and the assembly woulddisperse. The coffin was then to be replaced in the little cave, whichwas to be again sealed up, not to be reopened until the Day ofJudgment. [Illustration: FIG. 22. --Perforator and knife from Wright Cave. ] The preliminaries were carried out according to program, but when thetime for the celebration came round the people were more concernedwith the Civil War, and especially in the activities of thebushwhackers who infested that part of the country, than they were inpicnics; and Wilson's resurrection was brought about by persons whoseidentity was never discovered. They got into his tomb in some manner, drank all the whisky, broke open the coffin, and threw Wilson's bonesto the outside, where they were scattered down the slope. Horrifiedrelatives gathered them up, replaced them in the cave, sealed itagain, and Wilson is still there awaiting his final summons. The entrance is 20 feet high and 45 feet wide. Dry cave earth extendsfor 135 feet; from this point it continues, partially filled withfallen rock and stalagmite, 40 feet farther, or 175 feet in all, inplain daylight, at which distance the cave makes a turn; and the caveearth was followed in this to complete darkness without coming to itstermination. Beginning 100 feet from the entrance and extending for 35 feet, anarrow row of loose rocks fallen from the outcrop of stratum along thecenter of the roof lies on the surface. The cavern here measures 35feet in width. There is a wet weather stream along one wall, but the amount of waterpassing out is never large. Solid bedrock, with patches of cave earth on it, is exposed, inslightly rising strata, for 10 feet from the little bluff at themouth; within this it is hidden by the earth which gradually rises toa height of 6 feet; but some of this rise may be due to increasedelevation of the rock floor. The entire cave can be easily cleared outto the stalagmite; and it would be advisable to remove at leastportions of this in order to ascertain what may lie beneath it. Refuse appears in considerable quantity in the bottom of the littlestream bed and under the receding walls; and likewise a small amountoutside the entrance. But the bedrock crops out frequently in narrowledges between the mouth of the cavern and the foot of the hill, sovery little débris of any kind lies on the slope outside. Some alteration of the surface of the earth floor has taken place inconsequence of the construction of platforms; but aside from this ithas remained practically undisturbed. BAGNELL CAVE (32) A large cavern is near the top of the "Bagnell Hill" on the Bagnelland Linn Creek road, on the right (south) side of the Osage River, andabout 3 miles from the town of Bagnell. On account of the "millions"of bats which shelter in it, the name of Bat Cave is applied to thisas it is to many other caves in the region. The entrance is so small that the cavern can be entered only bycrawling in; and as no traces of Indian remains have ever beenobserved in it, or around the front, no examination was deemednecessary. BODE CAVE (33) Half a mile south of St. Elizabeth is the Ben Bode Cave. The roof hasfallen in near the front, leaving the original exterior standing as anatural bridge a few feet wide. The present entrance to the cavern is40 feet behind the bridge. It has a wet, rocky floor, and much waterflows through it after a rain. LUCKENHOFF CAVE On John Luckenhoff's farm, three-fourths of a mile south of St. Elizabeth, facing Tavern Creek, is a small cave with a rocky floor. The entrance is nearly blocked with a mass of stalagmite, behind whichthe cave is dark. JURGGENMEYER CAVE It was reported that in a "cave" on the farm of Conrad Jurggenmeyer, 2½ miles east of St. Elizabeth, a human skull was discovered. Thestatement may be true; but instead of a cave there is only a tunnel afew rods in length. Beyond the upper arch is an open ravine. DAERHOFF CAVE On Ben Daerhoff's farm, 4 miles north of St. Elizabeth, is a cavernfacing a narrow valley through which a small stream flows to TavernCreek a mile and a half away. The entrance is 8 feet high and 55 feetwide. It is well lighted to a depth of 120 feet, where it makes aturn. Dry earth extends back for 55 feet; from there on it is muddy. Asmall stream flows along one wall, from the wet portion of the floorto the entrance; with a little ditching this could be made to drainoff all the water, forming a dry bottom to the rear wall. No refuse ofany kind could be found, and the owner says he has never observed anyeither in the cave or in front of it. CAVE NEAR MOUTH OF TAVERN CREEK In the bluff facing Tavern Creek, half a mile above its junction withthe Osage, is a cave with an entrance 10 feet high and the same inwidth. It has a depth of 45 feet in daylight. The floor is of clay andangular gravel, and so wet that puddles are found near the entrance. BAT CAVE (34) This is in a bluff facing the Osage, a mile south of the Rock IslandRailway bridge. It is not accessible except by means of a ladder orstairway fully 60 feet long. The roof overhangs the entrance, and thefloor projects over a shallow rock shelter which reaches for a fewrods along the foot of the bluff. A small amount of water seeps fromthe entrance. Persons who explored the cavern years ago--there is noway to reach it at present--say it divides into three large chambers, mostly dry, and with floors of solid rock or of earth containing muchrock. GRAVE AT MOUTH OF SALINE CREEK (35) Four miles below Tuscumbia, on the left bank of the Osage, is themouth of Saline Creek which comes in from the north. On the lower(east) side of their junction, on the farm of Charles Tillman, is alow spur projecting toward the creek. On this is a pile of stones, allthat remains of a vault or box grave which formerly existed there. Mr. Tillman says it was originally 35 or 40 feet across, a mound orrounded heap of stones, those about the top being larger than thosenearer the base. Needing rock for various purposes, he procured themfrom this pile, beginning at the top to remove them and proceedingoutward. In the course of this work he found that a wall had beenbuilt up to a height of about 4 feet, forming a practically squareinclosure. The space within was filled and the structure entirelycovered with rocks of various sizes. He removed the stones as hereached them, and consequently did not notice whether the outer faceof the wall was straighter or smoother than the inner face, or whetherthere was any particular difference. In all, he took away not lessthan 40 wagon loads of stones. On the level top of the hill from which the spur extends is a villagesite, where mortars, pestles, quantities of flints, and much brokenpottery have been found; but no shell. STARK'S CAVE (36) Six miles south of Eldon, on a farm now owned by George Irvin, is acave which is continuous with a small ravine leading up to it. Theentrance is 45 feet wide and 16 feet high; a small stream flows fromit, along the foot of the left (northern) wall. This skirts a thindeposit of damp earth, which lies along the southern wall, graduallynarrowing as it extends inward, until at 50 feet it runs out at theedge of a shallow pool reaching nearly across the cave. The bottom, except for the earth mentioned, is rocky. The cave was never fit for occupancy. HOUSE MOUNDS In an old "History of Miller County" mention is made of a large groupof small mounds on a certain man's farm, without giving the locality. It is believed by old residents that this man "lived at one time 2 or3 miles west of Ullman. " If they existed, they were no doubt housemounds. CAIRNS Several graves, in a group, were formerly on John Tillman's land, 6miles south of Eugene. The stones have been entirely removed. When theground was plowed bullets were found under the sites of the cairns. * * * MARIES COUNTY INDIAN FORD CAVE (37) This is a fourth of a mile up the river from the bridge crossing theGasconade, 2½ miles east of Vienna. It is near the top of the hill atthe head of a shallow ravine. The entrance, 35 feet wide, can bereached conveniently only near one wall, as a pile of talusimmediately in front completely closes the opening; behind it the roofis 7 feet above the floor. If this accumulated material, which hasincreased somewhat in height within the memory of men now living, wereremoved to the level of the floor, the main chamber would be amplylighted to its end, a distance of 150 feet. There is a gradualdownward incline from front to rear, the floor sloping more rapidlythan the roof. After hard rains some water runs into the cavern fromthe inner slope of the talus; otherwise the floor is perfectly dry for65 feet, then becomes wet, and near the rear wall there is standingwater. It is apparent that a former drainage outlet in this directionis now choked with sediment, brought down perhaps through a branchopening. At 25 feet within the entrance the cavern is 25 feet wide; at65 feet the distance across is 35 feet, with both walls sloping awaylike a low-pitched roof and loose earth filling the space under them. At the rear wall the width between the two branches into which thecave divides is 40 to 50 feet. The floor here is clay, with numerouslittle puddles. Some pottery, bone, and much shell, but no flint chips, are scatteredon the floor and for 50 or 60 feet down the slope outside. The cavern would make an excellent habitation and is well worthexcavating. LACKAYE'S BLUFF CAVE (38) This is on the farm of Harrison Hutchinson, who lives 10 milessoutheast of Freeburg, on the road to Paydown. It is near the top of abluff facing the Gasconade. Talus has accumulated in the front part ofthe cavern until it rises within 2 feet of the roof; farther back thecavity is of sufficient height for a man to stand erect, althoughnowhere more than 10 feet wide. Owing to the talus the interior is inalmost total darkness. Were this accumulation removed the roof at theentrance would be 8 or 9 feet above the floor. The cavern may havebeen occupied, but there are no indications of such fact, although therecent natural deposits may conceal some remains. HURRICANE BLUFF CAVE Half a mile below Lackaye Bluff, opposite the lower end of an islandin the Gasconade, is a rock shelter 85 feet in length, 15 feet high infront, 6 feet high at the rear, and 15 feet deep along the middleportion, wedging out at either end. A large pile of talus in frontforms a natural windbreak, and the depression is a favorite campingplace with present-day hunters and fishermen. A small quantity offlint chips and many shells can be seen around the wall and for somedistance down the slope in front. The site may repay investigation, though there is no great depth of earth. * * * * * It is reported that paintings of a deer or elk and other objects areto be seen on the face of a bluff near Paydown. STRATMAN CAVE (39) On the farm of Henry L. Stratman, 2½ miles above the Rock IslandRailway bridge across the Gasconade River, is a cave near the top of abluff facing the Gasconade. The entrance is 33 feet wide and 35 feethigh. Forty feet back the walls approach each other, forming a doorwayor short passage 5 feet wide. Beyond this is a room 18 feet deep and 9feet across, with a rock ledge or shelf on each side several feet wideand elevated from a foot to 2 feet above the earth floor. This room iswell lighted. The earth at the rear is 10 feet higher than at the mainentrance. Behind this, in turn, nearly shut off by a large column ofstalagmite, is a third room, 8 feet wide, whose earth floor risesrapidly. Were the stalagmite removed, there would be ample light for20 or 30 feet farther, or about 90 feet in all. Refuse, mostly shell, shows for 100 feet down the hill. There is someshell in the cave, along the walls; but most of the floor is acomparatively recent accumulation of roof dust and small fragments ofrock, and is quite dry as far as light penetrates. The entrance is much more easily reached from the top of the hill thanfrom the foot of the bluff. The trend and appearance of the reentrant side walls connecting thepresent entrance with the straight face of the cliff indicates thatthe earth in the cavern has a depth of 30 feet or more. Should thisprove to be the case, here would be a most excellent place to searchfor evidence of occupation which, whether continuous or not, mightbridge the time from the modern Indian to the earliest inhabitant. Certainly no other cave in Missouri offers such facilities orinducements for careful and thorough investigation with a view todetermining the existence of an early "cave man" in this country. * * * OSAGE COUNTY RIVER CAVE (40) This is at the foot of a bluff facing the Gasconade, 2½ miles belowGascondy. It has a solid rock bottom, rising steeply for a few feetwithin the entrance, and a constantly flowing stream covers half thespace between the walls. ROCK SHELTER There is an excellent rock shelter, 50 feet long, over which the cliffprojects for 15 feet, in front and to one side of the entrance ofRiver Cave. On this is a slight depth of earth in which were foundsome broken bones and shells. The site is an excellent one for campingparties, but has no evidence of other than temporary use. STEUFFER CAVE Four miles east of Freeburg, in a ravine, is a cavern popularly knownas Beer Cave, being formerly used as a storage room for beer made in abrewery built just in front of it. The entrance is 8 feet wide and 12feet high. The front chamber, having practically the same dimensions, extends directly back for 50 feet, then makes a turn. The floor is amixture of clay and angular gravel, with a continuous downward slopefrom front to rear. Water cracks show that it is sometimes flooded. The place was never fit for living in. CAIRNS At the Gasconade River bridge, on the Rich Fountain road, two creekson the west side, Brush and Swan, separated only by a narrow ridgewhich terminates abruptly at either end, come in a fourth of a mileapart. Both rise in the same lake, 6 miles from the river, and flowthrough parallel valleys, thus draining an abandoned ox-bow curve ofthe stream. On the extreme eastern point of this ridge are two cairns. A fourth ofa mile from these are two others; and farther back still more of them. All are now destroyed. They were the usual conical heaps of stone, 18to 20 feet across. HOUSE MOUNDS (41) A group of house mounds extends for half a mile eastward from RichFountain, along the valley of Brush Creek. They are fully 100 innumber, and it is said there were formerly many more which are nowleveled by cultivation. The ground is low, in some places swampy, sothat water or mud surrounds many of them after a heavy rain. "INDIAN FORT" (42) This structure, also called the "Indian Lookout, " is located on abluff facing the Osage, half a mile below the "Painted Rock, " and nearthe buildings of the Painted Rock Country Club, of Jefferson City. Except for a slight projection or offset at one side, which containsan opening or doorway, it was practically identical in appearance withthe vault graves along the Missouri River bluffs, described in Bureauof American Ethnology Bulletin 37; or else with those on Big PineyRiver in Pulaski County. It is formed of sandstone slabs, once laid upin a wall but now scattered in confusion as if fallen or thrown down. Apparently it measured about 32 to 35 feet outside and 12 or 13 feetinside. * * * COLE COUNTY NATURAL BRIDGE CAVE This is at the top of a bluff facing the Osage, one-half mile belowthe Rock Island bridge. It is only 10 feet wide and the same inheight, and extends back 20 feet to a narrow passage which is almostclosed by stalagmite. The site is difficult to reach, but disclosed afew fragments of pottery and some shell. The earth of the floorascends rather steeply to the rear and contains many large rocks. Itwas only a camping place. * * * MORGAN COUNTY SPEERS CAVE On the Brown property, 7 miles southeast of Stover, is a reportedcave, which proved to be a natural tunnel 400 feet long. The drainagefrom several farms passes through it from ravines above. The lowerentrance is 40 feet wide and 50 feet high, the upper entrance 20 feetwide and 10 feet high. Natural bridges and tunnels of varying lengths and widths are rathercommon in this part of the Osage Valley. HOUSE MOUNDS (43) Southeast of Stover, beginning at the edge of the town, is a group ofhouse mounds extending over an area having a very irregular outline, but fully half a mile across in any direction. They vary from 20 to 35feet in diameter and are scattered promiscuously at intervals of 25 to150 feet. The surface on which they are built reaches over asuccession of small knolls and ridges with slopes of 4 or 5 degrees. Most of them are along the sides of a wide, shallow valley drainingnorthward, and of two or three small tributary depressions coming intoit from either side, though a number are also to be found beyond theslight watershed which separates this drainage area from that to thesouthward. They exist in woods, meadows, and cultivated ground, sothat some of them retain their original form, others are flattened andwidened, while still others are barely traceable. Probably some havebeen entirely effaced by plow and harrow. II. CAVE EXPLORATIONS IN OTHER STATES INTRODUCTION Certain conditions are to be taken into account in deciding whether acave afforded a desirable permanent shelter to primitive man. Itshould be accessible; the floor should be dry, at least fairly level, and sufficiently free from large rocks to allow the inmates to moveabout freely; the entrance should be large enough to permit freepassage and to light the interior to a distance that would insureprotection from the elements. Temporary shelters or camping placesmight be deficient in some of these particulars and still be resortedto frequently; but if there were opportunity for choice, a man withintelligence to select a cave in which to live continually would, itis fair to assume, look for one possessing such features. If such conditions, once established, were free from the mutations oftime, the explorer would have but little difficulty in deciding upon asuitable site for his labors. But limestone, more than any other solidrock, is subject to constant erosion, crumbling, and falling; whilethe soil and loose fragments resulting from such action move downwardyear by year over the slopes and into any cavities where they can findtheir way. In the course of centuries the entire aspect of a cave maybe so altered as to bear no resemblance whatever to its originalappearance. Consequently a careful study must be made of the immediatesurroundings, in order to determine what topographical changes mayhave occurred since the earliest time within which it is probable thatman may have existed in that locality. Should the floor, at present, be of solid rock; or covered with only a slight layer of earth; orhave a stream flowing over it; or show by marks upon the walls that itis subject to inundation either from adjacent streams or by surfacewater which finds its way in through sink holes; or be in suchsituation as to make it apparent that the original bottom was thusflooded in comparatively modern times, even though such may not now bethe case--in any such event excavation would be labor wasted. On theother hand, all the necessary requirements for a convenient residencemay now be present, and yet result from causes which have begun tooperate within the historic period. In other words, there are very fewcases in which the present appearance of a cave is to be deemed acertain or even an approximate indication of its actual state a fewthousand years ago. There is only one way to determine whetherextended excavations may possibly result in satisfactory returns, andthat is to sink shafts or run trenches in the superficial deposits. * * * INDIANA The cave region of this State extends from Owen and Morgan Counties tothe Ohio River. The caverns and sink holes gradually increase innumber and size toward the south, until they culminate in WyandotteCave, second only to Mammoth Cave of Kentucky in extent, and in theso-called "valleys" of Harrison County which are in reality nothingbut sink holes several square miles in extent. Some of the caverns aredescribed in detail by W. S. Blatchley, the State geologist, in theTwenty-first Annual Report of the Survey (1896). Very few of thosementioned by him are at all suitable for permanent occupancy, thoughseveral would afford excellent shelter except in the rainy season, atwhich time most of them have the floors muddy or perhaps covered withwater for weeks in succession. Such as were visited in theseexplorations will now be taken up in their order. LAWRENCE COUNTY ROCK LEDGE QUARRY. --Early in 1903 periodicals mentioned an interestingdiscovery made at this place. According to the report, workmen inexcavating a cut for a railway found an old cave entirely filled withstalagmite matter. In this, 10 feet below the former top of thecave--the cut did not extend to the bottom of the stalagmite--werediscovered some bones which were pronounced by "several physicians" tobe those of a human being. Among them was a "jaw tooth" (molar) andpart of a skull. Correspondence failing to elicit any satisfactoryinformation, a visit was made to the site. The cave could not betraced in either direction from the railway cut; but it had plainlyserved as an outlet for several large sink holes on the hill above it. Nothing could be learned here regarding the matter except that theobjects had been found and were then in the museum of the StateUniversity at Bloomington. This place was next visited and thespecimens inspected. There were many fragments still imbedded in thematrix, which was travertine rather than stalagmite. No exactdetermination of them had been made, but only casual inspection wasneeded to see that none of them could be human. The "jaw tooth" wasfrom a peccary, the "human skull" was the carapace of a tortoise. SHILOAH CAVE. --It was reported that, although the entrance to thiscavern, 7 miles northwest of Bedford, was in a sink hole, the floorwas level and accessible. The opening is almost at the bottom of thesink, whose slope is quite steep. After every rain the water runs in;and while the floor is level, as stated, it has a constant stream ofwater flowing over it and is in absolute darkness. DONNEHUE'S CAVE. --Although water flows continuously from the entrance, the amount of discharge was said to be small and the cave floor leveland covered with earth, while the cave itself was large and welllighted. The approach, however, is quite difficult; the earth isnowhere more than 2 or 3 feet thick, and after a heavy rain the streamextends from wall to wall. Between Bedford and Donnehue's cave is one, unnamed, at the head of aravine which was once an extension of the cavern. The opening is offair size but the floor is of rock and the outflow of water is steady. Just outside the corporate limits of Bedford, to the south, is anopening in the cliff at the head of a deep ravine, more in the natureof a rock house than of a cave. It would make an excellent shelter fora few persons, being accessible, protected from winds, and close towater. While it may have been so used formerly, the deposit of earthand stone on the floor is very scanty and anything beneath could wellbe quite modern. Two caves were reported 2 miles south of Bedford. One is a smallopening from which a stream issues, flows across a meadow, and entersthe other cave, which is much larger. They are parts of one passage, the roof between these openings having broken down, and the stream isthe same which finds its outlet at Donnehue's cave. Several other caves in the vicinity of Bedford were visited. They areall small and of no importance from an archeological standpoint. DONNELSON'S CAVE. --"The mouth of the cave is found at the head of adeep gorge worn through the limestone by a good-sized stream whichflows from the cave and down the gorge to the broader valley beyond. Many centuries ago the cave extended the full length of the gorge, andthe waters of the stream flowed directly from its mouth into thevalley. The roof of the underground channel finally became so thinthat it collapsed, the gorge was then started, and as the centurieswent by grew in length, the cave becoming ever shorter by thecontinued falling of the roof. "Three passages open directly into the mouth of the cave. The righthand passage has the level of its floor about 5 feet above that of theentrance, while the opening on the left is 12 feet above the level ofthe stream and very difficult to enter without a ladder. The middlepassage extends straight back from the common vestibule or main entry. The latter is 25 feet long, 21 feet high, and 18 feet wide, but at itsfarther end is reduced to the narrow middle passage between greatmasses of limestone. The water in this passage is waist deep andexplorations must be made by wading or in a light canoe. One hundredfeet within is a magnificent cascade, where the stream rushes andleaps down a narrow passage with such violence that the noise isplainly heard at the entrance. "The right-hand passage for the first 100 feet is about 10 feet highby 15 wide, with a clay bottom and a roof on a level with that of thevestibule. It then expands into a large room, 230 feet long and 40feet wide, which lies east and west at right angles to the enteringpassage. This narrows at the west end to 20 feet, and at one point theouter air flows in through a small opening in the roof. From near thesmall end of the room a narrow passage starts off to the southward andcan be traveled for 200 feet, when it becomes too small for furtheradvance. Along this passage a small stream flows, disappearing througha hole in the floor near the entrance to the larger room. Other thanthis, both right and left passages leaving the main entry are dry. "The passage at the left of the main entrance to the cave is about 150feet long by 20 broad, and contains no points of especial interest. "[W. S. Blatchley. ] It may be added to the above description that a heavy rain causes arapid rise of several feet in the stream through the middle passage. The cavern is situated 3½ miles east of Mitchell. It has been fittedup by the State University as an experiment station for the study ofunderground fauna and flora. The branch to the right is never entirely dry. Throughout the yearwater trickles or seeps over the stones and keeps the mud soft andsloppy, while after extremely heavy rains the water may be 2 or 3inches deep for a short time--enough to keep all the earth washed fromthe floor for 50 or 60 feet from the entrance. The northern or left branch presented a smooth, solid floor of rock atthe beginning. The roof is about 13 feet above the floor, being a flatstratum broken by a joint-seam along which there is a slight fault. Aledge of friable sandstone 3½ feet thick lies next below the roof. Thedisintegration of this gave a dry covering to the clayey earth whichcovered the floor almost to the extreme edge of the rock overhangingthe stream and gradually rose toward the rear, where it entirelyfilled the space from floor to roof. The distance between the sidewalls is 8 feet at the mouth. They diverge slightly, and at 65 feetare about 12 feet apart. Here they separate more sharply, forming achamber 30 feet in diameter, measuring on every side to the contact ofthe earth and the roof. At the extreme rear a slight wash ordepression in the earth revealed the top of a vertical solid wall, thus marking the limit of the cave in that direction. It seems, however, to extend farther to the east and the west than it can now befollowed; in fact, the indications are that at one time a considerablecross-cavern extended along this line. The work of clearing out this branch began at the entrance. Thesuperincumbent earth was removed by a trench whose boundary was thesolid rock on each side until the cave widened to more than 8 feetbetween the walls; then a width of 7 to 9 feet was excavated midwaybetween the sides, the entire trench having a length of 92 feet, orreaching nearly to the vertical wall at the rear. For about 60 feetthe earth was removed to the rock floor. At this distance the floordipped. The bottom of the trench continued to follow the same level ithad held to this point, in the belief that the dip in the floor wasdue to a crevice or slight erosion channel and would soon disappear, bringing the rock to its normal position. This was not the case;several holes were dug, the deepest one 3 feet, into the mingled clayand rock, without finding any evidence of a solid bottom. Theconclusion seemed certain that the passage leading from the entranceof the cave to the large room at its farther end was only a tributaryor branch of a cross-cave extending in an east and west direction, asintimated above. Prof. Eigenmann, of the State university, reached thesame conclusion through surveys not connected with this work. Underthe circumstances further digging seemed useless; for if this shouldbe a cross-cave the bottom would probably, almost certainly, be on alevel with the stream now flowing through the central passage, whileif it should prove to be only a cellar-like deepening, it would not beutilized for a habitation. At 30 feet from the entrance the accumulated earth had a thickness of6 feet; from there it rose gradually to the roof at the end. At 37 feet, in a pocket of coarse sand on the rock floor, such assettles in a gentle current, were four fragments of bone. There is notenough of them to identify with certainty, but they seem to belong toa deer, a turkey, and some bird about the size of a quail. At 66 feet in, a foot lower than the surface of the bedrock (being 5or 6 feet beyond the above-mentioned dip), were small fragments orparticles of charcoal, or what had every appearance of such. They werein earth that showed the lamination or stratification due tosuccessive water deposits, and had been introduced in the same manner. The entire earth deposit below the sand capping showed thislamination, sometimes horizontal, sometimes curved, proving a longperiod of deposition. Further evidence of age is found in thetravertine, 7 inches thick, that occurs on top of the earth at theback of the cave. In the absence of all other evidence the specks of charcoal can not beaccepted as proof of human life in the vicinity at the time thesedeposits were forming. While the work was in progress three students from the university camethrough the central cave in a small boat, having entered through asink hole 3 miles away in an air line. At some point of their coursethey lost their lanterns and made the remainder of the journey inabsolute darkness, feeling their way along the walls, dragging orcarrying the craft over shallows, and at one place lying flat in thebottom and propelling the boat by applying hands and feet to the roof, which was less than a foot above the water. MARTIN COUNTY Various caves are reported in the vicinity of Shoals. Those whoselocation was clearly given are merely "rock houses" or recesses in theCarboniferous conglomerate bluffs bordering the east fork of WhiteRiver. Some of them would make fairly good shelters, but all which cannow be examined are at so low a level that the river gets into them orvery close to them in flood periods. Consequently there is noprobability that ancient remains are to be found in them. Some of theshelters higher up on the cliffs may have been utilized, but thebottom of these is now covered with huge blocks, some weighing ahundred tons. It is true that such rock houses, in all parts of thecountry, were regular resorts for modern Indians, and they probablyfurnished shelter to the earliest inhabitants of this region, nomatter how remote the period of occupation. But owing to their openfront and the exposed situation of most of them, it is quite possiblethat the wind may remove the fine material falling from roof and sidesalmost as fast as it is deposited. At any rate the débris on thefloors is seldom more than 3 or 4 feet deep, and articles very plainlyof no great age are frequently found at all levels in it. In a few places along the river bluffs limestone crops out beneath thesandstone, and springs occasionally appear along the line of junction, eroding small cavities, but these are subject to overflow, and none ofthem has an opening large enough to enter without crawling. ORANGE COUNTY VICINITY OF PAOLI. --From this town six caves were visited, all thatcould be located by diligent inquiry. None of them has any particulardesignation except "Mill Cave, " which is so named because the streamissuing from it furnishes power for a flour mill. The water covers thefloor at all seasons. One, though quite small, could have been occupied at a former period, but the roof and front fell in some years ago, entirely closing it. A third has a small entrance on a hillside. A steep and rough descentwas followed beyond reach of daylight without coming to a levelbottom. The other three are very small with rock bottoms. FRENCH LICK SPRINGS. --Two or three miles from this place is "StarCavern, " which is advertised as being of great size and beauty. Theimmediate surroundings are quite romantic and deserve the praiseaccorded the spot by visitors. The cave itself, however, moreresembles an artificial tunnel than a natural result of erosion. Thefloor is clean rock with a little brook flowing over it. Two other caves not far from Star Cave are dry, but with solid rockfloors, so they were not visited. ORANGEVILLE. --Near this place are the so-called Gulfs of Lost River. The stream sinks a few miles east of Orleans, emerges at the "Gulfs"from one side of a very large sink hole with precipitous margin, andimmediately goes out of sight again in a deep pool or chasm. Itreappears a mile or so away at the foot of a cliff where, after heavyrains, it boils up like a gigantic fountain. Numerous small caves orsink holes exist in the neighborhood, three of which were reported asbeing dry, lighted, having good entrances, and well suited forhabitancy. One of them is at the bottom of a sink hole on a hill. Thedescent is steep and rocky for 20 feet (it was not followed farther)and no doubt so continues to the level of the river which flows almostdirectly under it. The two others are in the principal "Gulf. " They are open and of goodsize, but mud high on the walls shows they are filled with water inwet seasons. CRAWFORD COUNTY MARENGO CAVE. --This is growing famous as it becomes better known. Blatchley says that in it "are probably crowded more beautifulformations of crystalline limestone than in any other known cave ofsimilar size in the United States. " Visitors who have been in both sayit surpasses Luray Cavern in the magnificence of its sheets andcolumns of deposited material. As it was not opened until 1883, and the bottom can be reached only bya stairway 60 feet high, it was of course unknown to the aborigines. A small cave near Marengo has an opening on a hillside, and can bedirectly entered from the outside; but it is at times a passageway fora strong current of water 3 feet deep and extending the full width ofthe cavity. MILLTOWN. --A mile north of the town is a large cave which wouldfurnish an abode for scores of people. The entrance is in a slightdepression on the level upland west of Blue River. The descent is downan easy slope of fallen rock and earth about 30 feet deep to a rockfloor. Beyond the foot of the slope there is a slight thickness ofearth, so that explorations could reveal nothing that had a certaintyof antiquity. There is presented here a fine example of the manner in which caves ofthis character become exposed to the upper world. At first, there wasan underground channel draining the adjacent country over a territoryof varying extent, sometimes many square miles. At some point the rooffell in more rapidly than in other parts, until at last it became sothin as to give way entirely. If the débris was not sufficient inamount to extend above that part of the roof which remained intact oneither side, so that it would be gradually carried away, the cavewould remain open in both directions, as is the case at the "Gulfs"just described and at other caves statements of which appear insubsequent pages. Usually the débris quite chokes up one side and allthe superficial drainage is turned into the other, which is thus keptopen. In time, the slope around the depression becomes tolerablyuniform except close to the entrance, and there is no outwardindication that the cave ever extended farther than the spot where thenew entrance is located. So the cave, as it is now open toexamination, is only a portion of the original passage, and as theexplorer pursues his way, he may be going toward either the formermouth or the source. In the former case, he comes out of a largeopening, or what was formerly such, on some slope in the neighborhood, or descends until his way is obstructed by water. In the latter, hemay find his way shut off by diminishing passages, or he may descendto lower levels through newer drainage channels cut by the streamswhich have been reversed and forced to carve other outlets forthemselves. This change occurred in the Milltown Cave a very long time ago. Standing on the débris, several feet within the entrance and beneath apart of the roof now perfectly dry and showing no marks of percolatingwater, is a stalagmite 31 inches in diameter, which has weathered to adepth of 3 to 4 inches from atmospheric influences alone. WYANDOTTE CAVE. --So much has been printed concerning this celebratedcavern that no mention need be made of its interior features. Theplace seems excellently adapted as a habitation for primitive people. It is situated on a hill at whose foot is the bank of Blue River. Fivemiles away, as the road runs, is the Ohio. The backwater sometimesreaches up the tributary for more than 10 miles. The flint-bearingstratum of the Harrison County aboriginal quarries outcrops a shortdistance away and appears at several points within the cave. Thecountry is extremely rugged, and good springs occur frequently. Gamewas formerly abundant in the hills, and Blue River still rewards theangler with various species of fish, many of them of large size. A former race, presumably the modern Indian, did much work within thecave. Tons of travertine or stalagmite, the so-called alabaster, havebeen quarried from some of the deposits, while a large number of flintnodules has been dug out of the cave-earth where they fell from thedisintegrating limestone. Some of this labor was carried on more thana mile from daylight. The mouth of the cave was formerly almost closed by a mass of talus. About 10 feet has been removed from the top of this, so that one maynow walk in without difficulty. On the inner side of the portionremaining there is a slope for 96 feet, to a vertical depth of alittle more than 27 feet. The next 100 feet gives a descent of about 3feet; then another steep slope begins. The first point at whichbedrock floor is found within the cave is 120 feet lower than thepoint of entry. It is supposed that the drainage to which the caveowes its origin was outward; if this was the case the floor must bemore than 120 feet below the roof at the doorway. While this may betrue, it is not indicated by the condition of the visible strata. Forabout 50 feet outward the side walls are nearly parallel and nowheremore than 30 feet apart. Then they terminate at an angle in theoutcrop of the ledge along the hillside. The appearance and conditionof the upper strata, together with this narrow separation of the sidewalls outside the cave, produce the impression that at a period notvery remote the roof of the cavern reached to the outcropping ledge inwhich the walls end. Even though the rock floor should be at the greatdepth supposed there is a possibility that an earth floor could befound below the detritus which has accumulated since the roof fell inor has worn away. To test the matter a shaft was begun at a point 16 feet in front ofthe doorway. This was as near as such work could be done withoutinterfering with the advent of visitors, and allowed a margin of 30feet toward the outer slope. The shaft, 6 feet in diameter, soonpassed into a compact mass of red clay filled with rocks of varioussizes. At 14 feet down this was broken by an irregular stratumaveraging a foot in thickness, of coarse sand or fine gravel with aslight admixture of clay, such as would form in a running stream. Itsslope was inward or toward the cave. As there are sandstone ledges onthe hillside above, this sand may have come from them, but, if so, itis singular that none appeared elsewhere. At 18 feet down was a massof travertine measuring nearly 3 feet across and from 6 to 12 inchesthick. It had formed around the lower part of a stalagmite 18 incheslong, and the bottom of the whole formation rested horizontally onclay. This gave the excavators hope that an earth floor had beenreached, as the stalagmite was vertical and resembled in all respectsstalagmites in the cave. But it was soon found to be a foreigninclusion, and the same confused mixture of clay and stone continuedbelow as above. Various fragments of stalactites and stalagmites werefound as part of the detritus. These, especially the vertical one, seem to confirm the supposition that the roof reached out this far ata period which is quite recent as compared with the age of the cave. To a depth of 25 or 26 feet the task of excavating was as tedious anddifficult as digging up a much-traveled, rocky road, the earth beingdry enough to scour the shovels. Then the earth grew moist and within2 feet was muddy. Cavities appeared, into some of which a switch couldbe thrust 3 or 4 feet. Where such a cavity extended under a largestone, stalactites were in process of formation. Soon the earth beganto work into a soft mud under the feet of the workmen, and at 32 feetparticles and small clods were noticed falling from the sides of theshaft. A foot lower this breaking away became more decided. It mayhave been due merely to the loose condition of the wet earth allowingunsupported portions to fall from the freshly exposed surface, butthere was also the risk that the softer earth was sliding under theweight of that above. The workmen, two of whom were experienced welland cistern diggers, declared the risk too great and demanded to bebrought to the surface. The depth reached by this shaft was at least 5 feet lower than at anypoint inside, within 200 feet of the mouth of the cave. The material, with the exception of the sand layer, was almost identical from top tobottom, there being no apparent difference other than increase ofmoisture in the lower part. The only explanation suggesting itself atpresent is that the chasm is filled with large loose rocks up to apoint near the bottom of the shaft; that débris from the hillsideabove has covered these more rapidly than it could settle in thecrevices and cavities among them; and that water which makes its waydownward finds some obstruction to its free passage out at the bottomof the chasm. The only safe plan of excavation seems to require the removal of allthe earth between the side walls to a depth below the mud. If the rockbottom, or any solid bottom, is at a depth of 120 feet, there is smallchance that man lived in this region at a time when it was easilyaccessible. SALTPETER CAVE. --This is about 600 yards northwest of Wyandotte Cave. "The entrance, in a side of a ravine, is 5 feet high and 19 feet wide. Once within, a gigantic room expands, 220 feet long, 75 feet wide, and10 to 30 feet in height, with smooth flat ceiling and earthen floor, the latter descending and with its edges much encumbered with fallenrock. " [W. S. Blatchley. ] From the description given, this would seem an ideal site forresearch. Unfortunately, the bottom of the ravine is not more than 5feet lower than the top of the talus at the entrance. This slightelevation is the only barrier which keeps the surface water fromflowing in, and while the ravine seldom has any water in it, therewould be enough after a moderate rain to drown out the diggers whowere working below its level if the bank were removed. LITTLE WYANDOTTE. --This, like three caves on Blue River aboveWyandotte, four in the vicinity of Leavenworth, and one on theopposite side of the river in Meade County, Ky. , has a small entrancein solid rock, with a steep and narrow passage to the foot of a slopewhich does not expand into a room of any size until at some distancebeyond daylight. HARRISON COUNTY The only cave of any note in Harrison County is at the King quarries, 5 miles east of Corydon. It has two outlets, one at the foot of alittle cliff, through which a fine spring has an exit; the other inthe face of the cliff, about 10 feet higher and a little to one side. The latter discharges more or less water after every rain. Thedrainage of several large sink holes is through the two openings. Theowner says mud has accumulated to a depth of 3 feet on the floorwithin his remembrance, due to cultivation around the sink holes, which causes the soil to waste. * * * ILLINOIS MONROE COUNTY MAMMOTH CAVE. --The so-called "Mammoth Cave of Illinois" is nearBurksville, in Monroe County. An opportunity was afforded to visit itwhile engaged in the cave work. It is very extensive, according to theowner's description, being "7 or 8 miles long. " The mouth is at thebottom of a sink hole, and the cave is now reached by a narrowstairway 40 feet high. Formerly it was necessary to clamber down thewalls, stepping from ledge to ledge with a foot and a hand on eitherside. Then a ladder was made, said to have been 50 feet long; and, with more frequent visitors, the stairway followed. The crevice isvery short, a mere crack, apparently made by water working its waydown from the bottom of the sink. All the drainage within the rim goesinto the cave, and it accumulates in the rainy season until the flooris covered. A farmer living near says he has seen the water from thecave rise until it covered the bottom of the sink hole. As similardepressions are numerous in the vicinity, probably the combined inflowis greater than the cave can carry away. The floor has been leveledand a close pavement of large slabs laid over the muddy portions. Noone has ever heard of human remains being found anywhere in the cave. * * * KENTUCKY Crossing the Ohio River from the southern Indiana cave region, thecounties of Kentucky lying in the belt of lower Carboniferouslimestone were next visited. No cave that seemed worth examining couldbe heard of above the extreme southern portion of Hardin County. Thesections examined will be taken in their geographical order from northto south. HARDIN COUNTY HUTCHINS OR BRADLEY CAVE. --This is in the bluff bordering on the leftbank of Nolin River, 2 miles west of Upton. It was reported that humanremains had been found in it. The present owners, who have known thecave for a long time, never heard of any such finds. The entrance islow and narrow, so that access to the cave is to be had only bycreeping several yards. The cavern then expands into a very largechamber, separated into three by curtains or partitions of stalactitesand stalagmites. Very little of floor, roof, or walls is to be seen, being almost entirely covered by secondary deposits. Some of these areremarkable for size and beauty. There is no probability that the cavewas ever inhabited. SALTPETER CAVE. --This is 3 miles southwest of Upton. It has a largeentrance and an earth floor, but the dirt has all been worked over formaking saltpeter, so there is nothing to search for. HART COUNTY LAIRD'S CAVE. --About 2 miles north of Northtown is a large, roomycave, with a good entrance, but water drips from all parts of theceiling, and the floor is muddy and rocky. The drainage from 3 or 4acres of hillside flows over the arch of the entrance and logs 6inches in diameter are carried into it by the surface floods. LOCK'S CAVE. --This is a mile east of Rowlett's Station, near the topof a ridge, and lying nearly parallel with its crest. It affordsanother instance of a cave which has come to light only after aportion of its roof has fallen in. The detritus entirely conceals theopening at one end. The other end is entered by going down the fallenrocks over a slope of 15 or 20 feet, which leads to a bottom strewnwith rocks. In such cases there can be nothing under the loosematerial, because the cave had no entrance until this had fallen in. GARVIN CAVE. --This cavern, which is 3 miles southeast of Munfordville, has an opening at the bottom of a sink hole, requiring a rope orladder for descent. HARLOW CAVE. --This is 3½ miles southeast of Munfordville. It is a verylarge cave, apparently, as the slope down the débris is more than 40feet high, to a rocky shelf, beyond which the descent was followedsome yards without finding any indications that a level bottom wasnear. It is another illustration of the fallen roof. WYNNE'S CAVE. --Three miles south of Rowlett's Station is a large sinkhole. Stones thrown into the vertical shaft at the bottom can be heardstriking the sides for three or four seconds before coming to rest. WASH. ROWLETT CAVE. --On "the old Lewis Martin place, " 1½ miles west ofRowlett's Station, a section of roof, 20 or 25 feet across, hasdropped into a deep cavity. The sides are still insecure. The descentto a spring under what appears to be the original roof is somewhatmore than 40 feet. The ceiling is not more than 6 feet high. STEFFY'S CAVE. --Four miles southwest of Munfordville between 200 and300 feet in length of the roof of a high and wide cave has fallen in. Ice remains in this cave until May or later every year. JOEL BUCKNER'S CAVE. --About 10 miles northeast of Munfordville is alarge cave with the entrance on a hillside. The roof has evidentlyextended several rods farther out than at present. The front part ofthe cavern is wide and high, but is now nearly filled with débris. Theroof slopes at about the same angle as loose material within, therebeing not more than 3 feet of space between the two at any placenearer than 30 feet from the present mouth. Rocks thrown back showedthe same uniformity of slope to continue at least several yards andthe depth there to be about 20 feet below the top of the detritus atthe mouth. This cave was suitable as a habitation before the materialnow choking the mouth had accumulated, provided water was obtainable. The nearest spring now is more than a mile away. An exploration wouldrequire, as a preliminary, the removal of several hundred cubic yardsof compacted rocks and clay. HARRY BUCKNER CAVE. --Half a mile north of the cavern last named isanother with a very narrow entrance. The floor, which slopes downward, is solid rock in part, and the place is not adapted for occupancy. CUB RUN CAVE. --Cub Run is a little settlement 12 miles west ofMunfordville, near the Edmonson County line and about equidistant fromGreen River and Nolin River. Two miles in a direct line south of thevillage is a cave or rock shelter which has much local notoriety fromthe fact that three skeletons were found in it. They were imbedded inmixed ashes and earth and accompanied with several pestles, boneperforators, three flint knives, a small celt, and part of a clay pipestem. One of the skeletons was that of a child not more than 8 or 10years old. It has been pronounced the frame of a white child onaccount of the shape of the skull, but is more probably Indian, as thethree were found together. Two of the bodies had been laid side byside; the other was near their feet at a right angle to them. In theback of the child's head is an incision somewhat over an inch long. The skull is slightly fractured downward from one end of this cut, andthe corner or angle thus formed in the bone is pressed outward. A flint implement found almost in contact with the skull fits closelyinto the aperture and may have produced it, as the form of the woundcould have been thus caused. The cavity or chamber of this cavern is about 100 feet across in eachdirection. There is a small opening near the back which has beenexamined to a distance of 75 or 80 feet, being there obstructed bylarge blocks of sandstone similar to those which fill the space fromfloor to ceiling along the back end of the shelter. There is another very large block just at the entrance, in which areone shallow and two deep circular depressions which were probablymortars. Bones of deer, bear, and other animals have been found withina foot or two of the surface both outside and inside of the cave. Contrary to what is usual in sandstone cavities of this sort, theoutside earth slopes upward from the entrance and after heavy rainsconsiderable water flows into the cave. This makes the earth on thefloor quite sticky at times, although it is mainly sand, containingvery little clay. The skeletons were found at a depth of about 16 inches, close to theside wall. A small trench dug where they were unearthed showed, insuccession, a layer of ashes 4 or 5 inches thick and not more than 3feet across, a foot below the surface of the floor; a few inches ofearth; a layer of ashes an inch thick, at two feet; below this, yellowish undisturbed sand, apparently fallen from the sandstone roof, and continuing to the rock floor, which was about 32 inches below thetop. Another trench was dug about midway across the cave and the samedistance from the front as the skeletons were found. This was on orclose to the line of heaviest drainage into the cave and the earth wasso wet as to be very sticky. A few little patches of what appeared tobe ashes but which had not resulted from fires made on the spot, threeor four broken mussel shells, and a chip of flint were found in thefirst 18 or 20 inches. More than this amount of earth could easilyhave washed in since they were left here by modern Indians. Below thislevel the earth contained not the slightest object of human origin, tothe rock floor which was found at a depth of 6 feet. On the rock wasnearly pure sand, probably the result of disintegration; some clay layon this; then the mixed loam, sand, and clay composing the outsidesoil. It would appear that this cave was utilized as a place of shelter atirregular intervals by Indians in tolerably recent times; that atleast one of those found, perhaps all three, had died or been killedduring a somewhat protracted sojourn; and that only a slight coveringof earth, if any at all, had been placed over them. Two similar caves are within 8 or 10 miles, but were not visited. EDMONSON COUNTY MAMMOTH CAVE. --For miles from the entrance saltpeter workers have dugdown to a level where the amount of loose rock rendered furtherexcavation too expensive. In many places walls of stone are piledagainst the sides of the cavern. They were among the earth that wasremoved and have been so piled to get them out of the way. As far back as "Chief City, " 3 miles from the mouth of the cave, thefloor is littered with fragments of canes (reeds) and saplings, which, from the appearance of the ends, were broken, twisted, or bruised offwith blunt tools like stone hatchets. Most of those remaining arelying on massive loose rocks now forming the floor, though the ends ofsome are seen projecting from beneath stones much larger than two mencan lift. It is possible the latter have recently slid or slipped fromhigher up the slopes, but the indications are that they have droppedfrom the roof since the time of these early explorers. If this be thecase, it points to a considerable antiquity for the remains, becauseno such downfalls are known to have occurred since the cave was firstexplored by white men. So much work has been done about the entrance of late years forimproving the approaches that excavation would be useless, even ifallowed, unless carried to a depth of more than 20 feet. Such workwould greatly interfere with the plans of the management. WHITE'S CAVE. --This is about three-fourths of a mile from MammothCave. The entrance, quite small, is near the crest of a ridge, and thefloor descends abruptly. Only a narrow chamber exists within reach ofdaylight, and the cave is wet all the time a short distance back. COLOSSAL CAVE. --It is said to be 4 miles from Mammoth Cave, but isreally only a little more than 2 miles. The present entrance isentirely artificial, the descent to the floor being about 120 feet. The original entrance was in a crevice which explorers descended bymeans of ropes. It is said that another entrance is known to one manwho, however, has to crawl a long distance. SALT CAVE. --This is 4 miles from Mammoth Cave, though belonging to thesame company. The entrance is at the bottom of a conical sink holedraining about an acre. Not much water runs into the cave from thiscause, as the surface slopes outward from the margin except on oneside, where a ridge leads to the hills. A spring which comes out nearthe top of the sink falls over a ledge at the bottom into theentrance to the cave. It is said that this water soaks into the groundwithin a few rods and that just beyond are large, dry rooms, welladapted for habitation, which formerly contained many evidences ofaboriginal occupation. Exploration is impossible now, as the entrancewas effectually closed some years ago by throwing in logs, brush, rocks, and earth, in order to protect the formations from relichunters. The water from the spring falls directly on and flows intothis, and can not now be turned aside. Even if it could, all excavatedmaterial would have to be carried up a steep slope and deposited inthe field surrounding the sink hole. DIXON'S CAVE. --It is supposed, with good reason, that this was at onetime connected with Mammoth Cave. It can be easily entered, through alarge crevice, where the surface rock has fallen in. Approach to thebottom is down a steep and rugged slope of about 60 feet vertically. Within, no earth is visible, it having been entirely removed bysaltpeter miners, who left the rocks piled in great rows from side toside across the cavern. MAMMAL CAVE. --This is so named because a tusk was formerly exhibitedat the hotel which was reported to have come from here. It wasafterwards learned that the specimen was imported from another State. The cave is small and damp, not suitable for living or even forstopping in. PROCTOR'S CAVE. --This is 6 miles from Mammoth Cave. The presententrance is artificial and so far as could be learned the cave is arecent discovery. HAUNTED CAVE. --The name is given to commemorate the fact that humanbones were found in it. Physicians, it is said, pronounced them bonesof a white person. The cave, which is on Green River, some miles belowMammoth Cave, was not visited, as the entrance is described as acrevice through which a man has difficulty in squeezing his way, whilethe interior is nowhere more than 8 feet wide. The cave soon connectswith another narrow vertical crevice which reaches the surface at thetop of a ridge. BRIGGS'S CAVE. --About 6 miles west of Cave City, and 4 miles west ofnorth from Glasgow Junction, is a cave on land of Ike Briggs, whichwas described as fit for habitation. Its entrance is in a small sinkhole, on a hillside. The approach is easy, and entry not difficult;but the cave receives the drainage of several acres and the floor isalways muddy. POYNER'S CAVE. --This is a mile east of Briggs's. While a large cave, the entrance is at the foot of a sink hole an acre in area. It isnecessary to stoop for some distance on entering, and the bottom hereis rough and wet. Farther in it is dry and roomy--so much so, thatpeople in the neighborhood use one chamber as a "ballroom. " This partis some distance beyond daylight. As in all caves which are enteredfrom a sink, it would be very difficult to dispose of any excavatedearth, as it would have to be carried up the steep slope to theoutside. SHORT CAVE. --Chaumont is a station on the road to Mammoth Cave, 3miles from the Glasgow Junction. The cavern, which is so named fromits limited extent as compared with Mammoth, is a mile from thestation. The entrance, reached by a winding way along the ridges, ison one side of an irregular depression comprising 3 or 4 acres. Atpresent there is a heavy bank of earth, several feet high, across theentrance, nearly closing it to the top, except at the middle where awagon road has been cut through to allow fertilizers for mushroom bedsto be hauled in. This earth, so it is stated, was not there when thecave was discovered, but has been carried from the interior partly bysaltpeter workers, and partly by the present owner in order to coverup some rocks and to make the floor smooth and level. In front of thecave and of the earth piled at the entrance is a level space of 25 or30 feet to a deep sink hole. Some water and mud, in time of wetweather, runs into the front part of the cave but its effect is notnoticeable for more than 30 or 40 feet. Beyond this is a reach of morethan 200 feet of perfectly dry level floor. It was not so smoothbefore some grading was done for the mushroom beds, but was at no timerugged or difficult to travel over. At 300 feet from the entrance is aslope about 20 feet high, at the foot of which begins another floor sodry as to be dusty in places. Whether this apparent thickness of 20feet is of earth, or earth and stone mixed, or is indicative of a dipin the rock floor, is not known, as no excavation has ever been madeexcept for the plant beds. There is a slight descent, not more than 3or 4 feet, from the entrance to the point where the flood water seemsto reach. This is seemingly due altogether to the wash. The width ofthe cave is about 50 feet, and notwithstanding the partial closure ofthe entrance there is sufficient light as far back as 200 feet toenable one to read ordinary print. So there is ample room within reachof daylight for several hundred people to gather withoutinconvenience. The owner, Capt. J. B. Briggs, who lives in Russellville, has grantedpermission to make any excavations desired, provided the floor be leftin good shape when done. It is evident that any satisfactoryexamination will demand a large expenditure. If only a preliminarytrench were made, the necessary slope would require a considerablewidth at top, while if anything should be disclosed that called forextensive research, the earth must be wheeled or otherwise removed tothe sink hole in front, and the whole floor brought to a nearlyuniform level. So far as appearances go, this cavern is better adapted for occupancythan any other which has been examined. The depth of earth shows it tohave been open for a long period. If nothing can be found here, denoting extreme antiquity of man, it would seem useless to makefurther search in central or western Kentucky. BEAR CREEK. --A very large rock house is on the right bank of BearCreek, 3 miles above its mouth. It would afford good shelter to alarge number of people, except in rainy seasons when they were most inneed of it. After heavy storms the creek covers the entire floor. Other rock-shelters exist along Green River above and below BearCreek. They are not worth investigating. Some are flooded; othersdifficult of access; still others become muddy after rains; while innone of them is there any great depth of earth. WARREN COUNTY CRUMP'S CAVE. --A mile north of Smith's Grove is a large sink hole, from one side of which extends a cave nearly a mile long. There isabundant room and a good light near the front, and it is reported thatquantities of ashes were formerly to be seen on the earth a shortdistance in. A considerable outside area drains into the cave, and thefloor at the present time is everywhere so wet as to be quite muddy. Much water also falls from the roof. A hydraulic ram, not far from theentrance, formerly forced water from one of these falls to the farmresidence. A descent of 6 feet, over large rocks and wet earth, bringsone to the nearly level floor, 40 feet from the mouth. The amount offlood water running into the cave is indicated by a gully 4 feet deepand the same in width, while trash and driftwood litter the floor fromwall to wall for more than a hundred yards. THOMAS CAVE. --This is a mile north of Bowling Green. The roof of acavern has fallen in and forms a high mound of rocky débris, downwhich a path winds on each side, giving access toward either end ofthe cavern. There is scarcely a possibility that it was ever occupied. MILL CAVE. --Three miles south of Bowling Green a stream emerges fromthe foot of a slope, flows a hundred yards through a canyon-like openchannel, and disappears under a cliff. This is another instance of anopen cave due to a falling roof. The open end is large and forms anexcellent shelter for cattle. On either side of the stream, under thecliff, is a shelf or projecting ledge, covered with loose stones. Neither is 2 feet higher than the water level in a wet season. BARREN COUNTY PAYNE CAVE. --This, also known as Saltpeter Cave, is near Temple Hill, 9 miles southeast of Glasgow. The bluff in which it is situated is aconglomerate limestone, rising from the waters of Skagg's Creek. Thecave has three different entrances, 100 feet or more apart, and eachentrance is broken into three or four by columns or masses of stonethat have resisted erosion. None of the entrances is large, or opensinto spacious chambers within daylight. Flood marks are visible inall, and it is said that after prolonged or heavy spring rains thewater covers the floors. BEN SMITH'S CAVE. --This was discovered while digging out a fox den. Itis a tunnel-like cavity, not more than 6 feet high or wide, and notsuitable for habitation. It lies a mile and a half south of TempleHill. FORD'S CAVE. --This is between Freedom and Mount Hermon, about 14 milessoutheast of Glasgow. Originally the entrance was about 8 feet highand 20 feet wide, and opened into a well-lighted chamber probably 40feet wide and 60 feet long. The floor was of earth and level, withample space between it and the roof, as shown by marks on the walls, for people to move about readily in any part of the room. The entranceis now artificially closed by earth and stone, except for a space 4feet square in which a door is hung. Old men in the neighborhood claimthey can remember when the floor was 20 feet lower than at present; amanifest impossibility, for that measure would bring it several feetlower than the bed of Mill Creek just in front of the cave. They alsoclaim that blocks of conglomerate and travertine 5 to 10 feet in eachdimension have formed from "drip" within their recollection; which, iftrue, would prove these persons to be almost contemporaneous with thecave men. The more probable statement is also made by them that inearly days saltpeter workers dug up and leached all the earth in thecave, filling the entrance and the narrow space before it with theleached earth from the front part of the cave and throwing that fromfarther back into the cavities and pits left by the prior workings. Inside the cave, near the entrance, is a never-failing spring whosewaters flow through a short, narrow crevice at one side. While easilyaccessible, the water does not reach any of the earth floor. This would have been an excellent site for aboriginal residence, butthere is now no undisturbed earth within daylight nor for somedistance beyond, and no one can remember that anything of anartificial nature was ever exhumed. THE ESMITH CAVES. --Two caves situated on Peters Creek near Dry Forkpost office, 14 miles southeast of Glasgow, were reported to beadmirably suited for shelter purposes. The smaller is not more than afoot high, from floor to roof, and is filled with flood water afterevery heavy rain. The larger is above flood line, but the entrance isnot over 2 feet high, and the "cave" is scarcely sufficient for asheep shelter. If the floor were cleared off to a depth of 4 feet fromits present level, it would be covered whenever the creek reachedhigh-water mark. BONE CAVE. --Five miles east of Glasgow human bones were found in acavern. Particulars could not be obtained. The cave is on a hillsideand is entered through a narrow crevice by straddling the walls orgoing down a ladder. Rocks and trash form a mound in this, the topbeing 15 feet below the outside surface. On either side of this moundone can make his way continuously downward to darkness, and a rockthrown ahead can be heard going on down some distance over loosestones. If human bones were ever found in here, either they werethrown in or some person fell in and was unable to escape. SLICK ROCK CAVE. --This is near the post office of Slick Rock, 7 mileseast of Glasgow. The entrance is in a narrow crevice at the brow of alow hill. The descent is steep and rugged to beyond daylight. LOVE'S CAVE. --This is located on Dr. Love's farm, 3 miles north ofSlick Rock. It is now used for storing apples and potatoes. Theentrance is through a large sink hole, formed by the falling in of theroof of a cave which was at least 50 feet wide at this point. As isusual, the débris has blocked the cave in one direction. Descent isregular, though steep, along the slope into the other end of the cave. The floor is wet and muddy the entire year on account of the drip fromroof and overhanging rock at the mouth. The vertical distance from topof the débris to the level floor is about 30 feet, and from the top tothe outer surface about 20 feet more. Any attempt at excavation wouldbe difficult and costly, and conditions are such as to make itprobably fruitless. MONROE COUNTY Four caves in this county were represented as being worthinvestigation. All are north of Tompkinsville, the county seat. (1) A rock house in the conglomerate sandstone on the land of Dr. E. E. Palmer, 7 miles north of Tompkinsville, shows smoke stains on theceiling, and some flint chips among the gravel and earth in frontwhere they have been exposed by water dripping over the face of thecliff. There is, however, only 2 to 4 feet of space between the earthfloor and the roof, across the cave from side to side, a distance of20 feet, and from the front to a point 10 feet back. From this rearportion the earth slopes downward, parallel with the roof of the cave, to the wall behind. The amount of descent could not be accuratelyascertained owing to the cramped space, but seems to be 5 or 6 feet. At about that level on the outside a ledge was found on both sides ofthe entrance and appears to continue across. If so, the earth coversthe part immediately in front of the cave. Neither tools nor men couldbe found to do any trenching, but it is not probable the shelter wasever high enough for a man to stand erect in, because most, or all, ofthe floor earth must have come from the ceiling. (2) A mile north of Dr. Palmer's is the McCreary Cave. The entrance isfrom 60 to 70 feet across and the cavern reaches back fully a hundredfeet without any diminution of breadth. Two branches then start underthe hill. Each has been explored more than a mile. From each branchflows a considerable brook. They unite near the entrance, sink intothe floor, and reappear as a strong spring 30 feet lower in the ravineleading from the cave. The earth is not more than 3 feet deep near thefront. It becomes greater in amount farther back, but is weteverywhere below the level of the running water, consequently noexcavation was practicable. Flood marks show that the whole floor, except in places a strip along the side walls, is completely submergedat times. On one side a rock ledge or shelf above reach of the wateris covered with dry loose earth from 1 to 3 feet deep. This has beendug up in nearly every part by treasure seekers, but nothing of humanworkmanship has ever been found. (3) The Belcher Cave is 7 miles northwest of Tompkinsville. It is alsocalled Mill Cave, because a gristmill near the foot of the hill belowit is run by the outflowing stream. The entrance is wide and high; thefront chamber or vault is fully a hundred feet across each way. Butthe bedrock is exposed in places and the earth is not more than 2 feetthick anywhere. Water from the brook percolating through this keepsthe lower portion saturated. (4) On John Black Tuley's land, on Meshach Creek, 6 miles northeast ofTompkinsville, two human skeletons were found in a small opening, which has since been known as the Bone Cave. It is a room not over 10feet across at any part, in a limestone conglomerate, and may be ofquite recent origin. Being inconvenient of access, it is not in aposition for residence purposes. The skeletons, which were less than 2feet below the surface, were probably those of Indian hunters. Thematerial in which the little cave is formed will crumble easily incold weather, being rather wet from the soil water soaking through thehill above it. There are other caves in this county, but from the descriptions theydo not seem at all suited even for temporary camping needs. LOGAN COUNTY Very little limestone appears in Logan County, the surface rock beingmostly conglomerate. A reconnoissance was made here, however, fromRussellville to Diamond Springs, to investigate "a broad valley" whichwas reported to extend in a general north and south direction from theOhio, near Brandenburg, toward the Cumberland. It was also claimedthat beds of drift gravel exist at a considerable elevation above thelittle creek now flowing through the valley and that rock shelters arenumerous at various levels. As there is an abandoned drainage system, different from the present, somewhere in this part of Kentucky, which has never been traced, theplace seemed worth a visit. The result was disappointing. The valley is due entirely to causes now at work. The gravel bedsresult from weathering of lower Coal Measure conglomerates. The rockshelters are shallow, or with a thin covering of earth on the floor, or subject to overflow. None was found that offered any incentive forexamination. TODD COUNTY On the farm of Mr. Robert Glover, 3½ miles southwest of Trenton, is acave known generally as "Bell's Cave, " from a former owner. This formsthe outlet of a large sink hole, all the rainfall of 6 or 8 acresdraining out through it. The entrance is wide and deep, with an easydescent to the level floor. It was for a long time a shelter forIndians, for there is a layer of ashes more than 6 feet in depth, 50or 60 feet long, and about 15 or 20 feet wide. These represent theprobable original dimensions, but the top has been leveled for adancing floor, and the drainage water has cut away a large part of it, depositing the material farther back in the cave. Six feet of verticalface is exposed at one place by the water, but the ashes extend stilldeeper. It is said that bone needles, animal bones, antlers, musselshells ("different from any in the creek now"), burnt rock, and muchbroken pottery were found in leveling the top. A very fine polishedflint celt 12 inches or more in length is also reported. One humanskeleton has been found, either at the edge of the ash bed or a fewfeet away from the edge. The floor is covered, where the earth iswashed off, with flint nodules and fragments, and the slopes outsidehave considerable on the surface. The gullies washed along the slopeare paved with nodules like a macadamized road, and in a few placesthe streams have cut into them so as to show a foot or more at thelower part of the bank so filled and packed with nodules that a knifeblade could not be thrust in more than 2 or 3 inches. But there is noevidence of aboriginal quarrying. Probably the Indians dug nodulesout of the gullies, for chips are found above and on each side of themouth of the cave. To the west, on top of the hill in which the sink hole occurs, andbeginning at its edge, is an aboriginal cemetery. There are two smallmounds and numerous graves. Scores of the latter have been opened. They are all alike; flat stones form bottom, ends, sides, and top. Many have only one skeleton; others more. The greatest number yetfound in one was six. Few are more than a foot deep or much over 5feet long. About one in ten contains relics of some sort--in two orthree entire pots, beads, arrowheads, and gorgets occurred. I opened three; two contained one body each. The face of one was down, but all the other bones of this and all the bones in the second gravewere so decayed that no statement of their position can be made. Inthe third grave, which was 2½ feet deep--the deepest yet found--werethree bodies. Two lay with faces north; the other, behind these, withface south. The grave was 24 inches wide and less than 6 feet long. Most skeletons (it is reported) were doubled up; often the graves werenot over 3 feet long and 10 to 16 inches wide. In some the bonesdenoted skeleton burial. One skull had been perforated by a ball; atleast there was a round hole on each side exactly such as would havebeen produced by a bullet. Another large cemetery is on the farm of Mr. G. S. Wood, next north ofGlover's. Mr. Wood has opened 50 or more graves and found some relics. Flint arrows, spears, knives, drills, hoes, spades, and celts, not tomention unfinished pieces, have been found by the thousand on thesurface within a mile radius of these cemeteries. It would seem useless to make any further examination of the levellimestone region of central or southern Kentucky. Nearly all the minordrainage is underground, and most of the caves have inlets throughsink holes or in small crevices. The water supply is scanty exceptalong streams, and in such situations the caves are usually, forvarious reasons, of such character as to preclude a continuousoccupation, or one extending to a very ancient date. Search is morelikely to be rewarded in the mountains where an ample water supply isalways at hand. * * * TENNESSEE MONTGOMERY COUNTY DUNBAR'S CAVE. --Three miles east of Clarksville a large cave has beenfitted up as a summer resort. The earth has been leveled around theentrance, both inside and outside, floors laid for picnics and othergatherings, booths, refreshment stands, and places of amusementerected and the surrounding grounds somewhat improved. On account ofall this, the place has become quite noted. At present there is from15 to 20 feet of loose stones and earth on the solid rock floor, and astrong stream makes its way beneath them. It could never have beenoccupied in prehistoric times until the débris had practically reachedthe stage at which it was found by the whites. INDIAN MOUND CAVE. --A report was received to the effect that the mouthof a cave on the Stewart County line, about 18 miles west ofClarksville, had been closed by a rock wall, and earth piled againstthe outside of the wall; also, that tool marks are quite distinct in achamber which is plainly of artificial origin. The rock wall is the stratified rock, in place; the earth in front haswashed down from the hillside; the tool marks are water channelings;and other remarkable things mentioned in the report are equallynatural. The entrance is a narrow crevice. SULLIVAN COUNTY LINVILLE CAVE. --This is 4 miles almost directly west of Bluff City. Apparently it is of great extent, for large sink holes connected withit are scattered over an area of several hundred acres. There arethree principal openings. The largest is near the top of a knoll orlow hill, and is due to the falling in of the roof. The sunken parthas an area of about 30 by 60 feet. Usually, in such cases, the débrisentirely fills one end of the cavity thus made, obscuring that part ofthe cavern, the other end being kept open by surface drainage. In thiscase, owing to the dip of the strata--some 8 or 10 degrees--and to achange in direction of the cavern at this point, both ends may beentered from the fallen rocks and earth. At one side the descent isprecipitous and winding, over and among large fallen rocks. No levelplace is reached in daylight. At the other side the descent followsthe natural dip of the strata and no level space can be found fromwhich the entrance is visible. This part, also, is filled with rocks, large and small, from the roof and sides, and was never habitable. Fifty yards from the main entrance is another much smaller cave, onthe slope of the knoll. It is at the bottom of a crevice 10 feet deep. The floor is level, but only a few square yards in extent, the slopingroof reaching it within 10 feet. As there is considerable drainageinto the cavity from the hillside, it is probable that this floor, atleast the upper portion, is of recent origin, and that the earthextends downward indefinitely toward the subterranean stream. West of the knoll on which these openings are found is a valley 2 or 3miles long. Timber shuts off the view toward its head. This isdrained by a constant stream which after winding from side to side ofthe little vale flows under the knoll. The hole where it disappears issmall, but as no rock floor is visible it may lead into a largecavern, and there is no doubt that all the sink holes in the vicinityas well as the two openings above described eventually have the sameoutlet. Excavations would be difficult and useless. THOMAS CAVE. --In the face of a steep hillside, near the south (left)bank of the Holston, 3 miles east of Bluff City, is a room with anearly level floor 10 by 18 feet in the longest measurements. A narrowpassage, high enough for a man to walk in, branches off to the rightbut soon begins to diminish in size and at 100 feet becomes too smallto crawl through. The débris in front of the cave is piled to a heightof 16 feet above the present floor, and the highest floods of theriver reach to about the same level on the outside. The rapiddisappearance of the surface water which finds its way in indicates anunderground passage to the river, so that a solid floor would notprobably be reached above the ordinary water level. ARKLOW CAVE. --This is a mile and a half southeast of Bluff City. Itwas reported to have a level earth floor, not more than 4 feet belowthe accumulation outside. While this was formerly the case, cultivation of the hills around now causes a great amount of surfacewater to flow over the little bluff into which the cave opens, andthis has carried nearly all of the loose earth away through someunderground channel. The descent for upward of 30 feet is steep andrugged; it was not traced farther. MORRELL CAVE. --On the south side of the Holston River, 2½ miles eastof Bluff City, lies the farm of E. S. Worley. Except for a narrow stripof river bottom land, the surface is broken and rocky, the highestpoint being some 400 feet above the stream. Beginning near the brow ofthe river hill the central portion of the farm is in a depressionwhose very irregular rim or watershed surrounds an area of more than100 acres. All the water that falls within this space drains into asink hole the bottom of which is but little above flood stage of theHolston. On the south side of this sink is a vertical bluff 120 feethigh, from whose foot emerges a stream that after a winding course of50 or 60 yards disappears in a small opening on the east side of thesink hole, and finally comes to the surface at the foot of the hill, near the river. Its volume is sufficient, even in time of severestdrought, to turn the undershot wheel of a large mill. The course ofthe stream above the point where it is first visible is through a cavewhich has been traced to the foot of the Holston Mountains, 3 milesaway, and there are many unexplored branches. Chambers are known witha cross measure of 100 feet or more, and some of them have a heightnearly as great. Stalactites and stalagmites, some of them possessingunusual size and beauty, are abundant. The sink hole is due to the falling in of the roof of the cave, whichcould no doubt be followed to the river if it were free fromobstructions in this direction. North of west from the mouth of the cave is another opening, partly inthe same strata but 40 feet higher, the dip of the rock being 10 or 12degrees to the southeast. This was so blocked with talus which hadfallen from the cliff and washed down the side of the sink hole thatit was necessary to creep nearly 40 feet from the entrance, down amoderate slope, before coming to a point where it was possible tostand upright. From here progress to the junction of the two caves, about half a mile from the entrance, is easy except where fallen rocksinterfere somewhat. Early in the Civil War a large amount of saltpeter was manufacturedhere. A dam was constructed just within the mouth of the main cave, and in the pool thus formed boats were used to transport the materialfrom the interior. The workmen not required for handling the craftusually preferred to walk through the upper cave to the place wherethe earth was procured. The combination of natural features at this place is unusuallyfavorable to aboriginal habitation. The main cave is excluded fromconsideration by reason of the stream filling it from wall to wallafter very heavy rains. The upper cave, however, showed, beyond thedébris choking the entrance, a level floor, cumbered, it is true, byfallen rocks, but apparently quite suitable for a dwelling place werethese removed. Although opening toward the north, its position so farbelow the summits of the surrounding hills protects it from winterwinds. The creek assures an ample supply of clear cold water. Mountains, refuge for game, are in sight in various directions, whilethe Holston River is less than a quarter of a mile away. In order to remove the débris a point 3 feet below the lowest spot onthe floor was selected on the slope outside. From here a trench wascarried in on a level, the additional depth being taken to facilitateclearing away all material that had accumulated inside the cavern incomparatively recent time, and thus lighten the task of deeperexcavations should these be required. The trench needed to be onlywide enough at the bottom to allow room for running a wheelbarrow, butowing to the great amount of broken rock, loosely held together by asmall quantity of earth, the sides continually gave way, so that bythe time it was safe to pass through the trench was 25 feet wide atthe top and 24 feet deep at the mouth of the cave. The rocks were ofevery size from small pebbles to blocks weighing more than a ton each. Nothing whatever of artificial character, not even a flint chip orfragment of charcoal, was unearthed until at a point 4 feet inside thefarthest projecting stratum of the roof. Here was found a prehistoricstone wall whose outer side and top had been entirely concealed bydébris. On the inner side the upper portion was visible, owing to thefact that the owner had gathered a quantity of loose stones toconstruct a wall farther down the slope. Previous to this the ancientwall was entirely covered by the detritus, and even after this partialexposure its true nature was not suspected. It was about 6 feet high, built up of rocks of various sizes and shapes loosely fitted together, earth from the outside surface being used to level up in places wherethe stones would not bind properly. The largest rock in the top layerweighed about 800 pounds. The horizontal distance between the top of the wall as it was whencleared off and the corresponding portion of the cave roof was 4 feet;to the roof directly above it, about 2 feet. Apparently it had at onetime entirely closed the entrance; at the western end where it abuttedagainst the solid rock the upper portion was firmly consolidated bytravertine. Directly above it, nearly 2 feet higher, a slab and somesmall irregular fragments were securely attached to the side and roofby the same agency. A crevice in the bedrock just at the end of theartificial wall contained several wagonloads of small rocks which hadbeen thrown into it. These also were united into a solid mass by thetravertine, all of which had been deposited by water flowing throughthe crevice. It does not follow that the wall was ever higher towardthe opposite end than at this time. In the centuries that have elapsedsince it was put up, the roof at the front of the cave, being ratherthin-bedded, may have disintegrated. It was not possible to uncoverthe wall in shape for illustrating; portions of it continuallycrumbled as the looser material piled against it was removed. From the wall inward the foreign material piled against the west sideof the cave was composed almost entirely of small rocks, with scarcelyany earth, and so compactly bound with travertine and stalagmite as toresist all attempts to remove it by ordinary means. On the eastside--the left as the cave is entered--there was a great variation inthe size of the stones; they were intermixed with much loose dryearth, and there was scarcely any "drip-formation" in the mass. Theremoval of all this disclosed a projection of solid rock forming ashelf from 8 to 12 feet wide, whose top was about 2 feet higher thanthe bottom of our trench. About 20 feet from the ancient wall thetrench reached the original bottom of the cave as the latter was leftby the stream to which its origin was due. This was the tough red oryellow clay, filled with water-worn stones such as appear in allgullies or ravines in this region. It contained a small quantity ofstalagmitic material here and there and gradually rose until at 20feet farther, or 40 feet from the old wall, it terminated againstsolid bedrock, reaching across the cave, the entire width of which atthis point was 26 feet. The shelf on the left belonged to the samestratum. This brought the work to the terminus that had been the aim from thefirst, namely, the lowest level of the floor, which was thus shown tobe only a foot above the solid rock instead of at least 10 or 12 feetas the general appearance of the entrance and its surroundings hadindicated. It was completely cleaned off as far as this was possible, but within 3 feet of the end of the trench began a mass several feetin thickness of fragmentary rocks of every size up to 20 tons or morewhich had fallen from the roof and were bound together by stalagmite. Altogether, more than 300 cubic yards of material were removed. Theworkmen had been carefully instructed as to what the search was for, and kept a close lookout, as evidenced by the very small objects theywere continually offering for inspection. It is safe to say that not aspadeful of earth missed scrutiny; but, aside from the artificialwall, the only traces of human presence were three valves of mussels, a turkey bone rudely pointed for use as a perforator, and three orfour bones which seem to have been subjected to fire. Not a chip offlint or other stone showing work, no ashes or charcoal, not a pieceof pottery, were discovered. If aboriginal burials were made in thecave--and the wall is almost definite proof of such fact--they areeither on the floor under stalagmite or in crevices now concealed byfallen rocks. Numerous small fragments of animal bones were found scattered singlyat all depths in the material removed. Nearly every one showed marksof the teeth of rodents. According to Prof. F. A. Lucas, of theNational Museum, they all belong to modern species except one tooth, which is that of the cave tapir, and (possibly) the jaw of an otter. BLEDSOE COUNTY COLLEGE CAVE. --About three-fourths of a mile west from the oldSequatchie College is a cave which was described as the largest in thecounty, and as the only one in which people might ever have lived. Theopening is about 5 feet wide and 4 feet high; and from it comes astream sufficient to run a mill. No other caves could be located in this county or in the SequatchieValley north of it. SEQUATCHIE COUNTY LAKEY'S CAVE. --In the foothills of the Cumberland Plateau, about 5miles southeast of Dunlap, the county seat, is the largest cave in thecounty. A great quantity of earth and rock has accumulated in front ofthe entrance, washed from the mountain side over an area of severalacres. Formerly most of the surface drainage carrying this down flowedinto the cave, thus keeping a passageway open through which a mancould crawl. Ditches have recently been cut to turn away the water, the entrance walled up, a solid door hung, and the cave is now usedfor a storeroom. It was never habitable. A mile north of the above-mentioned cave, toward Dunlap, is a cavewith a very large entrance: a sort of rock-house or half dome. Thefloor is covered with huge rocks and a constant stream flows out. Itis said that a party once entered Lakey's Cave and emerged at thisone. There is no dry place in it. PICKETT'S CAVE. --Seven miles southwest of Dunlap is a cave, describedas having an ample entrance, with much room inside, perfectly dry, andopening in a cliff 20 or 30 feet above a large, never-failing spring. The description is correct as to location, but not as to size. Theopening is about 4 feet across each way, with a slight covering ofearth on the floor. The cave winds like a flattened corkscrew. At noplace near enough to the mouth for a glimmer of light to penetrate isthe roof more than 5 feet above the floor or the side walls more than5 feet apart. There are two recesses in the cliff on the opposite side of the littlecreek formed by the spring. They are 40 to 50 feet above the water, each with an irregular floor of 20 by 30 feet under shelter of therock. No solid rock is visible in front of them, but a projectingledge, which seems continuous, appears on either side about 6 feetbelow the present average level of the floor; and this is probably thedepth of accumulation at the front. It may be less toward the rear. The cavities are in a stratum which is somewhat shelly and crumbleseasily. HIXSON'S CAVE. --Six miles northeast of Dunlap is a cave said to belarge, accessible, dry, and well suited for occupancy. It is on theside of Walden's ridge, 400 feet or more above the base, a mile fromwater, and with an opening in the solid rock that can not be enteredexcept on hands and knees. By the time one can straighten up he is inabsolute darkness. LAND COMPANY'S CAVE. --This is 7 miles northeast of Dunlap. To enter, one must crawl between the rock front and the detritus, descending 10or 12 feet. The floor is fairly level, where it can be found, but isnearly hidden from sight by rocks of all sizes, over and between whichit is necessary to scramble almost from the starting point. HENSON'S CAVE. --This cave, 9 or 10 miles northeast from Dunlap, andperhaps in Bledsoe County, is somewhere on Raccoon Mountains, near thehead of a valley up which a mountain road winds along in the bed of astream. It is said to have a dry dirt floor, with an entrance throughwhich one must crawl. After driving until the horses were tired outand being assured at several scattered cabins that it was "jest aleetle mite furder up thar, " search for it was abandoned. GRUNDY COUNTY HUBLIN'S OR BAT CAVE. --Numerous caves and rock-shelters are reportedin the region about Beersheba Springs. The shelters seem to be shallowwith comparatively little earth on the floor. Of the caves, thedescription given of all but the one named was such as to show themnot worth visiting. It is about 10 miles northwest of the springs. Itscourse is approximately parallel with the mountain ridge, passingunder two low foothills or spurs separated by a ravine. When thestream flowing through the latter had cut its channel down to the topof the cave it poured into the hole it had worn. Frost and the naturalerosion have made an opening more than 60 feet long. Both parts of thecave remain open, being too large at this point to become choked bythe small amount of material which the brook had left as a roof. Insome places, so far as it was examined, the ceiling is 50 feet or moreabove the rocks covering the floor; and one end, that into which theravine drains, has a continuous and rather steep descent, along thenatural dip, as far as it could be followed. Where the explorationended logs, drift, brush, etc. , piled 10 or 12 feet high against hugerocks that had tumbled down, proved a current strong enough to washaway any deposits that may ever have existed; consequently the onlyearth in this end was that brought by floods. The other end of the cave is large, with an entrance of such size thatsmall print could easily be read 100 feet from the front if the broadfence across it were removed. This fence was made to close the caveagainst changes of temperature and also against marauders, it havingbeen used until lately as a storage room for fruit, potatoes, etc. During the Civil War it was worked for saltpeter. All the earth, downto the rock floor, was removed, even in crevices only wide enough fora man to squeeze through. An incline was built so that horses could bebrought into the cave, and no earth now remains within reach ofdaylight. The rock floor is almost as clean as if swept. Their exhaustive digging extended for about 200 yards from theentrance. The "face" of the earth is here about 15 feet high; for somereason, which could not be learned, the miners continued their workfrom here by means of a tunnel 4 or 5 feet high and wide, leaving afloor of earth, and a covering of the same nearly 6 feet thick. Thistunnel was not followed. Near the entrance a crevice barely wide enough for a man to walk inand in some places only 4 feet high turns off toward the left andholds practically the same size for about 100 yards. Here it becomeslarger and higher. Earth has been carried out of this and its narrowbranches wherever there is room to use a shovel. In a large chamber200 yards from the front, at the end of the crevice, much digging wasdone; the "face" left is 13 or 14 feet high. As far as the diggers went, there is nothing left to explore. Beyondthat it is not probable any remains can be found, as it is totallydark long before any remaining earth is reached. FRANKLIN COUNTY Several caves were reported in the vicinity of Sewanee and Monteagle. They are objects of curiosity to students and summer residents whofrequently visit and make tours through them. They have thus acquireda fame much beyond what is justified by their real interest. They seemto be wet, or with contracted entrances and front chambers, ordifficult of access, and, so far as could be judged by thedescriptions given, none of them is worth examining. MARION COUNTY ACCOUNT'S CAVES. --There are two of these, both with high and largeopenings, on the right bank of the Tennessee, 2 miles above Shellmoundor Nickajack. One is in the face of the bluff, the entrance 50 feetabove the river bottom land. Huge rocks lie in front and over nearlyall the floor. Surface water flows in at the entrance and afterwinding its crooked way among the rocks sinks at a point 25 or 30 feetbelow the top of the débris in front of the entrance. This indicatesan open way to the river, so the bottom of the cave is probably downnearly or quite to the water level. The second cave is 100 yards above the first. A little stream, whosehead is in a valley, nearly a mile away, flows around the foot of thebluff and into the mouth of the cave. When the Tennessee rises toflood height the backwater comes into the bed of this stream throughthe cave before submerging the low ridge between it and the river. CALDWELL'S CAVE. --This is on the right bank of the Sequatchie River, amile above its junction with the Tennessee. It is said that formerly aman could walk into it easily for 20 or 30 feet and then crawl 50 or60 feet farther. This is probably an error of memory. By stooping onecan now go in about 10 feet from the edge of the roof, and with a polefeel where the floor and roof come together, nowhere more than 10 or12 feet beyond. It is said, also, that this accumulation results fromthrowing in earth to prevent foxes from having a den in the cave. Asmall hole might thus be closed, but it is too much to believe thatthe people now living around here would carry in many hundred cubicyards of earth for any such purpose. Human bones are reported unearthed near the surface; at least bones ofsome sort were found which the discoverers supposed were human. The entrance to the cave is more than 25 feet in width, and about 25feet above the flood plain of the Sequatchie, or only 15 feet aboveextreme high water. It is in the only exposure of rock for nearly halfa mile along the bluff. On either side of the opening the walls aresolid, down to the alluvial earth, but in front of the cavity onlydetritus can be seen from top to bottom. For this reason it isimprobable that any solid bottom could be found above the level of theriver. Much of the stone weathers out in small fragments, and theprocess of disintegration is going on continually, as shown by thefresh appearance of the sheltered fragments. How rapid or how regularit may have been in former time is impossible to guess, so thatexcavation, to be of any value, would have to begin at the bottom ofthe slope, with the knowledge that the original floor of the cave maybe still lower. NICKAJACK CAVE. --This is the largest and most widely known cave inTennessee. It is half a mile from and within plain sight of therailway station of Shellmound, 20 miles west of Chattanooga. Theentrance is fully 100 feet wide and 40 feet high; a short distancewithin the cave enlarges, a little farther it contracts somewhat. Daylight penetrates, in spite of curves and immense piles of débris, for more than 500 feet. It has been a resort from time out of mind;first, for Indians and pioneers, then for refugees, now for varioussocial gatherings. All the earth in sight has been worked for saltpeter, leached, andthrown aside. A vastly greater quantity than now remains has beenwashed out of the cave by Nickajack Creek, which always has someflowing water and in wet weather rises 5 or 6 feet. Long bridges arerequired where the highway and railroad cross it. It takes its name from the Nickajack Indians, who once dwelt here. Thefield in front is strewn with flint chips and other indications ofaboriginal settlement. There is nothing in the cave to dig for. The saltpeter miners movedall the earth they could reach, while the immense rocks and the creekmake any further excavations impossible. HAMILTON COUNTY There are many caves in the vicinity of Chattanooga, but all that werevisited possess some feature which makes examination appear useless. Most of them have small, inconvenient entrances; others are subject tooverflow or have running water in them. None could be heard of inwhich conditions were better. * * * ALABAMA LAUDERDALE COUNTY SMITHSONIA. --There is a noted cave at Smithsonia, near Cheatham'sFerry, 15 miles west of Florence. It was reported as suitable for adwelling, but at the entrance the roof is not more than 4 feet high, and a stream a foot deep reaches to the wall on either side. KEY'S CAVE. --On the Buck Key farm, 6 miles west of Florence, is a cavewhich may have afforded shelter to the earliest man in the region. There are two entrances or antechambers, separated by a solid rockpartition a few yards thick. One is partially filled with huge solidblocks, some of them several hundred cubic feet in size; the other hasin it and in front of it a mass of earth and loose rock whose crest isfully 20 feet above the highest part of the inside floor a few feetback from the front margin of the roof. From here an additionaldescent of 10 feet leads to the floor behind the first-mentionedentrance, and there is about the same descent to a nearly level floorin the cave a short distance beyond. The way is partially blocked bylarge rocks which, it is said, have fallen within a few years. Forthis reason persons in the neighborhood are afraid to venture in. There is a rumor that the corpse of a woman, coated with stalagmite, can be seen in this cave; also several bodies (sex apparentlyindeterminate) lying like spokes in a wheel, with heads at the center. No one could be persuaded to go in and point out the place where theylie. From its position, high in a bluff but easy to reach, not more thanone-fourth of a mile from the Tennessee River and the same distancefrom a clear creek, with a strip of bottom land between it and thestreams, this cave seems worthy of exploration. At least a month ofwork by several laborers would be required to clean away the fallenmaterial so that excavations would be practicable. COLYER'S CAVE. --This is about 5 miles west of Florence. It faces aravine that leads into the creek discharging near Key's Cave. Humanbones were found in it many years ago. The entrance is a round hole, through which one must creep a few yards, then by means of a pole orladder descend 6 feet. From here the cave is nearly level, withseveral branches. In some places the floor is solid rock; in otherparts it is covered with a thin layer of earth. The "human bones"consisted of one skeleton, lying on a rock floor, fully a fourth of amile from the mouth of the cave. COFFEE CAVE. --This cave, 4 miles west of Florence, is said to be "likethe Colyer cave, but smaller in every way. " It was not visited. SHOAL CREEK. --A cave is reported on Shoal Creek "3 or 4 miles aboveits mouth. " No one could be found who knew its location moredefinitely or was able to give a clear description of it. BLUEWATER CAVE. --Bluewater Creek comes in several miles above Lock No. 6 of the Mussel Shoals Canal. A cave is reported to be near its mouth, but the only caves anywhere in that vicinity, so far as anyone livingor working there knows, are a small hole a mile below on the canal, into which a man can crawl, and one some 3 miles up the creek, reachedby climbing down a sink hole in a field. The opening to the latterresults from fallen rock. COLBERT COUNTY NEWSOM SPRINGS. --Numerous caves, most of them small, are reported inthe county. The best known is at Newsom Springs, 8 miles south ofBarton, on the Southern Railway. It is locally known as the"three-story cave. " The lower "story" is a cave from which wateralways flows. The second "story" is directly above the first. The twohave no connection, unless far back in the hill. The floor of theupper cave is mostly rock. It is now fitted up by some people in theneighborhood as a camping place, where they spend a part of eachsummer. The third "story" is an excavation for a cellar under a houserecently erected. MURRELL'S CAVE. --Tradition has it that this cave was one of the hidingplaces of a famous desperado and horse thief whose gang operated overall this country in early days. The only entry is by means of a ladderin a narrow crevice 20 feet deep. The place may have been a refuge, but never a residence. It is one-fourth of a mile from Bear Creek, notfar above the mouth. Two other holes or crevices within a few hundred yards, difficult tocrawl through, reach small caves. Possibly all these are connected. BAT CAVE. --One-fourth of a mile from Murrell's Cave is a small cavern, the roof not more than 4 feet above the floor. It has been inhabitedfrom time immemorial by myriads of bats. Several tons of guano havebeen taken out for fertilizing purposes, but no evidence has beendiscovered that it was ever a habitation for humans. PRIDE'S CAVE. --In the river bluff a mile from Pride Station is a cavein which a fisherman has made his home for several years. There is arather thin deposit of earth on the floor which may have recentlyaccumulated. CHEATHAM'S FERRY. --Near the landing some boys, while hunting a fewyears ago, discovered a stone wall across the mouth of a small cave. Tearing it away, they found within some human bones, flints, pipes, including one "with a lot of stem holes, " and fragments of pottery. All these were on top of the earth or only a few inches below it. Various excavators or relic hunters have failed to find anything more. The cavity is quite small and difficult to reach, and is undoubtedly aburial place for modern Indians. On both sides of the river here are immense shell heaps. The shell ismingled with earth near the top, but below 2 or 3 feet the mass is ofclean shell to a depth, as exposed by the river, of at least 10 feet. The bottom of the deposit is not visible, being concealed by mud piledagainst it in high water. The old ferryman says it is 20 feet deep. Although the shell piles are built up higher than the bottom lands tothe rear or on either side, they are submerged several feet in greatfreshets. It is impossible to explain this fact otherwise than by theassumption that the bed of the river has been elevated in recenttimes, although there are no other indications apparent that such isthe case. SHEFFIELDS. --In the river bluff 2 miles above the Sheffield end of therailway bridge is a crevice or joint which has been widened to 10 feetat the outlet by water percolating from the top of the bluff. Whendiscovered, a rock wall was piled across it near the entrance. Behindthis human bones were found with "pieces of pottery and other things. "They were close to the surface. Subsequent explorations have revealednothing below them. It is plainly a burial cave for Indians. The rivernow reaches at flood tide to within 10 feet of the floor. The earthcovering the bones may have washed over them, as there is someevidence farther back in the crevice that surface material is stillcarried in from the rear, in very small amounts, during rainy seasons. ROCK SHELTERS. --Several very large rock houses exist on the southernslope of the hill or "mountain" lying a mile to 2 miles south ofPride, 7 miles west of Tuscumbia. Water drips from the roofs, keepingthe floors wet all the year and collecting in pools to which stockresorts when the little creeks or brooks in the ravines become dry. It is useless to search in this part of Alabama for caves presentingindications that they may have been habitable, or the reverse, in agespast. The native rock is a cherty or flinty limestone, crumblingeasily, and readily susceptible to changes from atmosphericinfluences, and especially so to the action of water. New subterraneanchannels are continually developing, with consequent changes in theinterior of any cavern near them. JACKSON COUNTY ISBOLL CAVES. --It was reported that habitable caves with spaciousrooms occur on the Isboll farms, near Limrock. They have entrancesand front chambers of ample size to move about in, though not morethan 15 feet wide. There are broader expansions back some distancebeyond daylight. In both caves rocks up to 15 or 20 tons in weightstrew the floor, until only narrow passageways exist between them. Inaddition, water flows from them in rainy seasons, being frequently 2feet or more in depth. BLOWING CAVE. --This takes its name from an outward current of cold airwhich is so strong as to distinctly modify the temperature of theatmosphere at least 100 yards from the entrance. The opening and thefront chamber are nearly 40 feet across, but the distance from theroof to the muddy floor strewn with large rocks is not more than 5feet at any point. A creek flows across the cave 200 or 300 yards fromthe mouth, and there is evidence in the way of drift and mud to provethe statement by the owner that after very heavy rains the overflowcomes out the front of the cave in such amount as to fill it to theceiling, and with a velocity that will roll stones larger than a mancan lift. CULVER'S CAVE. --This is somewhere on the side of a mountain about 4miles from the station of Limrock. Owing to destruction of forests andsubsequent growth of brush, the guide was unable to locate it. Hedescribed it as a room in which a man could walk about and reached bygoing in through an opening like a sink hole, which, however, is onlyabout 5 feet deep. The locality, a rugged, barren hillside, near thehead of a cove, is not one in which it is probable a cave would beused for any purpose. HARRISON'S CAVE. --This is 2½ miles west of Limrock. It has a large, high opening, an easy approach, and is quite accessible, being at thefoot of a mountain with level bottom land in front. A stream flowsdirectly across it some 30 feet from the entrance, emerging at thefoot of one wall and disappearing under the other. The earth bank oneach side of the stream is about 5 feet high, indicating at least thatdepth of deposit on the rock floor; as the latter is not visible theamount may be much greater. This earth is soft and wet. In rainyweather water from the interior flows along the floor into the littlestream. Sometimes this can not dispose of the surplus, and theoverflow rises until it makes its exit through the mouth of the cave. When this happens all the earth within is covered from 2 to 5 feetdeep. SALTPETER CAVE. --This lies 4 miles south of the railway, betweenLimrock and Larkinsville. It is described as being dry, with a large, high entrance, and "plenty of room inside right at the front. " But itwas thoroughly worked during the war by saltpeter miners who took outall the dirt they could easily reach, going back "200 or 300 yards. "For this reason it was not visited. DEKALB COUNTY FORT PAYNE CAVE. --A mile south of Fort Payne is a cave in LookoutMountain, which, a "boom" company some years ago converted into asummer resort. The detritus in front of the entrance was leveled off, steps constructed to the top, and a heavy stone wall built across themouth, leaving an entrance a little less than 7 feet in width whichwas closed by gates. Inside the barrier the floor, now made tolerablylevel, extends about 30 feet toward the rear, to the natural rockwall, and is 50 feet from side to side, with a roof from 6 to 15 feethigh. In the wall at the rear are two small openings through whichexplorers can pass to large chambers farther within. To the right ofthe front chamber is a branch cave which is high and wide at thebeginning but soon becomes impassable from the accumulated rocks andearth rising to the roof. The left side of the front chamber iscontinued in another branch going directly back into the mountain. Theroof and floor have an equal slope downward to a point some rods fromthe beginning, the clear space between them being not more than 4feet. Beyond here the roof is high and there are some largeexpansions. A creek flows from the rear of the cave to a pointestimated as 200 yards from the doorway, where it sinks into theearth. The noise of its fall is distinct throughout the front part ofthe cavern. There is considerable drip, and though dry stalactites andstalagmites occur in some places, over most of the front chamber theirformation is still in progress. Outside of the doorway the solid rockwalls show on each side, nowhere less than 25 feet apart. At a depthof 30 feet water flows from the rock and earth between these sidewalls, but there is no sign of solid bottom, so the depth of the caveis probably more than 30 feet below the present floor. Under existing conditions the cave would form an excellent shelter, being accessible, roomy, and with an abundant supply of fresh water. The drip from the ceiling could be avoided. But it does not followthat such was the case in the remote past. It is apparent that at onetime the creek had its outlet through the mouth and down the gorge infront, the right branch of the cave being then open. From some cause, probably the formation of a sink hole above, water from the surface ornear the surface found a way through this branch, carrying mud androcks sufficient to fill the front chamber to its present floor, diverting the flow of the stream, and finally filling the cave throughwhich it came. While the creek was flowing, occupation would beimpossible, or at least inconvenient. When the mud began to settle in, the front portion would be shut off. This condition would hold untilthe stream found its new outlet and the branch cave had becomeentirely filled; and when these processes were completed the floor ofthe cave would be practically at its present level. Under thecircumstances exploration would probably, almost certainly, befruitless. The company which owns the cave would also wish it restoredto something like its present state. ELLIS CAVE. --On the estate of Dr. Ellis, 19 miles north of Fort Payneand 3 miles from Sulphur Springs, are two caves known locally asBig-mouth and Little-mouth. The smaller is closed by a locked gate. The larger has a rather imposing appearance from the outside. From aledge of rock, in place, in front of it, one looks down a steep slopein which rocks up to 40 or 50 tons weight are imbedded. At a verticaldepth of 30 feet is a level space not more than 8 or 10 square yardsin area. From this a narrow crevice goes to the right. Within a fewyards it reaches a hole which can be descended only by means of a ropeor ladder. Persons have, however, gone several hundred yards in it. On the left of the level space and bounded on each side by solid rockwalls is a pit 10 feet deep, caused by inflowing storm waters whichhave created this depression in seeking a small outlet, also towardthe left. The height from the bottom of this sink to the roof of thecave is nearly 50 feet. Crossing this pit on a foot log, which rests on loose rock and earthat its farther end, a crevice varying from 6 to 10 feet wide goesinward for 50 feet. Earth covers the loose rock at the level of thefoot log almost at once, and this earth has a steep ascent toward therear. The crevice widens beyond the distance mentioned, thoughirregularly, being in some places 25 feet from side to side. So far asprogress is concerned, the cave terminates 150 feet from the doorwayin a blank wall. It may be that if the earth were out of the wayfurther progress would be possible. Considerable digging has been done for saltpeter, but except near thefront it has been only superficial. The top of the earth at the extreme rear of the cave is almost orquite as high as the roof at the front, which means that, if thebottom should be level, the thickness of this accumulated deposit isnot less than 35 feet. As the dip is toward the rear and quite sharp, about 10 or 12 degrees, the earth here may well be much thicker thanindicated. Excavation would be tedious and costly, as it would be impossible todispose of the dirt except by blasting a deep trench through the rockin front to make room for wheeling it out. KILLIAN CAVES. --There are two of these, both on the west slope ofLookout Mountain. One is near Brandon, 6 miles south of Fort Payne. The entrance is a large sink hole on the side of the mountain, descentinto which is difficult owing to the steepness and large rocks. At thebottom the water which flows in over the muddy floor from the slopeabove--several acres in extent--rushes into a hole choked with loosestones and disappears. The second cave is about 3 miles northeast of Collinsville. Débrisfrom the mountain has formed a wall across the entrance, which isnaturally wide and high and opening out on a little flat in front. Some digging has been done for saltpeter at the front part of thecave, reaching about 30 feet back from the inner foot of theaccumulation. In the pit thus formed water stands after every rainuntil it soaks away. Where it ends the "face" is about 5 feet high. Ontop, farther in, there is much travertine or stalagmite; in someplaces it extends entirely across the floor. In other places the flooris bare. There is constant drip, and in one room there is a littlegully, where surface water in wet weather, entering from a smallbranch cave on one side, has cut an exit through the earth at the footof the wall on the other side. The hole in which it disappears extendsbeyond the rays of a lamp, and a stone thrown in goes down a slopeseveral feet in length. Very little working is needed to reduce any ofthe earth to soft, slippery mud, hence no excavation was possible. MARSHALL COUNTY FEARIN CAVE. --This is in a bluff on the right bank of the TennesseeRiver, 10 miles below Guntersville. It has three divisions. Shortlyafter passing the spacious entrance a branch turns to the right. In afew feet a wall is reached which can be scaled only with a ladder. Climbing this, a large chamber is reached, totally dark, and the homeof innumerable bats whose "guano" covers the floor and fills the airwith a stifling odor. This branch comes to light again more than amile away on the side of the mountain. Returning to the lower chamber and going back about 100 feet from themain entrance, a wall similar to the first is reached, above which isanother large cave. Bats never inhabit this, and the floor is of loosedry earth. But no ray of daylight penetrates it, and as a great amountof saltpeter was made here during the War of 1812 scarcely any of theearth retains its original position. During the Civil War the floor ofthe lower or main cave was also dug up for making saltpeter and muchof the leached earth piled in front of the cave. This acts as a damagainst encroachment of the river except in the highest floods. Thereseems, however, to be a passage between the cavern and a spring underthe river bank, for water appears on the floor as soon as it reachesthe same height outside and the two surfaces maintain a constant leveluntil the freshet subsides. On account of these facts no excavationswere made. HARDIN'S CAVE. --Nine miles below Guntersville, on the right bank ofthe Tennessee, is a ferry known as Honey Landing. It is at the lowerend of a steep bluff which forms the river front of a high hill ormountain, as such elevations are called here. A few feet abovehigh-water mark a narrow ledge or shelf projects, which can be reachedonly from a point on the side of the hill just above the ferry. About100 yards from here the ledge reaches a cave, which has a high andwide entrance, with ample space for several families to live on afairly level, well lighted floor. If the cave were dry, it would be anideal primitive home. But water continually seeps down the hill aboveand falls over the roof at the entrance, while a gully through thecave and several minor washes, as well as the mud spread over thefloor, show that a large amount of water flows through the cave in wetseasons and covers all the floor except an area some 15 feet indiameter. This is dry on top, but would be muddy at a depth of 3 or 4feet, the level of the bottom of the gully, so no exploration wasattempted. WELBURN'S CAVE. --Six miles northeast of Guntersville is a cave inwhich many human bones have been found. It is only a burial place andcould never have been used as a dwelling. The entrance, barely largeenough to crawl into, is at one side of the bottom of a large sinkhole due to the falling in of a cave roof. It receives all therainfall of more than an acre and is nearly choked with mud anddriftwood. It may have been somewhat larger at one time, as there is atradition that a deer was chased through the cave, coming out atBailey's Cave, a mile away. Within a few rods the water sinks into theearth, and the floor of the cave, rising beyond this point, is dry. Itwas on this dry earth, not in it, that the skeletons were found. Thefloor is uneven, at some places permitting a man to stand, and atothers rising to within 3 feet of the roof. Explorations can not bemade, as there is no method of disposing of the removed earth. BAILEY'S CAVE. --This cave is 7 miles northeast of Guntersville. Theentrance is high and wide and there is a large, well-lighted areawithin; but the cave is flooded every time Town Creek gets out of itsbanks. Bailey's Cave is the other end of Welburn's Cave, as personshave gone through the hill from one to the other. BARNARD CAVE. --This cave, which is also called Alford's and is stillmore commonly known as Saltpeter Cave, is on the left bank of theTennessee 10 miles below Guntersville and opposite the Fearinproperty. The entrance is at the foot of a bluff overlooking a stripof bottom land a fourth of a mile wide, but the opening is above anyflood that has occurred since the country was settled. At the foot ofthe slope is a bayou filled with Tupelo gums. Between this and theriver the ground can be cultivated. The cave is so straight and the walls so smooth as to look like anartificial tunnel. The entrance is in plain view from a point 380feet back, and the change of direction, even at that distance, is veryslight. The saltpeter miners started at the entrance and removed allthe earth lying from 3 to 6 feet higher than the present floor, whichis nearly level. They carried their work along the surface of astratum of gravel, sand, and clay, which is so compact as to bedifficult to remove with a pick, and seems to belong to the streamwhich carved out the cavern. The "face" where they quit work is 5 feethigh, and the earth is quite dry, breaking down in angular fragmentsand separating from the walls so freely as to leave no residue onthem. Its original depth at any point, however, may be very easilyascertained by noting the different tints or shading of the wall rock, the lower part, which was protected by earth, being distinctly lighterin color than that above, which was exposed to atmospheric weatheringand, for a time, to the smoky torches and candles of the workmen. The distinct lamination of the saltpeter earth, as shown in the"face, " proves it to have been laid down slowly and intermittently instill water. It could not be determined whether this was due to theriver in flood periods, or to a gentle stream from the interior whosevolume varied in accordance with weather conditions. There is also asmall channel along the top of the earth, filled with gravel and sand, as if the overflow of a stream far back in the mountain had beendiverted in this direction after the laminated deposits had become dryand settled. The walls are 10 feet apart near the entrance, but are not more than 8feet elsewhere and in some places the width narrows to less than 3feet. They also have an inward slope at the bottom, so the cave iseither shallow or else so narrow at no great depth as to beuninhabitable. This fact, and the character of the material depositedby the ancient drainage stream, make it hopeless to expect result fromexploration. MCDERMENT'S CAVES. --There are two caves 100 yards apart, in Brown'sValley, 11 miles southwest from Guntersville. The larger has a descentof 21 feet from the front to the general level of the first floor. Allthis part is well lighted. The drainage from several acres of themountain side above pours over the roof at the entrance and runs downthe inner slope. It has worn a gully, and the first level it reachesis quite muddy. Leaves and trash 3 or 4 inches deep are piled on andagainst the loose stones toward the side where the water seeks anoutlet. It has worn a crooked channel along this side of the chamber, and falls into a hole which at a depth of 10 or 11 feet below thefloor makes a turn and passes from sight. So it is certain that softwet clay extends more than 30 feet below the level of the entrance. The drier deposits of this room have been extensively worked forsaltpeter, and a much greater quantity of earth would have beenremoved but for the fact that masses of stalagmite, too thick to breakoff with a sledge hammer, and scores of columns, some of them 6 or 8feet in diameter and many tons in weight, cover a considerable part ofit. The first room is succeeded by several others, all of which aredry and of large size, but in total darkness, and the floors in allhave been more or less disturbed in the search for niter. The generaldirection of the bottom is downward. The last floor is probably 50 or60 feet lower than the entrance, and is reached by a slope on which itis difficult to retain a footing. In nearly every part the earth iscovered by stalagmite, much of it so heavy that the miners could notremove it, but were compelled to dig under it as far as they couldreach; and in no place is a rock floor to be seen. The thickness of stalagmite on the floor, and the great size of thecolumns, is proof of their antiquity, while the depth of earth beneathmust have been thousands of years in accumulating before the depositsbegan to cover them. Excavations here, while quite desirable, would be very expensive. Muchstalagmite would have to be blasted; upward of a thousand yards ofearth moved, and all of it taken out of the cave, because there is noroom for it inside. As a man can not push a wheelbarrow up such anincline, a trench must be cut through to the exterior slope; and assolid rock lies not more than 5 feet below the surface at any point, blasting would be necessary the rest of the way. The task is equal toopening a stone quarry. The second cave on McDerment's place has a good opening. A trench 4feet wide and 6 feet deep where the rock is thickest has been blastedout to make a level approach to the entrance. Masses of stalagmite oneach side, sloping like solid rock from the walls, leave barely roomfor a man to walk for the first 30 feet. Here the walls recedesomewhat, and a pit nearly 15 feet deep yawns before the explorer. After continuing for some distance with this depth, there is anotherdrop of 10 feet which holds until the end of the cave is reached. Thisentire depression is due to the removal of earth for making saltpeter. It is evident that a vast amount of material has been carried out. As in the first cave, excavation would be very difficult andexpensive. All rock and earth would have to be carried up a steepgrade, or a deep cut made to wheel it out. As the light is very dim atthe first widening of the walls, it is not probable the space fartherback would be occupied unless as a refuge. Both caves were eroded by water running _into_ the hill, and the endof each is abrupt, the roof being higher and the walls farther apartthan at any point nearer the entrance. The original outlets are nowfilled with earth, and apparently have been so for ages. FORT DEPOSIT CAVE. --Six miles below Guntersville the highway toHuntsville crosses the Tennessee River at Fort Deposit Ferry andpasses out through a narrow valley between two bluffs. Less than 100yards above the landing, on the north, or right, bank, is a large cavefrom which the spot takes its name; there being a tradition that itwas used by General Jackson as a storage room for supplies during theCreek Indian war. On either side the bluff is vertical to the water'sedge, making the cave now inaccessible except by boat. In front of theentrance the rock is worn in ledges which can be easily ascended. The opening or mouth of the cave is oval in form, about 18 feet highand 15 feet wide. The sides are uneven, there being a projecting shelfon each side near the floor. At 40 feet from the opening thesedisappear, owing to the narrowing of the cavern. There is a gradualascent of the floor toward the rear, the rise being about 2 feet inthe first 60 and more rapid from that point onward. A thin deposit ofdried mud on each side, where it escapes the feet of visitors, showsthat the river enters the cave at times, but not to a depth thatcarries it back more than 25 feet. The present ferryman says the floodof 1867 is the only one which has reached so far within that period. After clearing away the earth, roots, and rocks at the front, astraight vertical face at a distance of 18 feet from the entrancemeasured 9½ feet at top and 5 feet at the bottom between the solidrock wall on each side, and was 4 feet 4 inches high. The floor wasnot of solid rock entirely across, there being a crevice less than 4feet wide which was not cleaned out, because no one could have livedin it. About the middle of this bank (vertically) streaks of redearth, burned elsewhere, extended 3½ feet out from the right wall;there was very little ashes and no charcoal mixed with it. Above thisred the earth was dark like garden soil and contained a few shells andfragments of pottery, with a little charcoal and ashes; it had allbeen disturbed and apparently resulted from scraping the débris awayfrom camp fires. Below this, the line of demarcation being verydistinct, the earth was yellow and sandy, like river bottom land, andcontained no foreign matter except roots of trees growing outside. Figure 23 shows a section on this line; the crevice is omitted fromthis and the subsequent illustrations. At 20 feet in, a foot below the top of the dark earth, was somecharred corn. The yellow earth became irregular, thinner, and higheragainst the side walls than at the center. (See fig. 24. ) At 22 feet the yellow earth had nearly run out, there being only asmall amount against either wall, while the darker earth reached downinto the crevice that opened in the narrow strip of rock floor. Inthe lower portion were mingled a few shells, pebbles, and specks ofcharcoal, as if it had been thrown there. Across the upper portion ofthe deposit extended fire beds, burned earth, ashes, shells, brokenpottery, and occasionally a fragment of bone. (See fig. 25. ) [Illustration: FIG. 23. --Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 18 feet. ] At 24 feet it was found that what had been taken for a solid floor inthe last section represented was only a large flat rock which hadfallen into the crevice and wedged tightly. When this was passed theyellow earth reappeared, at a slightly lower level. [Illustration: FIG. 24. --Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 20 feet. ] [Illustration: FIG. 25. --Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 22 feet. ] At 26 feet the yellow earth became mixed with red. It was excavated toa depth of 5 feet in the endeavor to discover the reason for this. Asthere was not the slightest trace of ashes or charcoal, the redadmixture must be a natural result of staining by iron in some formand not due to heat. Above the yellow was the usual stratum of darkearth, containing culinary débris. In the central portion of this wasa mass, sufficient to fill a wheelbarrow, of angular, unburntfragments of limestone from 3 to 15 pounds in weight. On the surfaceof the dark earth were some ten or twelve fire beds, reaching fromwall to wall, the edges overlapping and interlacing in so confusing amanner that the exact number could not be made out. (See fig. 26. ) Atthis stage it appeared that the crevice, or at least its upper part, had been filled by river floods and a slight ridge of sand thrownacross the mouth of the cave. The Indians, it seems, occupied boththis ridge and the lower area behind it, throwing débris to the rearto fill up the depression instead of carrying it all to the outside. It is equally possible, however, that this waste was brought frompoints farther back and thrown here to fill and level the floor. Theseheavy fire beds came to an end at about 28 feet on the right and 29feet on the left. A section at 28 feet is given in figure 27. At theirinner margin, among the ordinary refuse characteristic of suchdeposits, were many fragments of human bones, including ulnas of twoindividuals, one much larger than the other. They plainly indicatedcannibalism, as they were broken when thrown here. Besides the ulnas, there are pieces of ribs, scapula, tibia, and feet. [Illustration: FIG. 26. --Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 26 feet. ] At 29 feet the underlying yellow earth became comparatively levelacross its upper surface, again closely resembling a river deposit. The darker earth above it contained a greater amount than heretoforeof ashes, bones in small pieces, potsherds, mussel, snail, andperiwinkle shells, and the like. More charred corn was found alonghere. [Illustration: FIG. 27. --Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 28 feet. ] At 30 feet the yellow earth began to rise, and at 32 feet it was verylittle more than 3 feet lower than the top of the highest ashes. Asection at this point is shown in figure 28. At 35 feet the stratabecame quite regular and uniform from wall to wall. The dark earth, next above the yellow, measured 3 feet in thickness at the center, andwhile showing by its admixture of ashes, etc. , that it had been thrownhere, had evidently formed the floor for a considerable time. Theupper foot was burned red or dark from long-continued fires, the ashesabove it being from 6 to 8 inches thick, and forming the present floorof the cave at this place. The dark earth contained much less ofrefuse than nearer the entrance; such shells and ashes as appearedwere promiscuously distributed and not in little piles or masses asbefore. A section at 35½ feet appears in figure 29. It may be remarkedhere that this is the only sketch in which the upper line coincideswith the surface of the deposits. In the others a thin covering, lessthan 6 inches at any point, of disintegrated material from walls androof covers the ashes left by aboriginal fires. This is omitted fromthe drawings. [Illustration: FIG. 28. --Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 30 feet. ] At 38 feet the yellow earth had risen until it was within 3 feet ofthe top of the entire overlying deposit. The latter contained littleof the dark earth, being mostly composed of ashes and burned earth, some of which resulted from fires made on the spot, but the greaterpart being thrown from other points. The rise of the yellow earth, consequently, is more rapid than the rise of the material covering it. [Illustration: FIG. 29. --Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 35½ feet. ] At 40 feet there was a dip in the yellow earth, extending for 4 or 5feet and descending 2 feet at the deepest point. This may be due todrainage at a lower level. At 47½ feet a pocket of the dark earth extended a few inches into theunderlying yellow earth. A hole seems to have been dug into thelatter. There was no more of foreign material in this hole thanelsewhere in the dark earth above and around it. It is shown in figure30. [Illustration: FIG. 30. --Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 47½ feet. ] The amount of shells, pottery, etc. , had been decreasing for severalfeet before this point was reached; indeed, from 40 feet onward therewas very little of it--enough, however, to show that all the darkearth had been disturbed and thoroughly mixed. The fire beds, too, while holding their depth of about a foot, contained more earthbetween the successive layers of ashes, showing as great age, probably, as those nearer the entrance, but less continuousoccupation. This condition prevailed to about 60 feet from theentrance, at which point the yellow earth, now mixed with sand andgravel, was only 3 feet below the surface of the floor. The appearanceof this line is sketched in figure 31. [Illustration: FIG. 31. --Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 60 feet. ] At 62 feet there was a dip in the yellow earth, extending to 67 feetand 2 feet deep at its lowest point; it then rose to the usual level. At 70 feet ashes appeared in greater quantities; at 73 feet the darkearth was only a foot thick, the ashes and burned earth being 2 feetthick and apparently all dumped, as there was no definite arrangementof the various parts. (See fig. 32. ) A small perforated disk and adouble-pointed bone needle were found here. The fire beds now began to thin out rapidly, the dark earth alsodiminishing in quantity, until at 80 feet, from which point theentrance was no longer visible owing to curvature of the walls, therewas only 5 or 6 inches of them in all, resting directly on the yellowearth, which contained much more clay than farther toward the front. The walls began to diverge here, forming a room whose greatest widthwas 11 feet 6 inches at 95 feet. At 100 feet a reverse curve broughtthe cavern on a course parallel to that which it had held up to 60feet. [Illustration: FIG. 32. --Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 70 feet. ] At 90 feet there was evidence of fire at one side, the ashes andburned earth being 5 inches thick at the wall, and thinning out to afeather edge within 4 feet. This was the last fireplace discoveredwhich may not with certainty be attributed to white men. The yellowearth, presenting no evidence of having been disturbed sinceoriginally deposited, reached from the superficial layer of loose dryearth to the bottom of the trench, a depth of 4 feet 8 inches. Belowthis point the walls were less than 4 feet apart, and the space filledwith gravel, as shown in figure 33. This gravel had exactly theappearance of that in gullies on the hills outside, and plainly datesback to the period at which the cave was formed. The stream whichaided in the erosion, or which flowed through from some sink hole orother outside opening, carried this gravel into the crevice. Consequently, even if the space between the walls had been ample fordwelling purposes, an attempt to live here when the gravel was beingcarried in would result in the intending settler having his effectswashed out into the river. [Illustration: FIG. 33. --Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 90 feet. ] At 93 feet the side walls confining the yellow clay narrowed to alittle less than 5 feet apart. The upper portion of the one to theleft has been eroded into a recess or cavity, forming the chamberabove mentioned. The earth on the rock floor in this recess isnowhere more than a foot deep. A section is presented in figure 34. At 100 feet the room came to an end. The space between the walls was7½ feet at the floor level and 4 feet at a depth of 4 feet. At 105feet the nearly vertical walls were only 5 feet apart on the floor; at112 feet the space increased to 7 feet. A section showed about a footof loose earth mixed with ashes; 3 feet of yellow clayey earth, rathercompact; then gravel and sand. The latter was dug into for a foot, atwhich level the walls were converging and it was useless to go anydeeper. Enough was done, however, to verify the supposition that thisstratum was due to the action of running water seeking its outlet atthe mouth of the cave. At 103 feet, at the bottom of the yellow clay and on top of thegravel, was a chalcedony pebble about 2½ inches in diameter. Thematerial is foreign to this locality. It had plainly been used as ahammer stone, and is the only object of human origin found anywherebelow the dark earth. There was not the slightest evidence of anydisturbance of the clay in which it rested. [Illustration: FIG. 34. --Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 93 feet. ] At 120 feet the side walls were only 5 feet apart. At 125 feet theyagain diverged slightly, and a recess on the left forms a chamber 12feet across. At 150 feet they had drawn in to 8 feet at the widestinterval. A section showed loose dry earth, some of it cemented bydrip from the roof until about as hard as lump chalk; then compactclayey earth, also with travertine in small lumps; below this thegravel and sand. The latter, at this point, seems to have beendeposited in the last stages of the formation of the cave. Occasionally, along here, a small patch appeared that seemed to beashes; but none of it was more than 6 inches below the top of theground, and the substance may not have been ashes at all, but the finewhite limestone dust that wears off from the stone. There was nothingin the trench, at any depth, after the chalcedony pebble, that couldpossibly be due to human intervention, except these small patches ofashes, if ashes they are. At 165 feet from the entrance the cave made its fourth turn andexpanded into a chamber about 15 feet wide. Along the sides of thisand in the various crevices opening from it were great quantities ofclean ashes, plainly enough thrown there from fires made in thecentral part. The gravel came to within 3 to 5 feet of the top, beingquite irregular. On the gravel was dry clay, seamed and fissured inall directions so that it fell out under the pick in clods likeangular pebbles from an inch to 3 or 4 inches across. This was clearlythe result of muddy water settling in a hole and thoroughlyevaporating. There was also some travertine in small lumps here andthere through the clay, and above it was a mass fully 2 feet thick atone side of the trench but running out before it reached the otherside. It was porous, almost spongy, and seemed to be the lime dustfrom the roof and sides cemented by dripping water. Above all this, sofar as the trench extended toward the sides of the cave, was an inchto 4 inches of loose, dry, dark earth, which on the left dipped downto the clay, thus replacing the travertine. [Illustration: FIG. 35. --Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 175 feet. ] [Illustration: FIG. 36. --Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 180 feet. ] At 175 feet the gravel had leveled down and was more or less mixedwith clay and sand. Above this was another "mudhole deposit" of claywhich had thoroughly dried out and become checked and cracked in alldirections. On the right this was covered with travertine slightlymixed with earth and clay; on the left, above it and also at one placewithin it, was a coarse gritty earth fallen from the roof but notconverted into a compact travertine. The section appears in figure 35. At 180 feet the trench was carried to a depth of 6 feet. This exposeda fine clay and sand, or silt, like that deposited in the eddies ofstreams. Above this was another deposit of "mudhole" material whichhad thoroughly dried out, checked and cracked in all directions sothat it formed angular masses of various sizes, and had then becomewet again so that it was now soft and sticky. To the left of this, onthe silt also, was a small amount of the gravel. It had the appearancecommon to a bank of such material on the side of a little stream whichhas undermined and carried away part of it. Clearly, these threeformations were of an age that witnessed the erosion of the cave. Nextabove them was a stratum of loose dark earth similar to that noticedin the front part of the cavern; but here were found no traceswhatever of man's presence. Into the right side of this stratumprojected the wedge-like edge of a mass of travertine, which was nottraced to a termination. Over all lay a deposit 3 or 4 inches thick ofdark, nearly black earth, mixed with ashes. This is quite modern. Thesection appears in figure 36. During the Civil War the cave was continuously resorted to bydeserters, refugees, moonshiners, fugitives, and "food for powder, dodging the conscript. " All these sought shelter in this chamber andbehind it, in order that their fires might not be visible from theriver. The piles of ashes in the crevices and corners were thrownthere by these hiders-out, to get them out of the way. Similar butsmaller piles of ashes are to be seen all along as far as the spring, 200 yards from the entrance. The presence of pottery of a type common to this region in fields andshell heaps, and of maize, denotes that all the fire beds, etc. , arethe results of habitation by the modern Indian. Where these ceasednothing else was found. In or below the yellow earth, clay, or gravel, nothing can be found; for until these were laid down and the stream ofthe cave had sought another outlet, there was no dry place in which tolive. It may be worth recording that a dead mulberry tree stood about 20feet in front of the entrance to the cave. Under it was a narrowcrevice filled with earth, but all around it was bare rock. A root, larger than the tree, grew into the cave and followed along one sidewall as if fastened there for a distance of some 60 feet. Here theearth floor of the cave came high enough to cover it. This root wasexposed for 160 feet in the trench, or 180 feet from the tree; at thispoint it was 3 inches in diameter and turned aside into a crevice. Asthe root could not have grown in the open air, it furnished proof thatmuch deposited material has been carried out of the front portion ofthe cavern and away from the ledge since this tree was a sprout. III. EXPLORATIONS ALONG THE MISSOURI RIVER BLUFFS IN KANSAS ANDNEBRASKA VICINITY OF WHITE CLOUD, KANSAS About 4 miles southeast of White Cloud, Kansas, is the "Taylor Mound, "from which Mark E. Zimmerman and William Park took 56 skeletons, orportions of skeletons, in a space not more than 6 by 20 feet. This wasclearly an intrusive communal burial of skeletons carried from someother point and interred in the mound which owed its origin to personswho had piled it up at some previous time. The bones, which were notarranged in any order, were 30 inches beneath the present surface ofthe mound, but this does not mean they were no deeper originally, asthe mound has been plowed for many years and is in a situation whereit will easily wear down when cultivated. A few feet away, at a depth of 7 feet, other bones, or fragments ofbones, were found in a mass of burned clay. A cremation had takenplace at some point away from the mound, and the resultant burnedearth, with so much of the bone matter as was not destroyed by thefire, was carried here and buried. The depth in this instance is notsignificant; the earth is loose and very easily dug; besides, thegrave pit was near the margin of the mound and earth had washed downover it from above. Some stones, carried from neighboring ravines, have been exposed bythe wear due to erosion from natural causes and from cultivation. Themain portion of the structure is still intact, and it is probable thatno deposits belonging to it at the time of its construction have beenunearthed. A systematic exploration, showing the original constructionas well as the alterations resulting from later burials, is much to bedesired. While this is the largest mound in the vicinity, and is claimed to bethe largest mound in Kansas, it is not different except in size frommany others within a few miles. All of them are made of the same earthas that which lies around them--a light, sandy loess which is easilyremoved with a shovel, requiring no picking or other loosening. Infact, it is almost as easy to dig as loose sand would be. Sometimesthere are flat limestones in or around the graves; similar slabs arefound not far away in the ravines. Not far from this mound is a large lodge site, one of the so-called"buffalo wallows" as they are commonly known. These are the ruins ofaboriginal houses. The general construction is the same, the onlypractical difference being that some are square in outline, othersround. This difference is not always apparent prior to the excavation. In the making, a pit was dug, square or round as desired, and theearth thrown out on every side. Posts were then set around the marginof the excavation, and the house built in the same manner as thosewith which we are familiar from accounts of early travelers. Many ofthem have been examined by Zimmerman and Park, who found masses ofhard-burned earth in which are cavities and depressions due to theburning of straw, grass, twigs, and poles, used in the construction ofthe houses. This results from the destruction of the houses by fire. Sometimes the floor has a layer of this burned material which isevidently due to the falling in of the roof. Most of these are on thehilltops, but some of them are on narrow ridges leading from the highland to the creek or river bottoms. In the latter event there isalways a village site on the low ground bordering the stream. Therelics gathered up on these village sites are in no wise differentfrom those found when the lodge sites are excavated; and also are ofthe same character as those picked up on what are no doubt modernvillage sites in the vicinity. This fact militates against the ideathat the lodge sites are extremely ancient. IOWA POINT On a low hill, cut off on every side by steep ravines, is a smallmound containing a cist grave. The bottom of this, which was dugslightly below the natural surface, was covered with a pavement oflimestone slabs. The grave was roughly oval or triangular in outline, measuring about 7 by 9 feet. Around it was a wall of similar stones, set in contact and sloping outward at an angle of about 40 degreesfrom the vertical. There was nothing whatever in this grave. At the edge of the mound was a box grave 5½ by 2½ by 2½ feet, thelonger axis on a radial line. It was made of small flat stones builtup like a wall, the only grave of which I could learn that had anyresemblance to the vault graves farther down the Missouri. In thegrave were two skulls and some other bones, all bunched in thenorthern end. NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE NEMAHA RIVER Lewis and Clark, in their journal, mention that when camped near themouth of the Nemaha, one or both of them went to an Indian villageabout 2 miles up the stream. He, or they, climbed a low ridge near theriver and stood on a mound which commanded a fine view of thesurrounding country. There is a dispute as to the site of this mound;but the journal plainly says it was on the lower (east) side of alittle creek which comes in here. Two miles farther up is a largermound on higher ground which is generally supposed to be the one meantby the explorer; but this is on the other side of the creek and atsome distance from the Pawnee village which was located near the mouthof the creek, on the lower side. The ground where this village stoodis covered over a space of several acres with the ordinary débris ofan Indian settlement; and it is significant that all the relics foundare so similar to those which are called "ancient" when found in thelodge sites, that no one could determine from inspection which kindcame from which place. Unless it may exist in the markings in thepottery, no distinction can be made between these specimens andsimilar ones from other localities. The Pawnees lived here until 1837, when the Iowas and Otoes made asortie upon the unsuspecting inhabitants and killed all of them theycould overcome. Two women of the Iowa tribe who were living on thereservation in 1914 remember seeing dead bodies lying around whereverthe invaders could find and kill a resident. A short distance below the explorers carved their names on a rockwhich projected into the stream. Accounts as to this spot differ; itis generally stated that in making a road around here, the rockcontaining the names was blasted away; but a man in the neighborhoodwho claims to know the exact spot says the blasting did not extendquite so far and that the names are covered by a mass of earth androck which slid from the bluff many years ago. If this be true, athrill awaits the man who finds the names some centuries from now, when the river has washed away all this accumulated material. * * * VICINITY OF TROY, KANSAS Near the mouth of Wolf River is a village site on which Dr. R. S. Dinsmore, of Troy, has counted 125 tipi sites. Relics are veryabundant here, especially the small chert "thumb-scrapers, " whichoutnumber all other specimens. MOUTH OF MOSQUITO CREEK Four miles east of Troy, on a ridge so steep that its top isinaccessible from either side, and so narrow that a wagon would make atrack on each slope, is a little mound worn down until its true naturewould not be suspected. Dr. Dinsmore was on this ridge one day andnoticed a flat limestone rock. Knowing that it had no place in theloess, he began digging to ascertain the reason for it being there. Ata depth of a few inches he found bones, and soon unearthed a number ofskulls, with only his hands or a stick. Coming back later with tools, he found, in all, 56 skulls. Afterwards he found others, and personsin the neighborhood have exhumed many more. The deposit represents acommunal burial, from a village which probably stood on the levelcreek bottom not far away. A few skeletons showed an attempt atorderly arrangement. These were probably of individuals who had notbeen dead long at the time of the general burial. Most of the bones, however, skulls and others, were piled in the smallest possible area, as if gathered up in sacks or baskets from previous burials andcarried here for reinterment. The soil is so loose as to be easily dugwith the hands, like sand; but at the same time so fine and closepacked as to shed water almost like a roof. Owing to the steep slopeat every point, except toward the summit of the ridge, there must besome erosion, and consequently the age of the burials can not begreat. Yet, the same conditions prevail in other places where a greatantiquity is claimed for the remains. Frost necessarily disintegratesthe soil to some extent; the wind or rain carries away the loosenedportions; and this process is continuous. The shape of the mound showsthat when the burials were made the ridge was essentially identical inform with its present aspect. The bones also are comparatively freshin appearance, and it may be considered certain that they can not dateback many generations. On the top of a hill rising from the opposite side of Mosquito CreekDr. Dinsmore found a low mound, which, like that just described, wouldnot have been suspected as such but for a stone projecting from thesurface. Under this stone, with 8 inches of earth intervening, was askull so completely mineralized that it appears to be carved from ablock of limestone. No other portions of the body to which it belongedremained, though traces in the surrounding earth showed that at leastthe larger bones and perhaps the entire skeleton had been deposited. Bones in other parts of the mound were in their natural condition;that is, they were not altered from their ordinary appearance, although only in fragments. It is remarkable that this entire craniumshould thus change while all the other bones, even the jaw, haddisappeared. The description of this find is from Dr. Dinsmore, whohas the skull in his office. Possibly he may be in error in statingthat traces were found of other bones belonging with it. These mayhave belonged to another individual. The soil is ordinary sandy loess, containing lime but not in such quantity as to account for thisalteration. Perhaps the skull may be from an older burial somewhere, the petrifaction having taken place before it was buried here. * * * RULO, NEBRASKA Particular attention was paid to conditions a mile north of Rulo, where it is reported that human skeletons were found in the Kansandrift. It was not the intention of the discoverer to have itunderstood that these remains were in undisturbed drift, but such isthe impression that has gained credence. At the settlement of the country by whites the road constructed acrossa ravine here, on the section line nearest the river aboutthree-eighths of a mile away, followed the natural contour and thecrossing was made without difficulty. Since then a deep washout hasworked its way to some distance above this point, making a long bridgenecessary. From the head of the washout to the Missouri River thebanks are vertical, or nearly so, on each side of the little stream. It was in the bank on the south side that the bones were found. It isstated they were 7 feet under the surface; if so there must have beena mound above them, for the lowest excavation does not reach over 5feet below the present level of the ground, and at that extendsslightly below the bottom of the grave. Within 40 years the Missouri River, which is now more than a mile awaytoward the Missouri shore, flowed at the foot of a slight bluffterminating the slope from the high land toward the west; there wasformerly a steamboat landing on the upper side of the ravine. On thelower side is a triangular area of about an acre, bounded by thebluff, the river bank, and the ravine. This was an excellent locationfor an Indian village or camp. A narrow level strip extends from themouth of the ravine to a point near the bridge, some distance abovewhere the remains were found. It is quite clear that the skeletonswere the remains of individuals who had died at the camp on theriver's bank and had been carried here for burial. This may haveoccurred within the last hundred years or in fact at any time whilethe Indians were still living in this vicinity. The flood level of the Missouri is not more than 15 feet lower thanthe level space along the sides of the ravine. The little intermittentstream has cut down this depth through a deposit which is composed ofriver sediment, wash from the hills on each side, and material carriedfrom higher levels by the brook itself in rainy seasons. At only onepoint is there a real glacial deposit, and this does not extend formore than 50 feet horizontally, and does not reach to the top of thebank. It is at some distance from the graves, and may be due to a lobeof the ice or to an iceberg. However formed or deposited here it hasno relation whatever to the skeletons. In a sense, the material inwhich they were buried is "Kansan drift"; but it is drift which hasbeen redistributed and has come into its present position within a fewcenturies at the most. * * * NEAR HOWE, NEBRASKA Mr. Sam P. Hughes, who lives near Howe, has done considerableexcavating in that vicinity. He is an intelligent man and an ardentstudent, but his ideas in regard to the age of his discoveries needmuch revision downward. His chief work has been done north of Howe ata place 9 miles from the nearest point on the Missouri River. Here isa small level area at the end of a ridge sloping away in everydirection except at the narrow isthmus connecting it with the fieldsbeyond, which are at a level only slightly higher. Thus there is nochance for any accumulation from the adjacent surface. On this ridgeare a few lodge sites which Hughes has excavated. In every respectthey are similar to lodge sites reported from other localities in thisregion. The walls, the depression, the floor, the fireplace, are allthe same. The depressions are filled with earth to a depth of 18 to 22inches above the level of the old floor; and Hughes reports thatwherever he has dug on this ridge he has found flint chips, charcoal, fragments of pottery, and scraps of bone to about the same depth. Nextbelow the soil is the Kansan glacial drift; but the assertion thatobjects found at this depth are of the same age as the drift is notnecessarily or even presumably correct. * * * PERU, NEBRASKA On various hills in the vicinity of Peru are lodge sites, some of themcircular, some rectangular, some with straight sides and roundedcorners. Most of them have been dug in at random; in every case aftera certain depth of accumulated earth and trash is passed through, there is a layer of clay which formed the roof, and beneath this thehard earth floor with fireplace usually in the center but sometimes alittle toward one side. * * * PAPILLION, NEBRASKA At the time of my visit, Dr. Frederick H. Sterns, of the PeabodyMuseum, was working near here. He described himself as "the man who isextremely anxious to find a glacial or other very ancient man, but sofar has not succeeded in getting track of him. " Dr. Sterns did notclaim a period antedating the Indian for anything he had thenunearthed--meaning the known Indian tribes. * * * VICINITY OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA To the southward of Omaha are many lodge sites of varying depths anddiameters. The deepest one reported had a depth of 9 feet below thesurrounding surface, and at the bottom of this was a pit (or "cache, "as they are locally known) with an additional depth of 4 feet, or 13feet of excavation in all. This was near the so-called "cannibalhouse, " where 14 human frontal bones were found under conditions whichindicate they had belonged to individuals who were eaten by otherinmates of the lodge. A short distance from these sites, across a ravine, is a bare, narrowridge, very steep on each side, so that erosion would readily act. Onthe sloping summit of this are three small mounds which cover communalburials. From one of these, the one farthest from the summit of thehill, more than 80 skulls were taken and boys in the neighborhood havesince taken many more. They are all of the ordinary Indian type, andcan not have been buried more than a few generations ago; but thisfact has not prevented an age of "twenty thousand years" beingassigned to them. There is absolutely no reason for fixing this or anyother date. There is nothing whatever to indicate the age, but 200years would probably not be far from the mark, because erosion hasbeen slight since the mounds were piled up. LONG'S HILL This ridge has attained some notoriety as the site of Gilder'sdiscovery of the "Nebraska Man. " The claim is made that human boneswere found at a depth of 14 feet in absolutely undisturbed loess. Thehill is a narrow ridge, facing the river on one side and a deep ravineon the other. It is somewhat winding in its course and is connectedwith the more level land in the rear at about half a mile from itsend. A wagon road up the point, from the river bottom to the hilltop, shows undisturbed loess the entire distance. There is no possibilityof accumulation by wash or in any other manner except decayingvegetation on any part of this ridge. Along the crest are several small mounds. Some of these, as shown byexcavation, cover graves, and the presumption is that all of them markburial places. It is needless to make any résumé of Gilder's report, as it is so wellknown, further than to say that he found burials and fragmentary humanbones at various levels from 2½ to 14 feet. At 4½ feet were burnedbones lying upon burned earth and mingled with it. This layer, burnedhard as a brick, served to prevent water from penetrating the earthimmediately below; and it is in this earth that the deepest remainswere found. There are three ways, and only three, in which they could get there: 1. They were washed in when the loess was deposited, as claimed by thediscoverers and by some of the Nebraska geologists. In support of this view is the assertion that the bones werewater-worn. On this point I can not venture any opinion, as I have notseen them. But I have found bones in mounds and in other situationswhere such wear was impossible and yet having the smoothed and roundedappearance characteristic of such action by water or the elements. In support of this theory, too, is the positive statement of Nebraskageologists who have had ample opportunity to become familiar withloess in all its phases; and they claim the deposit is the originaland has not been disturbed. It is necessary for these advocates, however, to tell where suchfragments of bones could have come from and how they could have beenwashed to the place where found, when all these bluffs were coveredwith water, as they had to be at that time. 2. The bones could have been carried by rodents into their burrows orrunways, as Hrdlicka suggests. In this case the material in contactwith the bones would have to be somewhat different in appearance andconsistency from that which lay a few inches, or perhaps only an inch, away. The Nebraska men say this was not the case. 3. There may have been an excavation or pit similar to that in whichthe Hurons buried their dead. But as no such burial pits have beendiscovered in this part of the country, this supposition must beexcluded. A corollary to the last is that a deep but small pit similar to theso-called "caches" in the lodge sites may have been dug here and thebones thrown in. There is no indication whatever of a lodge site orany other form of habitation at this point, but I have found such pitsin the vicinity of Indian houses, though not just on their site. Thedeepest one I have ever found was 10½ feet and less than 6 feet indiameter. There would be no difficulty in digging into this loosematerial as far as an excavator cared to go, until he had reached adepth at which he could no longer get the loosened earth to thesurface of the ground. As mentioned above, a pit south of Omaha had adepth of 13 feet, or only 1 foot less than is claimed for this--orrather for the greatest depth at which it is claimed fragments of bonewere found. The objection made to this theory is that the earth thrown out of thehole was unmixed, presenting throughout the appearance and consistencyof loess as it occurs where exposed in ravines or on slopes in thevicinity. It is contended that if any previous excavation had beenmade here and filled up afterwards the mixed earth would be easilydistinguished from that which was not removed, and that the line ofdemarcation would be easily discernible. As a rule, this is true; but when dry loose earth of homogeneousconsistency is thrown out of a pit and then thrown in again withoutbecoming mixed with any other it is sometimes impossible todistinguish it at a later excavation. This is especially true of earthfree from vegetable matter, as ordinary sand; or composed largely ofvegetable mold, as the soil in overflow lands which have built upmainly from floods carrying uniform soil sediment. The line ofdemarcation between the dug and the undug earth in such conditions maybecome indistinguishable except when a vertical face is made whichshall show a clear section of both in contact. It is now too late to learn anything about the matter from the siteitself. So many persons have been digging that it would be impossible toknow when the limit is reached between the original excavation--assumingit to have been made--when the bodies were interred, and that resultingfrom the modern researches. The question of age hinges upon theappearance of the earth in which the bones were found; and the only wayin which we can now learn anything about it is to trench across the hillat some of the other burial places, in the hope of finding bones at asimilar level, and determining from the conditions in which these arefound how they came there. It is beyond question that any soil, humus, or other discolored matterthrown into an excavation with ordinary soil or subsoil will beapparent for an indefinite time afterwards. But on some of these highpoints and ridges there is even now not a trace of soil. Frost andwind have worn bare spots where nothing grows or has grown for a longtime. As this region was a prairie devoid of even brush when thewhites settled here, it is evident that such slight protection asgrass or weeds afford would not be sufficient to hold the earth inplace in winter, and when the ground is once swept bare such humbleforms of growth may not get a foothold in future. Anyone who hasstudied surface geology knows these facts. So at present the whole question of the age of these bones resolvesitself into a statement of one party that they were found inundisturbed loess, as reported; and of the inability of another partyto show that there may have been an error of observation or a mistakeninterpretation. There need be no such doubt in regard to the age of the mounds or thelodge sites. It would not take many centuries for mounds upon thesesharp, exposed ridges to be entirely washed away, in spite of the factthat the fine loess is almost impermeable. Rain may not reduce them toan appreciable extent, but frost and wind will gradually wear themdown. As to the lodge sites, their similarity to modern Indian housesis so pronounced that we are fully justified in attributing them tothe same degree of culture as that of the Indians of a century ago. The only point of difference is that the latter dwellings have notsuch deep excavations, but the incursion of war-like tribes, or therestlessness that impels a primitive community to be frequently on themove, seems a simpler explanation of the difference than to supposethat identical types are separated by a great period of time. Three points must be taken into consideration in fixing a definite agefor these remains: 1. The relics found in and around the lodge sites, except for themarkings on some of the pottery, are in no wise different from thosepicked up on the sites of villages which were occupied when Lewis andClark came through here. 2. Fairly solid bones of animals, and occasionally of humans, arefound in the bottoms of the lodge sites, even where these are dampmost of the year. In the pits, where such remains are preserved byashes, this would not mean much; but where they are found in clayeyearth it is evident that "thousands of years" is a meaningless term toapply to them. 3. Persons who claim these "thousands of years" for pretty mucheverything they find in the ground must explain why it is that whilethe bones and implements of these assumed "ancients" are found in suchquantities and in such good preservation, those of later Indiansshould have entirely disappeared. The only tenable theory of age is the amount of accumulation in thedepressions of the lodge sites. Above the clay which formed the roof, and is next to the floor now, is a depth of material sometimes (it issaid) as much as 20 or even 22 inches of mingled silt, decayedvegetation, and soil from the surrounding wall. It is used as anargument of age that as these sites are on hilltops where there can beno inwash, this depth must indicate a very remote period for theirconstruction. But a large amount of the earth thrown out into thesurrounding ring or wall will find its way back into the depression. The water will stand in them a good part of the year, and the soilremain damp even in prolonged drought; vegetation is thus moreluxuriant than on the outside, and its decay will fill up ratherrapidly. In addition, much sand blows from the prairies as well asfrom the bottom lands, and whatever finds its way into the pit willstay there; it will not blow away again as it would in open ground. The weeds, also, will catch and retain much of this dust which wouldpass over a dry surface. Consequently the allowance of an inch in acentury, which is the most that advocates of great age will allow foraccumulation, is much too small. The topography of the region was essentially the same when theseremains were constructed as it is now. The hills and valleys were asthey now exist; the erosion has been very slight as compared with whathas taken place since the loess was brought above the water, to whichit owes its origin. This statement is fully proven by the position ofthe mounds and lodge sites. Any estimate of age must be only a guessat the best, but it is a safe guess that no earthwork, mound, lodgesite, or human bone along this part of the Missouri River has beenhere as long as 10 centuries. IV. ABORIGINAL HOUSE MOUNDS The small, low, flattened mounds of the lower Mississippi Valley are aproblem to archeologists. They have been studied principally near theMississippi River, in Arkansas and Missouri, and for many years it wasthought that in the latter State they are confined entirely to thesoutheastern portion. Recently they have been found much farther tothe north and the west than they were supposed to exist. A group, rather limited as to number and to the area covered, is atthe head of a narrow valley trending northward from Granite Mountainin Iron County. "Near Iron Mountain, in St. François County, more than 500 of thesesmall mounds, arranged in parallel rows following the direction of thewatercourses, were counted within a radius of 3 miles. "[1] The next group known north of this is on the right bank of PlattinCreek in Jefferson County, about 12 miles from the Mississippi. "A group of some 50 similar mounds is situated on the right bank ofthe Meramec, about 6 miles above its mouth, in Jefferson County. "[2] The most northern group so far observed is near Ferguson in St. LouisCounty, Missouri, where 46 are located on a narrow ridge which has thesame general elevation as the table-land. The ridge extends around thehead of a ravine, and the mounds are placed along its crest or on thegentle slopes near the top. There are 10 or 12 at the southern edge ofFerguson, on an overflow bottom bordering a small creek. Toward the west from the swamp region a small group is in a broadvalley near Alton in Oregon County, which borders on Arkansas. Theyare scattered along a gentle slope which has a little stream at thefoot. In Dent County four groups are known. One is on the infirmary farmsouth of the town of Salem. Most of these are but slightly changedfrom their natural condition. Another group is 6 miles east of Salem. These also are largely intact. A third is on the road from Salem toShort Bend. The fourth is at the edge of Salem, on the Rolla road. "On the high plateau of Dallas County, north of the Niangua . .. Withinan area smaller than 10 square miles, 860 were counted. "[3] Three groups are well marked in Phelps County. A mile east of Rollathey begin at the line of the Frisco Railway and extend southward in ashallow valley or "draw. " Some are on the overflow flat bordering thelittle stream, but most of them are on the slopes to either side. South of Dillon they extend for a mile in a slight depression. Beginning at the Soldier's Home in St. James, the largest number yetfound out of the swamp region lie for 2½ miles on both sides of asmall creek running eastward north of the Frisco Railway. These reachfrom low land subject to overflow to an elevation of fully 50 feet upthe hillsides. Several groups occur in Pulaski County. Four miles southwest of BigPiney post office, near the site of what is known as "The RanchHouse, " is a little wet-weather stream along both banks of which areprobably a hundred of these structures. Farther up this stream are twoother groups, the three including a distance of about 4 miles inlength between their outer limits. West of these and south ofBloodland is a fourth group belonging with these. In the level bottom between Big Piney River and the branch flowingfrom the Miller Spring 2 miles from Big Piney post office a number ofthese mounds formerly existed; and on the opposite side of the BigPiney, in an extensive bottom, were many of them. All these have nowdisappeared under cultivation. On the outer bend of the Devil's Elbow, on Big Piney 3 miles above itsmouth, some of these mounds stood. They are described as being from 2to 3 feet high; the number was not stated, but there is not room formany in the narrow strip where they were located. In the extreme western part of Morgan County, at Stover, is a groupscattered over an area at least half a mile across in any direction. The distance between the mounds varies from 25 to 150 feet. They aremostly on gentle slopes, though some are on the crest of the ridges. Many of these are well preserved, some of them having never been undercultivation. In Osage County there are more than a hundred at the eastern edge ofRich Fountain. They are in low flat ground which is muddy or evenboggy in wet weather. It will be noticed that all those from Alton westward andnorth-westward are in line with the route from southeastern Missourito the plains of Kansas and Nebraska. Practically, however, the northern limit of this type, in greatnumbers, is in St. François County, near Farmington. From here theyextend almost continuously into Louisiana and Texas. In nearly every part of southern Missouri east of the Iron MountainRailway they occur in closely connected groups, reaching sometimes formiles except where the continuity is broken by a slough or otherunfavorable condition. They are found everywhere--on high, well-drained levels; on sloping ground, sometimes so steep that it maywell be called a hillside; in low "crawfish land"; in swamps where, inthe driest weather, even after a prolonged drought, they can bereached only by wading through water or muck. The last, however, mayhave been more easily accessible when built, their present conditionbeing due to the general subsidence of this region during theearthquake period of 1811. The existing sloughs and sluggish bayousare the widenings and extensions of streams which at the time thesemounds were constructed were no doubt bordered by banks above ordinaryoverflow and readily reached by canoes. Manifestly the country waswell populated, and therefore presumably practically timberless;consequently the flood water would rapidly pass away and the streamsnot be choked by drift and other débris as is the case at present. Various theories, most of them advanced by persons who are butslightly, if at all, familiar with the country, have been propoundedto account for mounds of this character. Their vast number has ledsome writers to believe that they can not be artificial but must bedue to natural phenomena; as, for instance, that these, as indeed allmounds, were piled up by floods, Noachic, glacial, or local; or thatthey result from the industry and energy of burrowing animals, such asfoxes, badgers, ground hogs, rabbits, prairie dogs, gophers, chipmunks, or even ants; the character of the assumed flood or thespecies of the supposed burrower depending to some extent uponlocality, but principally upon the theorizer's insufficient knowledgeof animal industry or of the action of torrential waters. Others areconvinced they are formed by the piling up of earth around a bush, clump of grass, stone, or other object acting as a nucleus about whichwind-borne material may accumulate--overlooking the fact that clay, gravel, or gumbo soil can not be carried by wind, and that lightersoil or sand will form elongated instead of circular masses. Anothersupposition is that they are due to stream erosion; flood waterswashing away the soil between them and thus leaving the earthcomposing the mound in its original position. The same objectionapplies to this as to the wind-blown theory, namely, that we can notimagine water acting with such mathematical regularity and intelligentdiscrimination, especially upon slopes which lie at all sorts ofangles with the trend of the current. Persons who recognize their human origin have suggested that they wereerected as stands for hunters, from which they could detect game at agreater distance, or could take better aim as the animal passed; orperhaps as camping places while waiting; but in many places more thanhalf the area of the ground over several acres is occupied by suchpiles of earth, promiscuously distributed. This implies more huntersthan animals. For a long time it was supposed that they were burial mounds, like somany such structures found over the country; but this idea has beendispelled by the failure to discover in them any evidences of suchpurpose; no human bones nor any of the artificial objects commonlyplaced with the dead have ever been found in them unless under suchconditions as to show their presence was accidental. Two very plausible theories have found general acceptance: That theywere the sites of dwellings, placed on them to be out of the mud inwet weather; and that they were in the nature of garden beds, thuselevated for growing any food products which needed a comparativelydry soil, or might be injured by temporary accumulation of water fromexcessive rainfall. But they were not "residence mounds" or "house sites" in the sensethat they furnished a base or foundation for structures which wereused as dwellings; for there has never been found on their surface orin the earth immediately around them any of the débris invariablyaccompanying Indian huts or houses, such as fireplaces, ash beds, burned rocks, broken implements, or fragments of bones and pottery. These considerations also interfere with a full acceptance of thehypothesis that they are remains of houses built of wood and coveredwith earth. It is true that such evidence is very frequently found inother localities; but to establish the fact that they were residencesites, refuse of this kind should be found wherever the mounds occur. J. B. Thoburn arrived at this conclusion from the resemblance of someof them in their outlines to the grass-covered houses of the Pawnees;and it is believed that this tribe in its migration from the southfollowed approximately the route along which these small elevationsare found. When the Pawnees--assuming they were the builders--passedon westward they could not procure timbers of sufficient strength tohold up the earth, so they used light frames and covered them withgrass. Bushnell arrived earlier at the same conclusion. He says, concerning afew mounds of this character in Forest Park, St. Louis: "In the caseof the seven mounds on the elevated grounds, the finding of potsherds, pieces of chipped chert, and the indication of fire, all on whatappeared to have been the original surface, would point strongly totheir having been the remains or ruins of earth-covered lodges. " Hegives citations from early explorers in support of this theory, andadds, "But in other mounds these indications did not occur. "[4] Such an explanation finds support in the vast number of thesestructures. In building, the aborigines naturally chose the sort oftimber which was soft and light, consequently easy to cut and tohandle, such as willow or cottonwood. This soon decays. But no matterwhat variety of wood was utilized, not many years would be required, under the conditions supposed, to weaken its fiber until it could nolonger uphold the weight of earth on the roof, and a new house must beerected. Several such renewals would be needed in the course of acentury; so that the ruins of an ordinary village might create theimpression that a large settlement had existed on its site. The explanation of "agricultural use" is probably correct in someinstances, for frequently the mounds are made of earth gathered uparound their base, and so not only would be of value in a wet season, but would afford a much greater depth of fertile soil for sustenanceof plants. In some localities modern farmers find that on such moundscrops are much better than on the low spaces between them. On theother hand, a majority of the small mounds in the lower counties ofsoutheastern Missouri are composed either of the hard, reddish, sandyclay which forms the subsoil of the land above overflow; or of thetough, waxy, black "gumbo" of the swampy or flat lowlands. In eithercase they are almost invariably sterile, so that in a cultivated fieldthe position of a mound is easily determined even from a considerabledistance by the feebler growth on its surface. Moreover, in manyplaces, hundreds of them occurring within an area of a few squaremiles are built on clay lowlands where crawfish abound, within a fewrods of sandy, well-drained ridges whose soil is never muddy more thana few hours after the hardest rain, and produces as fine corn andwheat as can be raised in any part of the State. In short, no matter what suggestion has been offered as to theirpurpose or uses, objections to it can be brought and sustained. It isnot improbable that, in the end, it will be found the difficulty liesin trying to place in a hard and fast category a variety of structureswhich are similar in appearance but which were intended for varioususes. With more comprehensive study, it may be that a classificationis possible which will interpret what is now obscure. Instead ofuniformity, there was probably great diversity of motives, ideas, andbeliefs which led to the building of these as well as of other mounds;and when the key is once obtained the explanation which will accountfor one may be very different from that which as clearly accounts foranother. A few of these mounds have been explored by the writer, but nodiscoveries were made upon which can be based a definite statement asto their probable purpose. * * * NEW MADRID COUNTY On the farm of A. B. Hunter, 7 miles north of New Madrid, more than 60of these mounds, irregularly placed, extend for half a mile along thewest bank of St. John's Bayou, the extreme width of the group beingabout 200 yards. The largest mound, standing on the edge of theterrace, was 6 feet high and 75 feet across. On the original surface, over a small area at the central part, were decayed fragments of humanbones; so this was probably erected as a tumulus. The others were muchsmaller; from a foot to 3 feet high, and 30 to 50 feet in diameter. Six of these, varying in size from the largest to the smallest, werethoroughly excavated within the original margin and down to theundisturbed earth beneath them. No artificial object was found in anyof them except here and there a fragment of pottery or a small amountof ashes or a piece of charcoal, not intentionally deposited butgathered up and carried in with the earth in the course ofconstruction. There were no distinct fire-beds or ash piles at thebottom, or in any part of the mound; nor were there any holes in whichposts may have stood. * * * ST. FRANÇOIS COUNTY Nearly 2 miles south of Farmington, on Quesnel's land, are about 30very small, low mounds, none more than 18 inches high or 25 feetacross. They are on the general level, some of them on a gentle slope, of the first upland above the St. François River and a mile from thatstream at its nearest point. Half a mile to the south of these is a group of similar mounds on thefarm of Isaac Hopkins, on a gently sloping hillside, and from 30 to 40feet above the level of the overflow bottom land. One of these hasbeen gradually worn away by the encroachment of a gully until morethan half of it has disappeared. While the curvature of its surface isvery apparent, and the remnant of its margin sufficiently distinct toshow its regularity of outline, careful inspection of the face formedby the erosion fails to reveal any trace of stratification, or line ofdemarcation between the bottom of the mound and the original surface. There is precisely the same uniformity of change from the grass rootsto the underlying gravelly soil that exists in the exposed bank at anypoint to either side of the mound. Mr. Hopkins, desirous of knowingwhat might be in the mound, or why it was built, has noted theappearance of the earth from the time the gully reached its margin. Atno time has its appearance differed in the least from what it presentsnow. On the river bottom portion of Mr. Hopkins's farm, and on theadjoining Goings and Townshend farms to the southward, are many moundslying along both sides of the Belmont division of the Iron MountainRailway. Fully 100 were observed within a distance of a mile; and theyare said to continue both up and down the river. They are all aboveflood stage, except in time of extreme high water. They range from afoot to 3 feet high, and from 20 to 40 feet across; but some of themhave been lowered and broadened by cultivation. They are of the sameearth as the ground around them. Mr. Hopkins says crops are muchbetter on the mounds than on the area between them. This is no doubtdue to the greater amount of productive soil in the one case, and tothe excess of moisture in the other; the railway embankment impedingdrainage in the lower part. Oak trees 4 feet in diameter grew on themounds before they were cleared off. Two of these mounds were completely removed, down into the subsoil. The first was 18 inches high and 35 by 40 feet across; the variationin breadth resulting from continual cultivation in one direction. Itcontained nothing whatever of artificial character, not even a scrapof pottery. There were no post holes, no indications of a fire bed, notrace of a distinction between the mound and the soil below it. Infact, except for the greater thickness of the superficial dark earththere was no difference between the appearance of the face of theexcavation and that of a hole dug at random in the field. The second mound was somewhat larger than the first, being 2 feet highand 40 feet across, and at a little higher level toward the edge ofthe field. It was the largest which could be excavated of this group. As in the first mound opened, there was no worked object, if a smallflint flake be excepted; no ashes; no fire bed; no trace ofdemarcation between the mound and the original surface of the ground, though in each mound the excavation over the entire area was carrieddown into the gravelly, hard-packed subsoil. Its artificial origin isclearly proven, however, by four holes dug into the earth beneath itbefore its construction. Nine feet a little north of the center, whichwas assumed to be the highest point of the mound, was a hole (A) 12 by14 inches and 14 inches deep, with a flat bottom, the sides as regularas could be expected in hard soil dug out in primitive manner. Ninefeet west of the center was a hole (B) a foot across, 10 inches deep, with a solid though somewhat irregular bottom. Near the center was aconical hole (C) a foot deep and the same across the top. Four feetfrom it, west of north, was another (D) of about the same size andshape. The measures given are of course only approximate, as the sidesof all the holes were somewhat uneven, but they are practicallycorrect. The depth was measured from the top of the gravelly subsoil. Fourteen feet east of south from the center was an irregular hole (E)about 2 feet deep to the bottom of the loose dirt in it. This had notbeen dug, but was due to the decay of a tree which grew here beforethe mound was made. At the top of the dirt filling this hole was apiece of decayed bark, apparently oak, which had grown in the air; andfarther down fragments of root bark. Eight feet east of the center wasa hole (F), similar to the last, 10 inches deep and averaging 2 feetacross. This, also, resulted from the decay of a stump. A plan of the holes is given in figure 37. The dotted lines are merelyto show direction and distance. [Illustration: FIG. 37. --Plan of House Mound in St. François County, Mo. ] This mound offers confirmation of the belief that such structures, orsome of them at least, mark the sites of dwellings. With the twotrees, E and F, the posts, A and B, would form the corners of anirregular quadrangle; the two posts, C and D, would support the innerends of roof timbers. While no trace of posts or roof timbersremained, it is difficult to imagine for what other purpose theseholes would be dug; and in this heavy, wet earth all traces of woodmust in time disappear. Conversely, the total absence of a fireplace, potsherds or other remains, and of any sign of a floor, would serve todispel the assumption that this spot was ever inhabited even for ashort time. The evidence is as strong one way as it is the other. In short, the limited observations above recorded leave the questionof origin and purpose just where it was. * * * * * Some years ago one of the mounds at Ferguson, St. Louis County, wasopened. No remains of any sort were discovered, according to thereport of the excavators; but on the original surface, at the centerof the mound, was a fire bed in and about which were ashes, charcoal, and fragments of rude pottery. No excavations have ever been made in the mounds near GraniteMountain; but a tortuous little stream has undercut several of them, thus making vertical sections as in the case of the mound at Hunter's, near Farmington. In some mounds only a small portion near the marginhas been removed; in others the erosion has progressed to such anextent that observations were possible at varying distances, to andbeyond the center. In every instance a monotonous uniformity ofappearance prevails from the top of the mound into the underlyinggravel. At no level is there a sign of a floor, fire bed, or otherevidence of human work; and no difference can be detected between theearth upon which the mound rests and that on either side. Yet themounds are indubitably artificial. Exactly the same remarks apply to several mounds on the County Farm, near Salem. A little creek and a drainage ditch have cut away varyingportions of them, and they merge insensibly into the soil and gravelon either side. * * * * * In further support of the theory that these mounds are the remains ofearth-covered houses, a few extracts relating to the area underdiscussion will be given from Dr. Cyrus Thomas in the Twelfth AnnualReport of the Bureau of Ethnology: Near "Beckwith's Fort, " in Mississippi County, Missouri, are (p. 189)-- Low, flattish, circular mounds * * * [which] appear to belong to two classes, those used for dwelling sites and those used for burial purposes, the former being the higher and the color of the surface layer darker than that of the other class. This darker color of the surface layer is probably due to the fact that immediately below it are found fire-beds with burnt earth, charcoal, ashes, and the bones of animals, (mostly split). There are seldom any human skeletons or entire vessels of pottery in the mounds of this class though the earth is filled with fragments of broken vessels. In describing mound excavations in Crittenden County, Arkansas, theexplorer states (p. 227): As an almost universal rule, after removing a foot or two of top soil, a layer of burnt clay in a broken or fragmentary condition would be found, sometimes with impressions of grass or twigs, which easily crumbled but was often hard and stamped apparently with an implement made of split reeds of comparatively large size. This layer was in places a foot thick and frequently burned to a brick red or even to clinkers. Below this, at a depth of 3 to 5 feet from the surface, were more or less ashes, and often 6 inches of charred grass, immediately covering skeletons. The latter were found lying in all directions, some with the face up, others with it down, and others on the side. With these were vessels of clay, in some cases one, sometimes more. The positions of the skeletons in this mound would indicate that whilethe inmates of the house were asleep the roof fell and killed them. Itwas customary among some southern Indians to bury the dead under thefloors of the houses; but the text clearly shows that these skeletonswere lying on the floor. It would be supposed from most reports, notonly in the volume quoted, but from various other sources as well, that only the walls of these houses were plastered with mud, the roofbeing of thatch alone. It seems to be overlooked that the tops of thehouses would have even more need of such protection than the sides. The marks indicating that the clay was "stamped apparently with animplement made of split reeds" are only the impressions of the reedsor saplings by which the clay was supported; the "brick like" or"clinker like" condition of the clay being due, of course, to thedestruction of the house by fire. Adair, in his History of the Southern Indians, says they daub theirhouses with tough mortar mixed with dry grass; that they build winteror hot houses after the manner of Dutch ovens, covered with clay. Again: They are lathed with cane and plastered with mud from bottom to top, within and without, with a good covering of straw. This seems to mean that the entire building was plastered with mud, and then covered with grass to shed the rainfall. In a mound in Arkansas County, Arkansas (Twelfth Ann. Rept. Bur. Ethn. , p. 231)-- About 2 feet under the surface was a thick layer of burnt clay, which probably formed the roof. In tracing out the circumference a hard clay floor was found beneath, and between the two several inches of ashes, but no skeletons. There were a great many pieces of broken dishes so situated as to lead one to believe they were on top of the house at the time it was burned. The fact that no skeletons or utensils were discovered on the floorfinds its most reasonable explanation in the supposition that theinmates, finding their abode to be unsafe, moved out and took theirpossessions with them. This would account, also, for the absence ofsuch remains in similar mounds farther north. The abundance of potteryfragments found in this case, and in many others, may mean only thatthese were worked in as a part of the clay roofing. They would be ofsome service in holding the clay in place in wet weather. It is quite probable that the continuous, though fragmentary, layer ofburned clay on the floor so often noted is due in part at least to thematerial forming the roof. The walls would be more apt to fall outwardthan inward, and would be more liable to crumble than to fall as anintact mass. In fact, this is clearly shown by the statement (p. 229)that in certain house sites in St. Francis County, Arkansas, The edges are all higher and have a thicker layer of this [burned] material than the inner areas. Further, in describing explorations of certain "hut rings" at"Beckwith's Fort" in Mississippi County, Missouri (p. 187), the reportstates that they are from 30 to 50 feet in diameter, measuring to the tops of their rims, which are raised slightly above the natural level. The depth of the depression at the center is from 2 to 3 feet. Near the center, somewhat covered with earth, are usually found the baked earth, charcoal, and ashes of ancient fires, and around these and beneath the rims [that is, the surrounding ring or embankment] split bones and fresh-water shells. Often mingled with this refuse material are rude stone implements and fragments of pottery. Note is made of the similarity in the size, form, and general appearance of these depressions and earthen rings to those of the earth lodges of the abandoned Mandan towns along the Missouri River. It appears, too, that certain sites were occupied for long periods, new houses being constructed when necessary. In describing mounds inPoinsett County, Arkansas, the same writer says (p. 205) that The positions and relations of these beds * * * make it evident that upon the site of one burned dwelling another was usually constructed, not infrequently a third, and sometimes even a fourth, the remains of each being underlaid and usually overlaid in part by very dark, adhesive clay or muck. * * * The peculiar black color of these beds is chiefly in consequence of the large proportion of charcoal with which they are mixed, some of it doubtless the fine particles of burned grass and reed matting with which the cabins appear to have been thatched. These layers of "very dark" material undoubtedly are remains of mudfrom the adjacent swamps, which was mixed with or plastered over thegrass roofs. It is difficult to understand how they could have becomemixed after the burning. As showing the extent to which this prolonged occupancy was carried, we are informed (p. 254) that in Coahoma County, Mississippi, a moundwas-- oval and rounded on top, 210 feet long, 150 broad at the base, and 16 feet high. This mound and several smaller ones near it are so nearly masses of fire beds, burnt clay, fragments of stone and pottery, together with more or less charcoal and ashes, as to indicate clearly that they are the sites of ancient dwellings thus elevated by accumulation of material during long continued occupancy. In still other portions of the country besides those already mentionedare evidences of similar houses whose sites are now marked by mounds. In southern Ohio, especially, records of excavations contain numerousreferences to post holes under mounds both large and small. In thecase of the former, so far as we may judge from the reports, thehouses were destroyed before the mounds were built, and it does notappear that they were ever covered with earth. In the small, low, flatmounds, under which such holes existed, no thought was taken thatthese may mark the position of posts used to support a roof; allmounds were explored with the idea that they were for burial purposes, consequently no attention was paid to these features. The Mandan houses, as described by Lewis and Clark, Catlin, andothers, when fallen into ruins would leave exactly such mounds or hutrings as those found in Missouri and Arkansas. It is now generally conceded that the wall or embankment at Aztalan, Wisconsin, concerning which so many wild theories have beenpromulgated, was simply a series of such house sites connected by alow ridge. The evidences of mysterious sacrificial altars seem to bedue only to the destruction of such houses by fire. In Wisconsin, also, and in Minnesota, are many small mounds apparentlyof this character which are due to an extinct tribe known to the Siouxand Chippewas as "The Ground House Indians. " In 1887 I became acquainted, at Munising, Michigan, with Mr. WilliamCameron. He was of the Scotch clan of Camerons, a nephew of a formerGovernor of Canada. Educated for a profession, he made a visit torelatives in Canada in early manhood, and the attractions of thewilderness proved so great that he never returned to his home. At thetime I met him he was 84 years of age, in full possession of hismental faculties. For more than 60 years he had traversed the Lakeregion, his fur trading and trapping expeditions having carried himover all the country from Montreal to the mouth of the MackenzieRiver. Much of his life had been spent among the Indians, especiallythe Sioux and Chippewas. He learned from them all they could tell himof their tribal history and former methods of living. The Chippewastold him that when they first came into the country they found theSioux in possession, but finally, obtaining arms from the French, theydrove the Sioux westward. The "old men" of the Sioux corroborated this tradition and toldCameron that as they went westward they came to a race of people wholived in mounds which they piled up. These people were large andstrong, but cowardly. "If they had been as brave as they were big, "said the Sioux, "between them and the Chippewas we would have beendestroyed; but they were great cowards and we easily drove them away. " Mr. B. G. Armstrong, of Ashland, Wisconsin, told me that he had takengreat pains to investigate this tradition. From all that he couldgather by much inquiry among the Indians and from his ownobservations, he was satisfied of its correctness. These people, whomthe Sioux called Ground House Indians, built houses of logs and posts, over and around which they piled earth until it formed a conical massseveral feet thick above the roof. Their territory extended from LakeEau Claire, about 30 miles south of Lake Superior, to the WisconsinRiver near Wausau or Stevens Point; down the Wisconsin a shortdistance; thence west into Minnesota, but how far he could not say;then around north of Yellow Lake back to the Eau Claire region. TheSioux exterminated the tribe, the last survivors being an old man anda woman who had married a Sioux. They were taken to the present siteof Superior, near Duluth, and "died about 200 years ago"--that is, inthe last quarter of the seventeenth century. Gordon, an intelligent Indian living at the town of the same name, ashort distance south of Superior, was familiar with this tradition, aswere other Indians with whom I talked, and who accepted it as awell-known fact. Gordon related that he had heard "the old men" saythese Indians erected their houses of wood and piled several feet ofdirt over them; and they buried their dead in little mounds out infront of their houses and a few hundred feet away. He told of a moundthat was opened near Yellow Lake in which the position and conditionof the skeletons, two or three of children being among them, showed"as plainly as anything could" that they had been sitting or loungingaround the fire, when the roof fell in and crushed them. There is a "Ground House River" in eastern Minnesota, which probablyderives its name from this people. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 1: Bushnell, D. I. , jr. , Archeology of the Ozark region of Missouri. Amer. Anthrop. , n. S. Vol. 6, no. 2, p. 298. ] [Footnote 2: Bushnell, D. I. , jr. , Archeology of the Ozark region of Missouri. Amer. Anthrop. , n. S. Vol. 6, no. 2, p. 298. ] [Footnote 3: Ibid. , p. 297. ] [Footnote 4: Papers Peabody Museum, vol. III, no. 1, p. 16. ] V. ARCHEOLOGICAL WORK IN HAWAII INTRODUCTION The ethnologist or archeologist desiring to conduct explorations onthe Hawaiian Islands will find it necessary to begin his labors at theBishop Museum in Honolulu. This museum contains an extensivecollection of articles, classified, arranged, and labeled, illustrating every phase of native life as it has existed since theislands have been known to white men, as well as many of theimplements and objects pertaining to agriculture, fisheries, anddomestic occupations of earlier times. Models or casts of houses, andof individuals engaged in various lines of industry, give the visitora clear idea as to the routine of ordinary daily life. A careful studyof all these things enlightens him in regard to what he may expect tofind and to the meaning of such discoveries as he may make. The extensive library which belongs to the museum contains everypublication relating not alone to the islands but to all thearchipelagoes of the southern Pacific that it is possible to procure;and among the most valuable of the volumes are the reports and memoirsof the museum itself, in which are set forth the observations anddeductions of numerous investigators who, either in behalf of themuseum or under its auspices, have endeavored to find a solution forthe many problems involved. Equally valuable to the student are the information, interpretations, and instruction freely placed at his disposal by those connected withthe museum, especially by Dr. Brigham, the former director, whose longand busy life has been devoted almost entirely to a study of thePolynesian groups; by Professor Gregory, the present director, whowith tireless energy is the impelling force behind various lines ofscientific research; by Mr. Stokes, curator of the ethnologicaldepartment, who for more than a score of years has been surveying, photographing, and collecting in every part of the islands; by Mr. Thomas G. Thrum, of Honolulu, who has completed, in manuscript, avolume containing a list and description of more than 500 heiaus onthe islands; and by various other men who, in private life, havedevoted much time and close attention to whatever may pertain tonative life and customs. * * * MOLOKAI ISLAND Following the advice of those whose knowledge gave them authority tospeak decisively, the initial base of research was the island ofMolokai, which presents the best conditions for study. It lies off theusual lines of travel, offers no inducement to tourists who wish tohave the benefit of good roads and comfortable hotels, andconsequently is seldom visited except by those who are called onbusiness or who go as the guests of the few residents there. Mr. George Cooke, one of the owners of a large cattle and sheep ranchon the island, and greatly interested in its aboriginal history, gavemost generous aid in a reconnoissance of such parts as he had time tovisit. He placed his beautiful summer residence at the disposal ofProf. Gregory and the writer, and conducted the explorers to nearlyall the places of interest which could be approached by automobile. Mr. James Munro, manager of the ranch, also rendered valuableassistance. Owing to his long residence here he has become thoroughlyfamiliar with every noteworthy feature, and pointed out many remainswhich, without his guidance, would have been missed altogether. Fullyacquainted with the life of the Hawaiian people, he made clear theorigin and purpose of many things that, lacking his intelligentexplanation, would have been without significance. Although there are now comparatively few Hawaiians on Molokai, it isevident that the island at one time supported a dense population. Along the southern, or leeward, coast are numerous fish ponds formedby building a stone wall across an inlet or, more frequently, byconstructing it with the ends on shore and carrying it around asection of the open sea. The walls are strong enough to resist thewaves, well above the level of high tide, and surround spaces ofvarious areas up to 70 acres. These ponds were stocked with numerouskinds of fish which, thus protected from their natural enemies, increased rapidly and formed an unfailing food supply. The antiquityof these ponds is denoted by the amount of silt partially fillingthem, brought down from the mountains by erosion of the soil. They arestill used to some extent by Hawaiians as well as by other residents. Inland, low walls of stone or earth, or both, surround hundreds of oldtaro patches, one variety of these plants requiring an abundant supplyof water during its growth. The poi made from taro was the principalvegetable food of the inhabitants. Sweet potatoes were also a leadingarticle of diet. The fields in which they were grown may still beidentified here and there by the little ridges heaped up. All these, with the addition of migratory birds and fowls which at certainseasons swarmed on the different islands, supplemented by various nutsand fruits growing spontaneously, provided a varied and ample foodsupply. Mammals, except the pig, dog, and rat (really a large mouse), which came in with the early natives, were unknown prior to the adventof the whites. There were no land reptiles and few indigenous noxiousinsects; although mosquitoes, not to mention certain domestic pests, abound in a few places, and there are some scorpions and centipedes;but these, like measles, smallpox, tuberculosis, and worse diseases, are adjuncts of an enforced civilization. The mongoose, brought in todestroy rats, and the myna bird, to devour insects, are themselves nowbeginning to be detrimental. Along the coasts, on the headlands and lower hills, and to a lessextent farther inland, are village sites, foundations of temples andhouses, garden patches inclosed by stone walls, and long rows ofstones, some of which are borders of roads or trails, others being forpurposes which are undetermined. Among these, taro beds and sweetpotato patches may still be traced. The most remarkable among the remains are the great temple site onSenator Cooke's ranch, toward the east end of the island, and the"paved trail" 10 miles down the coast from Kaunakakai, the principalvillage and harbor. The former is rectangular in outline, built onirregular ground, of stones large and small, to form a level platformon which a thousand persons could assemble without being hampered forlack of room. The outer faces of the walls vary from 3 to 20 feet inheight; and except at the lowest parts there are terraces or steps allaround, about 5 feet in height and of differing width. Surroundingthis platform, extending for half a mile up the little valley of whichit marks the entrance, on the slopes to either side, and on the nearlylevel area reaching down to the sea in front, are all the indicationsof a populous settlement. It is said that the ruins were formerly much more numerous andextensive, the larger part of them being swept out of existence by agreat rush of water from the mountains "a long time ago. " The "paved trail" is a causeway of large stones. Some parts of it areobliterated by slides and encroaching ravines; other parts preservethe original condition and appearance. The width is not quite uniform, as the stones are of different sizes, but it departs very littleeither way from 6 feet. So far as can be judged in its presentovergrown state, it extends in a straight line for about 2 miles, fromthe beach to a point on the hill at an altitude of fully 1, 000 feet. To what it led, or why it was built, are questions awaiting an answer. All of these places are now abandoned except a few villages along thecoast. The people are not here to occupy them, and even if they werethe conditions have become so changed that residence about them is nolonger feasible. At the temple site, for example, the extent of theold taro beds predicates an abundance of water; at present, the onefamily living near by must carry it in a dry season from the well orspring of a neighbor. There is no steady water supply within miles ofthe "paved trail. " Clearly, extensive changes have taken place in recent times in climateand perhaps in topography. Fifty years ago forests of large trees grewover hundreds of square miles on the southern slopes of Molokai whereat the present time there is only grass, or where algaroba trees, similar to the mesquite of the southwestern United States, are nowspreading. This deforestation is still going on; dead or dying treesfringe the timber still standing. The cause of this progressivebarrenness has not, so far, been, fully ascertained; there isundoubtedly a connection between it and the diminished water supply, though which is cause and which is effect, or whether both are due incommon to some atmospheric phenomenon, is unknown. One result, however, is apparent. The roots of the forest trees do not extend deepinto the earth, but spread out over the surface like those of pinetrees. Thus much of the rainfall was prevented from escaping rapidlyand such as was not absorbed by the roots made its way into the groundbeneath the upper soil, whence it percolated downward to feed thesprings. Now the greater part of the water runs off and is lost. Forthis reason large areas once well populated are no longer habitable. Molokai, like other islands of the group, contains no stone except ofvolcanic or coral formation. There is no chert or similar materialfrom which chipped implements can be made; nor, as would naturally beexpected, is there any obsidian suitable for such manufacture. It mayoccasionally be seen on the sites of villages, but always in smallangular fragments seldom more than half an inch in any dimension, always coarse-grained, even porous, and never of a quality which canbe flaked into definite forms. No doubt its only use was as anabrasive, after being pounded fine. Rarely, quartz or chalcedony isfound; it resembles the deposit around hot springs or in fissures, and, like the obsidian, is in fragments too small to be utilizedexcept as a grinding or polishing material for smoothing wroughtobjects. Manufactured stone specimens are confined principally to three generalclasses: Adzes, for working in wood; pestles, for pounding the taroroot; and discoids, for games. The last are exactly similar to thechunkey stones so abundant in the States, except that none of themhave concave or hollowed faces, and they are used in the same way. There were three forms of the game: To hurl or roll a disk fartherthan an opponent; to strike a pole or other mark set up; and to testthe inherent magical powers of the stones by rolling them in such away that they would collide, the object in this case being to seewhich one might prove victorious by breaking the other or forcing itout of its course. A suitable arena for the contest was prepared bycarefully leveling and smoothing a straight, narrow strip of ground toany length desired, a slight wall being thrown up along each margin. Pottery was unknown, there being no clay suitable for making it. Calabashes or gourds and wooden trays served as receptacles, thoughstone dishes or bowls are sometimes found. Along the coast occursinkers, either plummet-shaped or half-ovoid like an egg dividedlengthwise. This form has a groove around the longer diameter, crossing the flat face, and was tied to a white shell as a sinker incatching squids or cuttlefish, a hook being attached to the line. Coral was much used as files or rasps. There are a few objects whosepurpose is problematical; and some highly polished black disks which, laid flat and covered with a film of water, make excellent mirrors;but aside from what is here mentioned, not much worked stone is found. Wood, bone, and shell served as the raw material for nearly all otherneeds. Graves, or what are supposed to be graves, marked by cairns 3 or 4feet high, or perhaps by only one or two layers of stones, are found, though rare. Many so-called caves--which are merely "tunnels, ""bubbles, " or "blow-holes" in the lava--were utilized as burialvaults. The natives vigorously protested against an attempt toexcavate any of these, claiming that their ancestors or members oftheir families are buried in them and must not be disturbed. In thedunes human skeletons are frequently exposed by the shifting of thesands by the high wind. The natives seem to have little regard forthese. Perhaps they are of the "common people, " while cairns cover thechiefs or priests. There is a tradition that in "the old times" mostof the dead were cast into the ocean as an offering to the Shark God. There are no mounds or other structures of earth; everything was builtof stone. All structures began at the surface of the ground. Noevidence has been found of an occupation earlier than that of thepresent Hawaiian people. At no point examined in ravines or cliffs wasthere the slightest hint of human life at a period antedating thatbeginning with the race discovered by Captain Cook. Consequently noextended excavations were attempted. The results of some examinationsmade in three different places will be presented. About 10 miles in an air line from Kaunakakai and the same distancefrom Mr. Cooke's home, on a mountain known as Mauna Loa, is a narrow, sharp ridge extending nearly south and terminating abruptly at thejunction of two deep ravines. On the end of this are two house sites, or heiaus, which had never been disturbed. They are as nearlyrectangular as the irregular stones of which they are built willpermit. The larger (A) has its south wall at the edge of the lowcliff, with its sides nearly on the cardinal lines. Omitting inchesfrom the measurements, its outer dimensions are: North wall 38 feet, south wall 32 feet, east wall 33 feet, west wall 32 feet. Thecorresponding inside measurements are 21 feet, 19 feet, 21 feet, and22 feet. Thirteen feet north from the north wall is a stone pile 13feet north and south by 10 feet east and west, 18 inches high. Tenfeet west of this is a single layer of stones covering an area 7 feeteast and west by 4 feet north and south. At 9 feet out from the middleof the west wall is a platform 7 by 7 feet, its west edge on largestones in place. At the west end of the north wall are three largeflat stones, one of them forming the corner, the two others west ofthis, the three being up-edged and in a continuous line. Within the inclosure, at the southern end, is a closely laid pavementformed of a single stratum of loose stones, laid on the earth, andcovering a space 20 feet east and west by 10 feet north and south. Along the inside of the wall, at the northeast corner, is a similarpavement 12 feet north and south by 4 feet 6 inches east and west, anda foot high. Both of these pavements were probably intended for seatsand beds. On the larger pavement, 5 feet from the south wall, 9 feetfrom the east corner, was a boulder, its diameters 11, 12, and 15inches, whose largest surface lay uppermost and was hollowed out toform, a deep saucer-shaped depression like a mortar; but as there wasnothing to grind, it was probably to crack or pound nuts in. At themiddle of the southeast quarter of the inclosure was a pile of stones3½ feet across and 1 foot high; there was nothing under them. Sevenfeet from the north wall, 10 feet from the east wall, was a fireplaceformed of two slabs on the east and west sides and a flattened boulderon the south side, all upedged, the north side being left open. Itsbottom was undisturbed earth, a foot lower than the level of theplatforms. It would seem, though this is uncertain, that the platformsor pavements were on the original surface level, the unpaved spacebeing cleared out to the level of the bottom of the fireplace, andthat this space had been filled with earth blown in by the winds afterthe spot was abandoned. From outside to outside the upedged stonesmeasured 26 by 28 inches; the space inside 18 by 20 inches. On thewest edge was a large grinding stone, the amount of wear on itssurface indicating much use. A pavement 4 feet wide reached from theopen side of the fireplace to the north wall. In the cavity was about half a bushel of small stones, most of themburned. When meat was to be baked, a fire was made in the pit and asmany of the stones as required were heated; they were placed in thebody cavity, in the mouth, and in slits cut in the skin of the animal, which was then deposited in the pit, closely covered, and left untilthoroughly cooked. Similar ovens or barbecue holes, and the samemethod of cooking, are still in use among the natives in theirvillages. Views of this house site and of the fireplace, taken from variousdirections, are shown in plates 38-40. Nearly north of the house site (A), at a distance of 91 feet, is thesimilar structure (B). The ground on which this is built is 6 feetlower than at (A). Its measurements are 23 by 24 feet outside, 13 by18 feet inside, longest north and south. The entire interior is paved. For a space of 8 feet from the north end the pavement is a foot higherthan in the south end. Beginning at the foot of the south wall, on theouter side, and extending for 29 feet toward (A), there is a closelylaid stone pavement 10 feet wide at the wall and gradually diminishingto a width of 5 feet; its termination is nearly square, the slightcurve being apparently not intentional. The west edge of this pavementis in a straight line, the east edge being curved. Partial views are given in plate 41. Neither (A) nor (B) has any opening for a doorway, nor is there anyapparent method of easy entrance, though a slight platform on thenorth side of (A) may have supported steps of wood. These walls, as in all other heavy structures observed, were made bycarefully laying up two rows of large stones at a little distanceapart and filling the space between them with stones of any convenientsize, thrown in at random. Timbers set in them formed the skeletonstructure of a house which was completed of poles and smaller growth, the sides and roof being thatched. The weight of the stones held themain timbers against the force of the wind even in severe storms. The surface over hundreds of acres around these ruins is covered withhouse sites, long straight rows of stones, and garden lots surroundedby stone walls. Shop refuse, mostly chips and spalls from adz making, sea shells broken to extract the mollusks, coral for abrading, adzesin all stages of finish, and many "olimaikis" (chunkey stones) arefound. A mile away is a chunkey yard or bowling alley about 600 feetlong on the crest of a ridge which overlooks the ocean on both sidesof the island. THE RAIN HEIAU A mile from the Cooke residence is a peculiar structure, said to bethe only one of its kind in the entire Hawaiian group. Nativetradition has it that "a long time ago" a rain wizard who was angeredby the people of this district sent such rains that everything was onthe point of being washed out to sea. Another wizard told the peopleto make a heiau (temple, or sacred building) with many smallcompartments which were to be left uncovered in order that theraindrops, each of which was as large as a man's head, could be caughtand held in them, and burned. The rain would cease when the firstwizard learned that he was being circumvented. [Illustration: PLATE 38 a, Heiaus A and B, on Molokai Island, looking west b, Heiau A, on Molokai Island, looking north c, Heiaus A and B, on Molokai Island, looking south] [Illustration: PLATE 39 a, Heiau A, on Molokai Island, looking south b, Platform in Heiau A, looking southeast c, Paved way in Heiau A, looking southwest] [Illustration: PLATE 40 a, Paved way in Heiau A, looking north b, Fireplace in Heiau A] [Illustration: PLATE 41 a, Heiau B, on Molokai Island, looking northwest b, Heiau B, showing stone-paved interior, looking northeast] [Illustration: PLATE 42 a, The "Rain Heiau, " Molokai Island, looking west b, The "Rain Heiau, " looking south] [Illustration: PLATE 43 a, The "Rain Heiau, " looking north b, The "Rain Heiau, " looking southwest] [Illustration: PLATE 44 a, The "Sacrifice Stones" on Molokai Island; looking southwest b, The "Sacrifice Stones, " looking west] [Illustration: PLATE 45 a, The "Sacrifice Stones, " looking northwest b, The "Sacrifice Stones, " looking south] As it now remains, this heiau consists of flat stones placed on edgeto make an inclosure 30½ by 20½ feet across the center, the length ofthe walls being 27½ feet on the north, 31½ feet on the south, 19 feeton the east, and 23½ feet on the west. At the middle is a minorinclosure, similarly formed, 5 feet 8 inches by 3 feet 8 inches, longest north and south. This is a kind of "altar" or "praying place. "From it a narrow passage, 12 to 18 inches wide, extends to the middleof each side. In each of the four divisions thus formed other stoneswere placed to form box-like spaces of diverse shapes and dimensionsfrom 9 by 15 to 20 by 28 and 15 by 45 inches. All the stones were seton the surface, braced against one another; no excavation was made tohold them. They have been somewhat displaced so that the exact numberof the boxes can not now be ascertained, but there are somewherebetween 110 and 120 of them. Partial views are shown in plates 42 and 43. THE SACRIFICE STONES On the south side of a ravine with steep slopes and bowlder-strewnbottom, half a mile from the "Rain Heiau, " is a pile of stones, mostof them the natural outcrop, but some of them intentionally placed. The entire mass measures about 27 feet across each way. The higheststone is a weather-worn slab, with the upper surface somewhat convex, 6 feet 9 inches long, 2 feet 3 inches wide on the bottom, 1 foot 3inches wide on top, 1 foot 4 inches thick. It lies nearly east andwest, the upper end on the ground, the lower end on a large bowlder, beyond which it projects for 28 inches. Beneath this, with a space of8 inches between them, is another stone, 5 feet long, 2 feet 4 incheswide, and 10 inches thick. Its upper surface is concave, the entiremargin being higher than the central portion. It lies north and south, the southern end being supported by three small superposed slabs. These two are supposed to be sacrificial stones, on which victims wereextended at full length, face downward. In this position they wereeasily slain by being decapitated or the neck or head being brokenwith a club or a stone. That they were utilized for some definitepurpose is evident from the fact that the projecting ends of both havebeen broken off square, the spalls splitting back along theunder-surface. Views are given in plates 44 and 45. On the opposite slope of the ravine from the sacrifice stones are twoold dancing platforms, made by digging the earth down on the hillsideto form a level area, the lower margin of which is supported by a highwall of heavy stones. Near the platforms, on the steep slope, is aspace of a fourth of an acre surrounded by a stone wall; and a row ofstones marks and preserves a trail or path from them to the bottom ofthe ravine, terminating at what seems to be a small reservoirsurrounded by stones and earth, with a dam above and to one side of itto shut out storm water. One hundred and fifty yards up the ravine from the dance platforms aretwo large artificial depressions in weathered bowlders. They have theappearance of mortars or nut-crushing holes, but are supposed to befor catching water during rains, as it is known that the natives madethese miniature reservoirs or catch basins, the water being dipped outinto vessels as it accumulated. * * * HAWAII ISLAND There are reports of former heiaus, house sites, etc. , in and aroundHilo, and there are numerous so-called "caves, " many of which wereused by the earlier natives as receptacles for their dead. The term"cave" is not to be taken in its usual meaning of a cavity due toerosion by water, or the small recesses due to wind scouring. In theHawaiian Islands it means a tube or tunnel; a hollow space due to gasexpansion; or a hole formed by gas or steam expansion or explosion inthe lava while it is still soft or flowing; and which is nowaccessible where the top has fallen in or where it has reached theface of a cliff. These still exist practically as they were at thetime of their formation. Of remains upon the surface, the clearing-up processes necessary forcultivation, and the improvements in and around the towns andvillages, have either entirely destroyed them or so defaced them thatthey are now only shapeless ruins. Most or all of the near-by cavesare in lava flows of comparatively recent origin and no reports ofinterments in them could be definitely verified. Human bones werefound in three caves near Olaa, 10 miles from Hilo, but no objects ofany sort were with them. The condition of the bones showed they hadnot been long deposited; in fact, with one skeleton were hobnailedleather shoes, with the bones of the feet still in them. Three skeletons were discovered in a small cave near the dock inmaking an excavation for a railway cut. An old man living in thevicinity protested vigorously against any disturbance of them, sayingthey had been his friends and he had helped bury them. In deference tohis sentiment the line of the track was deflected so as not to disturbthe spot. Nearly all of the bones mentioned above were soft and decayed, owingto the water which had percolated through the roof and dripped onthem. KILAUEA It seemed probable that burials, or places where religious rites hadbeen performed, might be found in the vicinity of the volcano. Anumber of caves were visited, but no evidence could be found toindicate that bodies were ever deposited in them, and persons livingin that region had never heard of anything of the sort being found. Afew of the caves were dry, but most of them were wet or have becomeobstructed by falling in of the sides or roof. Ledges and terraceswithin the ancient crater may contain graves, but lava flows and ashdeposits have obliterated all traces of such if they ever existed. WAIMEA From 2 to 4 miles west of Waimea, on both sides of the road toKawaihae, are numerous stone walls, house sites, garden inclosures, taro terraces, and other forms, of uncertain use and purpose. Theremains extend over many hundreds of acres. It is said that up toabout 1840 this was an important town, containing at one period about17, 000 inhabitants. QUARRY ON MAUNA KEA Waimea is the point from which to start for the quarries where theancients obtained the hard black stone for making adzes. A greatamount of work was done there, and refuse is abundant. It is 48 milesfrom Waimea to the quarries, part of the way by cattle trail throughrough country, and they are at an elevation of more than 10, 000 feet, considerably above the winter snow line. An examination was notattempted, as a visit to them involved securing a camping outfit andhiring guides and helpers at exorbitant wages. KAWAIHAE The "Great Temple" built by King Kamehameha I is on a bluff 100 feethigh, separated from the beach by a low level space 100 yards wide. This flat contains many stone structures, but their number, design, and character can not be ascertained on account of the almostimpenetrable growth of algaroba. One of them is a rectangle about 50by 150 feet, the walls high and thick; probably it is an older temple. There is some modern work here, because in one place a wall iscemented, perhaps by ranchmen. The "Great Temple" measures 80 by 200 feet on the outside, 50 by 150feet inside, longest north and south. The two ends and the side towardthe land are nearly intact and from 10 to 20 feet high according tothe surface of the ground. At the north end, inside, is a platform 80feet north and south by 45 feet east and west, the four wallscarefully and regularly laid up, the space within them filled withlarge stones, and the surface leveled with beach pebbles. It ends 4feet within the wall next the sea, the top of this wall being on alevel with the bottom of the platform. At the south end is anotherplatform 40 feet east and west by 20 feet north and south, abuttingagainst the east and south walls. A step or terrace 6 feet wideextends the full length of its north side. It has a less finishedappearance than the platform at the north end. The central space, between the two, is paved with large stones which apparently passunder both platforms and extend from the foot of the east wall nearlyto the west wall, a slight ditch separating it from the latter. Thewest wall stands below the top of the slope, and its outer face isfrom 10 to 20 feet high, in three platforms each 8 feet wide. On theslope below are several structures a few feet square formed by twoparallel rows of stones with a cross wall at the lower ends, thecellar-like space thus inclosed being filled with pebbles to a levelwith the top of the walls. From the northeast and northwest corners long walls extend northwestand southwest toward the beach. Their outer ends are lost in thethicket. EAST POINT DISTRICT From Kapoho southward to Kalapana and beyond many remains arereported, but residents say they are of rather modern date, some ofthem having been occupied since white people came into the country tolive. Lava flows of recent date have covered a few. NAPOOPOO The large heiau at which Captain Cook made his landing, and where heallowed himself to be worshipped as a god, is about in its originalcondition, having been repaired in recent years. When Captain Cookattempted to seize the King as a prisoner, the natives naturallyrallied to the King's defense. A stone or other missile struck Cook onthe head. Early in the last century an old Hawaiian who as a small boy witnessedthe affray told Rev. Mr. Paris (as related by his daughter) that ifCook had been the god he pretended to be, the blow would not have hurthim; but when he fell with a loud groan the people knew he was only aman like themselves and, enraged at the deception practiced on them, quickly made an end of him. HONAUNAU The wall of the City of Refuge is nearly intact, as is that of thelarge heiau. Another heiau was destroyed by a tidal wave. The place isnow a public park. Stokes, of the Bishop Museum, has done much workhere and at Napoopoo. The result of his labors will be published. KEAUHOU The "Slide, " made here in the time of King Kamehameha I, consists oftwo stone walls from 50 to 75 feet apart, the space between them beingfilled with stones to provide a level surface from side to side and toequalize the slope from top to bottom. It begins a mile from the footof the hill, and its terminus was on a level area near the coast. Thelower end is now so displaced and overgrown for a fourth of a milethat it can no longer be traced; the remainder of it is practicallyintact. The slope is not uniform, being somewhat determined by thenatural surface, so that it is steeper in some parts than in others. Near the upper end some short stretches are quite steep, presentingfrom below the appearance of terraces. In places, flat stones are laidpavement fashion from side to side, or rows of stones which seem to bethe tops of walls extend across. These were probably to preventcrawling of the smaller material used as a leveler. The slide, according to an old Hawaiian, was covered with one variety of grass, on which was laid another variety; but he could not say whether thetwo layers had their stems parallel or crosswise. Kukui-nut oil wasused plentifully to act as a binder and to give a slick surface. The"sliders, " as well as he could remember the description of them, werelike sleds with runners; not flat boards like a toboggan. Smalldepressions here and there, either basin-shaped or well-shaped, haveled to excavations in the hope of finding something; but they are dueonly to falling-in of tubes, tunnels, or bubbles in the lava. A somewhat similar but very much smaller slide is said to be on thecoast 40 miles south of this one. At present it can be reached onlyfrom the shore, making a canoe voyage necessary. Two ruined and overgrown heiaus are near the water line a mile fromthe slide. Both are built on bare lava, and at very high tides wavesdash over them. Possibly the shore has sunk since they were built. Near by, on the flat lava, covered by every tide, are rock carvingsrudely resembling the outlines of human figures. They must be ofrather recent origin, as the stone is constantly subject to wear bythe shingle. Stokes has copied them. MOOKINI At the extreme northwest corner of the island of Hawaii is a heiau inexcellent preservation, there being but few fallen stones. The groundaround is entirely free of growth except for grass and a few weeds, which may explain its appearance of newness; it has a very modernaspect, though it seems to antedate the discovery. It measures 120 by275 feet, longest east and west. The east wall is 11 feet high with anarrow terrace from end to end about midway the height. The north wallis 18 feet high. The south wall, which is in a somewhat irregularline, is 5 to 6 feet high. On the outside of the south wall, whichforms one side of each, are two inclosures. One, near the east corner, measures 65 feet east and west and 15 feet wide, with its west wall atthe edge of an opening which gives access to the interior of theheiau. The wall of this inclosure is 4 feet high. The other inclosuremeasures 21 feet east and west by 28 feet north and south, the westend flush with the west end of the temple. Its wall is 3 feet high. The main west wall is 12 feet high. A platform 2 to 4 feet wide, probably a seat or bench, extends along the inside of the south wall. An interior wall 4 feet high, not straight but approximately parallelwith the north wall, with a space 10 to 15 feet wide separating them, has one end against the east wall, the other end coming near enough tothe west wall to leave only a narrow passageway. The entire space inside is paved with large stones; on these, as afloor, are several walls whose purpose is not clear; they run invarious directions. Near the west end are some small inclosures, alsoa raised platform in which are 13 "wells, " said to be intended to"hold the blood of those offered up as a sacrifice. " Possibly thebodies or bones of victims were placed in them, though it is moreprobable that they held posts or idols. On the outside, 20 feet from the west wall, is a "sacrifice stone, " 6by 8 feet, averaging 15 inches thick. It is somewhat dished, with anatural depression 12 inches deep. The heiau is about 200 yards from the ocean. Walls, like fallenfences, extend diagonally from the corners at the west end; thenorthern one terminates 200 yards away on an outcrop of lava; thesouthern one has about the same length and ends 50 feet from a similarwall that reaches in a rude semicircle, convex uphill, for 300 yardsto the top of a cliff over the ocean. On the opposite side of a smallcove within the farther end of this wall is a stone which is known tothe natives as the "Shark" or the "Shark God. " It is 8½ feet long, 32inches across at the widest part, averages 14 inches thick, and hassomewhat the shape of a coffin with narrowed ends. Lying just on thebreak of the slope, it inclines slightly down the bank. The end towardthe water is carved in a fairly good representation of a turtle'shead; on the opposite end are nine artificial cup-like depressionsfrom 1½ to 3 inches in diameter with a depth rather less than half thewidth; three are on top, three on the end, three on the lower side. Like any long stone supported at the center with the ends free, itgives a metallic note when struck with a knife or other small pieceof metal. It is already defaced by curious experimenters, and willprobably be broken up some day in search of the "treasure" inside, orto "see where the music comes from. " For nearly a mile south of the heiau, covering the space between theocean cliff and a line approximately parallel to it a fourth of a mileup the hill, are many inclosures and long walls. Low walls surroundspaces 10 to 15 feet across, filled level with earth, which are eitherhouse sites or burial places. Some inclosures, still smaller, with nobreak in the wall, are supposed to be graves; and graves may also bemarked by the many small piles of stones. Other stone heaps, somestraight, some crescent-shaped, from 10 to 20 feet long, all thecurved ones convex to the windward, were wind shelters. Some of themare known to be made by modern hunters as blinds in plover shooting. In at least two places are long parallel rows of large stones placedsingly, 1 foot to 3 feet apart, the rows separated by a space of from4 to 6 feet. One set has a dozen or more rows. Inside of one of the inclosures, directly up the hill from the oldlanding, is a large stone with an artificial depression of 2 gallonscapacity. It was intended as a mortar for pounding nuts. LAUPAHOEHOE An old lava flow has pushed out into the ocean in a shape somewhatresembling "a leaf floating on the water, " which is the meaning of theword. It forms a nearly level area of 12 or 13 acres, only a few feetabove tide. Toward the outer end are numerous walls and inclosures, mostly in ruins and overgrown with trees and bushes. Some of them areclearly modern; others are ancient. Near the lighthouse are theremnants of a heiau; only a part of its walls can be traced. A wall 3 feet high, beginning at a large stone at one corner, inclosesa space 26 by 27 feet, outside measurement; the interior is filledwith earth and small stones to a level with the top of the walls. Atthe end toward the ocean, is a platform 20 feet wide, terminating 50feet from the sea. On this platform is a space 7 by 12 feet, outlinedby large rocks. Halfway between the platform and the water is a wallwhich may be recent. Near this inclosure is one hexagonal in outline, the walls 2 feethigh, and the space inside, 11 by 17 feet, filled with earth to a footabove the top of the wall. On top of the bluff, 350 feet above tide level, is a heiau the westwall of which was removed in making a deep cut for the railway. Theinside dimensions are 70 feet east and west, 115 feet north and south. The interior area, originally irregular, was somewhat leveled, andcovered with a pavement of cobblestones which were carried up from thebeach, as were many of the large stones in the wall. The pavement hasbeen torn up in cultivating the ground. The wall is from 4 to 6 feethigh inside. This is a little more than the original height, as it wasrepaired and raised for use as a corral. Along the outside of thenorth wall, at the west end, is a heavy wall which, with the mainwall, forms a "well, " nearly filled with rocks. There are nosupporting platforms outside, but along the north and east walls arerevetments reaching halfway up the face. The southeast corner isrounded and braced or buttressed. These forms of support have beennoticed in only one other place. There is a house site within, at thenortheast corner. On the wall, placed there in adding to its height, were a broken taro pestle and a very dense siliceous rock, of highspecific gravity, and filled with olivines. It weighs about 75 pounds. The ends have been chipped off to give it an ellipsoidal form, otherwise the wave-worn surface is unworked, except that one of itslarger faces is rubbed smooth, almost polished, by use as a grindingstone, for which purpose it is excellently adapted by reason of itsunusual abrasive quality. * * * MAUI ISLAND There are not many aboriginal structures on Maui, but among thosewhich can be found are some of extreme interest on account of theirsize and complicated arrangement. KAUPO, OR MOKULAU A mile and a half from the coast at Kaupo, or Mokulau landing, at theeastern end of the island, are two large heiaus. As it would haverequired a week's time and a considerable outlay of money to reachthem, by reason of the distance and lack of roads, they were notvisited. WAILUKU At the mouth of the Iao Valley, a mile north of Wailuku, is a sanddune having a nearly level area of about an acre at each end, connected by a curved ridge whose sharp crest is lowered about 20 feetby erosion. On each extremity is a stone inclosure, with several wallson the slopes below them except on the eastern side, toward the ocean. Here a stream has encroached upon the bottom of the dune to such anextent that only a portion of the inclosure nearer town is stillremaining, one side and part of each end having fallen into theravine. The wall along the opposite, or western, side is buried in thesand, only the highest stones still projecting. From the north wall afacing of large stones extending down the surface of the dune for avertical distance of 15 feet has prevented erosion by the winds. Noprotection was necessary below this point as the action of rain wateron the lime from disintegrated coral rock contained in the deposit hascaused the sand to "set" or harden. The other heiau, at the north end of the dune, is apparentlyunfinished. None of it has disappeared, but the plan is difficult tomake out. At its northern end is a protecting layer of stones reaching25 to 30 feet down the slope, in three separate terraces. Similarterraces are on the slope below the southern end of the east wall. Here and there within the structure are well-like spaces filled withstones. The purpose of these is unknown. Stones of varying sizes, mostly small, within the walls indicate a pavement or floor, but thedense growth of lantana brush and the accumulated sand preclude anycareful examination or accurate description of these remains. WAIHEE Southward from the mouth of the Waihee Valley, 5 miles north ofWailuku, is a range of sand dunes from 200 to 300 feet high, extendingfor half a mile or more in a wide curve, with the concave side facingthe ocean. The level space thus bounded is about a fourth of a mile inits greatest width and contains 50 or 60 acres. Approximately parallelwith the windings of the shore line, at an average distance of 200feet from it, is a strong stone wall, built at an unknown date butprior to the advent of the whites. The plain purpose of this wall wasto protect from high tides the low land lying behind it and reachingnearly to the foot of the dunes. This area is now cultivated in avariety of crops, mainly rice. Formerly it was a great taro patch of aHawaiian settlement. A modern flume, which follows closely the line ofan ancient ditch, brings down the necessary water from Waihee Creek. In front of the wall a space of 5 or 6 acres is covered with a stonepavement on which are the walls of old houses and inclosures. They areprotected on the seaward side by thousands of cubic yards ofwater-worn stones, piled up like a revetment or riprap, whichterminate abruptly at the southern end but extend to the mouth of thecreek at the north. The dunes show many angular rocks of the samegeneral material, in their lower portion, so they all probably belongto a spur or projection from the mountain, washed clean at the frontby waves, and covered at the rear by the dunes. Some of the stonesalong the water front were rolled by tides and wave-currents from thedébris carried down by the creek from the mountains. At high tideswaves surmount this natural breakwater, but spread out over the levelpavement and sink between the stones, so that dwellers upon the sitewere not disturbed by their action. At its northern extremity the high wall connects with a rear corner ofan extensive heiau, which was either never completed or has beenpartially demolished. The unfinished appearance of this, as of allsimilar remains, is explained by the natives as being due to theinterrupted efforts at their construction by "the little people"(fairies), thousands of whom took part in the work. They must completetheir task in one night; at the first gleam of dawn they mustinstantly disappear, leaving their work as it was at the moment, andcould never gather at that spot again. The highest part of the heiau wall still upright is about 10 feet; butsome of the stones within, promiscuously heaped, are 2 to 3 feethigher. The structure is about 100 by 250 feet, longest on the linefrom water to hill. A cross wall, possibly somewhat modified in recenttimes, divides it into two unequal parts, the seaward portion beingnearly square and 5 feet higher than the part at the rear. On thelatter are small inclosures of stone, the space within them paved withgravel. If of the same age as the remainder of the structure they mayhave been for priestly seclusion or preparation, though they may behouses of later natives who took advantage of the foundation made bytheir ancestors. Measurements or clear descriptions of these remains are not possible, owing to overgrowth. A satisfactory study, to distinguish betweenancient and modern parts, or between undisturbed stones and those notin their original position, would require careful survey with transitand level after the brush is cleared away; and this must be followedup with considerable excavation as well as removal of loose rock; allof which would demand the labor of a dozen men for three months. Evenat that, there is no certainty that definite knowledge would begained; but it is not to be had in any other way. BURIAL PLACES Near the top of a remnant of a crater rising from the shore line ofthe ocean, 11 miles from Wailuku on the road to Kahakuloa, is a stonewall built on the leeward slope, the only place on which it could beconstructed, as much the larger part of the crater has been blown outinto the sea. Between the wall and the summit are at least a dozenstone-covered graves; possibly there are others not seen, as much ofthe brush is impenetrable. Some of them are sunken; others appearquite recent. Many such graves are found on the dunes. They are all modern, some ofthem still surrounded by the original wooden fences. IN THE IAO VALLEY The deepest valley on Maui is that of the Iao River. The sides, nearlyvertical in places, have an elevation of about 3, 000 feet. About 2miles above the town of Wailuku, well within the mountain, are wallsmade of stones of varying sizes up to half a ton or more. They extendover several acres of land and their structure is quite complicated. Mostly, they are borders of taro patches, though some of them markhouse sites or garden inclosures. One wall, supporting a terrace, is 8to 10 feet high and contains very heavy stones. Near the head of the Iao Valley there are fully 40 acres of taro beds. A trail formerly led from this spot to the south shore of the island, near Lahaina. It can not now be traced, being obliterated by slides. Residents of Wailuku say these places were in use only 50 or 60 yearsago. Many evidences of former occupation have been destroyed in operatingthe extensive sugar plantations. * * * KAUAI ISLAND There seems to be less evidence of Hawaiian occupancy on Kauai than onany other of the five principal islands. Comparatively few heiaus arereported. Some of those which were in existence when the whites camehave been destroyed or defaced to such a degree in establishing sugarplantations that their original form is uncertain; while others are socovered with vegetation, either natural or due to cultivation, thatnothing definite can be ascertained as to their size or structure. The site which might be considered as possessing the greatest interestis an aboriginal quarry and workshop where material for stoneimplements was obtained and shaped into desired forms. There can be nodoubt as to the existence of such a place; but no one now knows itslocation, unless it be some of the older Hawaiians, who, however, profess entire ignorance in regard to it. Mr. William H. Rice, ofLihue, once induced some natives to conduct him to the spot. Hebelieves that if he alone had gone his guides would have fulfilledtheir promise; but unfortunately several other men joined him, and thenatives, either suspicious of their intentions, or not wishing thepremises to become publicly known, pursued a devious and wearisomejourney through the jungle, crossing gulches and clambering up anddown cliffs until the white men were thoroughly bewildered andexhausted; then announced that they "couldn't find it, " and led theparty home. LIHUE At Niumahu, 2 miles from Lihue, on the road leading south and westfrom the harbor of Nawiliwili, is a fish pond known as Alakoka. It isa short distance above the mouth of the river, where the little valleywidens in a half-moon shape, the stream flowing close to the bluff onthe right. The bottom land on the other side is so low as to beswampy. Along the river bank on this side is a heavy wall of stone andearth, reaching the higher land at each end, thus forming a pond of 15or 20 acres in which the ancient Hawaiians kept their surplus catch offish. The wall has been raised and strengthened by its present owner, a Chinese, who raises ducks instead of fish. WAILUA Near the mouth of the Wailua River, 6 miles from Lihue, is the formerabode of the royal family. The place is so overgrown, except in thefew cultivated spots, that no examination of it can be made. No tracesof the residences are apparent, although the stone boundary walls ofthe grounds are still standing. The site of the royal cemetery is setaside as public property. There is nothing now to indicate that anyinterments were ever made in it. The "Birthstone, " on or by which allprospective heirs to the throne must be born in order to insure theirright to the succession, still lies in the brush near the foot of alittle cliff. In case of a dispute among the claimants to the thronethis stone had the power, by some means of which the knowledge has nowbeen lost, to determine which, if any, of the contestants was entitledto possession. The "Sacrifice Stone, " also, is in its original place, being so largethat it can not be easily removed. Formerly this had a grass roof overit, supported by high poles. When the victim's life was extinct hisbody was suspended to a rafter or crossbeam at the top of thestructure and left there until the flesh had decayed. The bones werethen interred on top of the bluff in the rear. It is said that thecorpses of chiefs and others of high rank were wrapped in bananaleaves and steamed until the flesh fell away. The skeletons were thenburied. A mile from the mouth of the Wailua River, on a narrow plateau betweenit and a small tributary, the summit level being about 200 feet abovethe water, is a heiau in fairly good condition. It is one of the largestructures of its kind, but is so overgrown that measurements or closedescription are not possible. It is supposed to be the one which wassacred to the devotions of the highest priesthood. The common peoplewere not allowed to venture near it, and even the king could not visitit without special permission involving the most complicatedceremonies. It has passed into possession of the county and will berestored as nearly as can be to its pristine state and thus preserved. On a mass of loose rocks, resulting from disintegration of an old lavaflow, projecting into the ocean half a mile east from the mouth of theWailua River, and near the race track, is a heiau of irregularconstruction. The extreme measurements are 80 feet north and south by200 feet east and west. The wall on the side toward the sea is higherand wider along the central half than it is nearer the ends. Smallinclosures, bounded by single rows of stones, probably mark the sitesof houses for priests and attendants. Along the inner side of the wallnext to the water are four depressions, remains of partially filledwell-like or cistern-like excavations; similar hollows, obscured bybrush, are also next to the inner foot of the opposite wall. A largerock in the form of a triangular prism, standing upright, with one endfirmly imbedded in the ground, was no doubt a "god" of some kind; ithas a slight hollow or "cup" pecked in the flat top. There are severalirregular rows of stones outside of the inclosure. Dense growthprevents the examination necessary for a closer description. DUNE BURIALS Four miles east of Lihue a spur of the plantation railway was run intothe dunes to procure sand for making fills. In the course of this workhuman bones were found, the remains of one individual in one spot andof at least two others not far away. None of these bones seemed tohave been long underground. Search in the vicinity, over bare spotsamong the ridges whose upper portions have been carried away by thewinds, revealed indications of burials in at least six other places. Such bones as were found were decayed or in fragments. Among them waspart of the skull of a very young infant. A quantity of cookingstones, some coral rasps or files, and a much weathered fragment of awooden bowl, denoted that camps had been made on the dunes. As thebeach is smooth, firm, and extensive, providing an excellent place forlanding canoes or dragging seines, these remains probably pertain toparties or families who maintained fishing camps here. At the mouth of the Wailua River, on the east side, was a "City ofRefuge. " It is now partially destroyed, many of the stones having beentaken away to make a fill in the road. It was rectangular in form, 360feet east and west, 60 feet north and south, made of large stones, some of them weighing a ton or even more. The eastern portion of theinterior is artificially made a foot higher than the western. Thestructure is 300 feet from the water. Midway down the gentle slope infront, opposite the western end, is a slightly crooked row, 100 feetlong, of very large stones. A similar row is near the water on theside between the inclosure and the river. WAIMEA There were formerly several heiaus within a few miles of Waimea. Someof them have been destroyed by cultivation, while others are difficultto find and impossible to examine in the cane fields or dense brush. At the east foot of a rocky peak 13 miles by road from Waimea, at anelevation of more than 3, 600 feet, is a small heiau almost on thebrink of the canyon. Within the walls it is 30 feet across each way. On the south line are three large stones in line, one at each corner, the third about midway between them. No doubt their positiondetermined the location of the structure. It stands on a slight slope. The west wall is 2 feet high inside, the earth having washed downlevel with its top outside. The north wall is a foot higher than thefloor at the west end, and is completely buried at the east, as arethe south and west walls along their entire length except for aprotruding stone here and there. In fact, the whole interior seems tohave received a heavy deposit of earth, carried in from the outside bywind and rain. All these features give an appearance of antiquity tothe ruin. Directly below it, well toward the bottom of the canyon, which is saidto be 3, 000 feet deep, is a long, narrow, curved ridge with roundedtop and almost vertical sides. The upper part, apparently an old lavaflow, is darker in color than the surrounding precipices, its surfacecheckered and seamed by weathering and erosion, so that it has analmost startling resemblance to a huge serpent crawling out of theside of the mountain and, with head laid flat on the extreme point ofthe cliff, watching something in the stream bed a thousand feet below. If the old Hawaiians had been familiar with ophidians, as were theAmerican Indians, this "Snake God" would no doubt have held high rankamong their divinities. CONCLUSIONS As intimated above, much additional information regarding antiquitiesin the Hawaiian Islands can be found in publications of the BishopMuseum in Honolulu. Descriptions, with illustrations, of a number ofheiaus are given by Mr. Thrum in the "Hawaiian Annual" for 1906 to1910, inclusive; and his forthcoming volume will completely cover thisbranch of archeology. The Bishop Museum has undertaken to make acomplete survey and report of all the ancient remains, while Dr. Brigham has almost finished for publication an exhaustive treatisewhich will include all his observations and deductions along the samelines. With these tasks ended, there will be nothing for anyone elseto do, except to take measures for the restoration and care of theprincipal structures. All the aboriginal remains on the islands are the work of the presentHawaiian race. When the earliest of these people came here they foundthe islands without inhabitants. There are no evidences of anyprehistoric population nor any indications whatever of undergroundremains. Consequently, so far as can be ascertained, excavations wouldnot result in the discovery of any prehistoric objects or of anythingessentially different from what can be seen on the surface or foundslightly covered by very recent natural accumulation. At the sametime, all the remains are well worthy of study and preservation. Theseconclusions meet the full approval and indorsement of both Mr. Thrumand Dr. Brigham. INDEX Page. ACCOUNT'S CAVES 131 ADAIR, quoted on construction of houses 170 ADZES-- chert, from Miller's Cave 79 stone, in Molokai 177 AKERS POST OFFICE, cave in vicinity of 18 ALABAMA, explorations in 133-150 ALABASTER-- from Wyandotte Cave 108-109 _See_ Stalagmite; Travertine. ALFORD'S CAVE 140 ALLEN, VALENTINE, acknowledgment to 29 ALTARS, SUPPOSED SACRIFICIAL, origin of 172 _See_ SACRIFICIAL STONES. ALTON, house mounds near 161 ANIMALS-- bones of, found in cave 33 of Molokai 176 ANTLER, OBJECTS OF, from Sell Cave 48 ARKANSAS COUNTY, ARK. , excavation of mound in 170 ARKLOW CAVE 125 ARLINGTON-- cairns in vicinity of 40 caves in vicinity of 34, 35 ARMSTRONG, B. G. , tradition investigated by 172 ARNHOLDT CAVE 90 ARROWHEADS discovered in caves 31, 39 ASH CAVE 89 ASHES-- beds of, in caves 31, 32, 33, 38 curious cavities in 67-68 deposit of, in Miller's Cave 65-66 ASHLEY CREEK, cave on 19 AWLS-- bone, in Miller's Cave 74 from Goat Bluff Cave 37 AXES-- from Miller's Cave 78 grooved, found in cave 39, 40 AZTALAN, WIS. , theory concerning wall at 172 BAGNELL HILL, cave on 94 BAILEY'S CAVE 140 BAKER'S LAKE, cave on 89 "BALLROOM" of Bates Cave 23 BARNARD CAVE 140-141 BARREN COUNTY, KY. , explorations in 119 BAT CAVE-- in Colbert County 134 in Shannon County 18 near Crocker 55 on the Osage River 95 BATES CAVE 22-23 BATTLE GROUND near Miller's Cave 59 BEADS-- columella, from cairn 87 shell, found in cairn 28 stone, in cave 31 BEAR CREEK, rock house on 118 BECKER, PHILIP, examination of cave refuse by 84 "BECKWITH'S FORT, " mounds near 169 BEDFORD, caves in vicinity of 103, 104 BEER CAVE, popular name for Steuffer Cave 99 BELCHER CAVE 121 BELL, ROBERT A. , cave on farm of 51 BELL'S CAVE 122 BEN SMITH'S CAVE 119 BERRY, GEORGE, cave on land of 43 BIG CREEK CAVE 18 BIG-MOUTH CAVE 138 BIG PINEY-- caves in vicinity of 57, 81 house mounds on 162 BIG PINEY POST OFFICE, cave in vicinity of 56 BIRTHSTONE of Kauai Island 192 BISHOP MUSEUM, value of, to students 174 BLATCHLEY, W. S. -- caverns described by 102 quoted 103-104, 107, 110 BLEDSOE COUNTY, TENN. , cave in 128 BLOODLAND, house mounds near 57 BLOWING CAVE 136 BLUE RIVER, caves on 111 BLUE SPRING CAVE 18 BLUEWATER CAVE 134 BLUFF CITY, caves in vicinity of 124, 125 BODE CAVE 94 BOILING SPRING OF THE GASCONADE, cave near 34 BOND, JOHN R. , cave on farm of 92 BONE CAVE 120 BONES, ANIMAL, in caves 33, 37, 72, 73 BONES, HUMAN-- in Bell's Cave 51 in cairn at Devil's Elbow 86-87 in cairns on Helm's farm 88 in Caldwell's Cave 132 in cave on Meshach Creek 121 in Colyer's Cave 133 in Cub Run Cave 113 in dune burials 193 in Goat Bluff Cave 36, 37, 38, 39 in Gourd Creek Cave 34 in Haunted Cave 116 in Hawaiian caves 182 in Miller's Cave 67, 69-72, 73, 76 in mound 151 in Ramsey's Cave 82 in Sell Cave 47-49 _See_ Skeletons; Skulls. BOWLING GREEN, caves near 118 BRADLEY CAVE 112 BRANDON, cave near 138 BRIDAL CAVE, beauty of 90 BRIGGS, CAPT. J. B. , cave owned by 117 BRIGGS, IKE, cave on land of 116 BRIGGS'S CAVE 116 BRIGHAM, DR. , work of 174, 194 BROOKS CAVE 56 BRUMLEY, cave in vicinity of 91 BRYANT'S BLUFF, rock shelters in 40 BUCHER CAVE 51 BUCKNER CAVE. _See_ Harry Buckner Cave; Joel Buckner Cave. BUFFALO WALLOWS, so-called 152 BUNCH CAVE 90 BURIAL CAVE near Sheffields 135 BURIAL CUSTOMS in Hawaii 192 BURIAL PLACES on Maui Island 190 BURIALS-- communal 151, 153, 157 dune 193-194 in Goat Bluff Cave 36 in Gourd Creek Cave 30 inclosed in flat stones 88 on Lost Hill 27 _See_ Cairns; Graves. BURKSVILLE, cave near 111 BUSHNELL, D. I. , JR. -- conclusion of, regarding house mounds 164 quoted on house mounds 161 CAIRNS-- at Miller's Cave 59 at Sugar Tree camp 40 containing double burial 19 in vicinity of Eugene, Mo. 96 near Pillman's Cave 83 near Woodland Cave 84 of common occurrence 17 on Helm's farm 87-89 on Lost Hill 24-28, 84 on the Gasconade 40, 99 _See_ Burials; Graves. CALDWELL'S CAVE 131-132 CAMDEN COUNTY, MO. -- explorations in 89-91 geological formations in 91 CAMERON, WILLIAM, tradition obtained by 172 CAMP-GROUND CAVE 51 CANNIBAL HOUSE, so-called, near Omaha 156 CANNIBALISM, discoveries indicating 77 CAVE, meaning of term, in Hawaii 182 CAVE EARTH, composition of 16 CAVE EXPLORATION, conditions considered in 101 CAVE MAN, no trace of, in Ozark Hills 15 CAVES. _See_ CAVERNS. CAVERNS-- air of 14-15 as habitations 14 development of 13-14 floors of 14 method of measuring 17 proper examination of 16 CAVITIES IN ASH-BED 67-68, 73 CEDAR GROVE, cave in vicinity of 18 CHATTANOOGA, caves in vicinity of 132 CHAUMONT STATION, cave near 117 CHEATHAM'S FERRY, cave near 134 CHIPPEWAS, Sioux driven westward by 172 CHUNKEY STONES in Molokai 177, 180 CITY OF REFUGE-- at mouth of Wailua River 193 wall of 184 CIVIL WAR, caves as shelters during 23 CLARKSVILLE, cave in vicinity of 123 CLEMMENS CREEK CAVE 89 COAHOMA COUNTY, MISS. , large mound in 171 COAL PIT HOLLOW, mention of 24 COFFEE CAVE 134 COKELY CAVE 90 COLBERT COUNTY, ALA. , caves of 134, 135 COLE COUNTY, MO. , explorations in 100 COLLEGE CAVE 128 COLLINSVILLE, cave in vicinity of 139 COLOSSAL CAVE 115 COLYER'S CAVE 133 COMMUNAL BURIAL. _See_ Burials, communal. COOK, CAPTAIN, death of 184 COOKE, GEORGE, acknowledgment to 175 COOKING, method of, in Molokai 179 COOKVILLE, caves in vicinity of 42 CRAWFORD COUNTY, IND. , explorations in 107 CRITTENDEN COUNTY, ARK. , mound excavations in 169 CRUMP'S CAVE 118 CUB RUN CAVE 113-115 CULVER'S CAVE 136 CURRENT RIVER, caves of 18 DAERHOFF, BEN, cave on farm of 95 DALLAS COUNTY, MO. , house mounds in 161 DANCING PLATFORMS in Molokai 181-182 DAVIS, J. W. , caves on farm of 42 DAYLIGHT IN CAVES, use of term 16 DEKALB COUNTY, ALA. , caves of 137-139 DENT COUNTY, MO. , caves of 20-22 DEVIL'S ELBOW-- burials at 88 house mounds at 162 walled graves at 84 DILLON, house mounds near 42, 162 DINSMORE, DR. R. S. , excavations made by 153-154 DISCOIDS, STONE, in Molokai 177 DIXON, cave in vicinity of 89 DIXON'S CAVE 116 DONNEHUE'S CAVE 103 DONNELSON'S CAVE 103-106 DOUBLE CAVE 54-55 DRIP ROCK-- deposits of, in Berry Cave 43 meaning of the term 16 _See_ Stalactite; Stalagmite. DRY CAVE 90 DRY CREEK, cave on 56 DRY FORK POST OFFICE, caves near 119 DUNBAR'S CAVE 123-124 DUNES, BURIALS IN 193 DUNLAP, caves in vicinity of 128-129 EDENVILLE ROAD, cave on 57 EDGAR SPRINGS, cave in vicinity of 23 EDMONSON COUNTY, KY. , caves of 115-118 EIDSON, WILL ROBERT, cairns on farm of 90 EIGENMANN, PROFESSOR, conclusions of 105 ELDON, cave in vicinity of 96 ELLIS CAVE 138 EMINENCE, supposed cave near 20 ESMITH CAVES 119-120 EUGENE, graves in vicinity of 96 FARMINGTON, mounds near 162, 166 FEARIN CAVE 139 FERGUSON, MO. -- excavation of mound near 168 house mounds near 161 FISH, eyeless 18 FISHING CAVE 18 FISHPONDS-- at Niumahu 192 of Molokai 175 FLINTWORKING SITE 59 FOOD SUPPLY of Molokai 175 FOOTE, A. L. , cave on land of 44 FORD'S CAVE 119 FORT DEPOSIT CAVE-- cross sections of 144-149 description of 143-150 FORT PAYNE CAVE 137-138 FORTIFICATION, INDIAN, near Miller's Cave 59 FOSSIL CAVE-- 91 plan of 92 section of 92 FRANKLIN COUNTY, TENN. , caves of 131 FREEBURG, caves in vicinity of 97, 99 FREEMAN'S CAVE 81-83 FRENCH LICK SPRINGS, cavern near 107 GAME played in Molokai 177 GARVIN CAVE 112 GASCONADE RIVER, caves on 96, 97, 98, 99 GASCONDY, cave in vicinity of 98 GILDER'S DISCOVERY 157 GILL, DE LANCEY-- observations of 48 theory of 17 GLAIZE CREEK, cave near 91 GLASS FRAGMENT, from Goat Bluff Cave 37 GLOVER, ROBERT, cave on farm of 122 GOAT BLUFF CAVE, description of 35-39 GODS, STONE 186, 193 GOLD IN CAVES, beliefs concerning 21, 30 GORDON, tradition related by 173 GOUGE, from Miller's Cave 79 GOURD CREEK-- cairns at mouth of 24-25 village site on 34 GOURD CREEK CAVE-- description of 29 exploration of 28-34 GRAHAM CAVE 83 GRANITE MOUNTAIN, mounds near 168 GRAVEL in caves 16 GRAVES-- cist, at Iowa Point 152 near Bell's Cave 123 near McKennan's 52 of Molokai 178 on Laughlin's ranch 44 on Saline Creek 95 walled, at Devil's Elbow 84-87 _See_ Cairns; Burials. "GREAT TEMPLE" of Hawaii 183-184 GREEN RIVER, rock shelters on 118 GREGORY, PROFESSOR-- mention of 175 work of 174 "GROUND HOUSE INDIANS, " mounds made by 172 GROUND HOUSE RIVER, probable origin of name 173 GRUNDY COUNTY, TENN. , caves of 130 GULFS, formation of 108 GULFS OF LOST RIVER 107 GUMBO for making vessels 69 GUNTERSVILLE, caves in vicinity of 139, 140 GUTHOERL, PETER-- cave on farm of 20 mounds on farm of 22 HA-HA-TON-KA, caves in vicinity of 89 HAMILTON COUNTY, TENN. , caves of 132 HAMMERS found in cave 39 HARDIN COUNTY, KY. , caves of 112 HARDIN'S CAVE 139-140 HARLOW CAVE 112 HARRISON COUNTY, IND. , explorations in 111 HARRISON'S CAVE 136 HARRY BUCKNER CAVE 113 HART COUNTY, KY. , explorations in 112 HAUNTED CAVE 116 HAWAII, archeological work in 174-195 HEIAUS-- at Kaupo 188 at Napoopoo 184 described by Mr. Thrum 194 of Hawaii Island 185-187 of Wailua 192-193 of Waimea 194 on Maui Island 190 on Mauna Loa 178-180 sacred to priesthood 192 HELM, DANIEL, cairns on farm of 87 HENSON'S CAVE 129 HILO, archeological work in vicinity of 182 HIXSON'S CAVE 129 HOLMES, W. H. , suggestion made by 15 HOLSTON RIVER, cave on 125 HONAUNAU, work of Stokes at 184-185 HONEY LANDING, cave at 139 HOPKINS, ISAAC, mounds on farm of 166-167 HOUSE MOUNDS-- defined 17 in Dent County 22 in Miller County 96 in St. François County, Mo. , plan of 168 near Dillon 42 near Ranch House 56-57 near Rolla 41 near St. James 42 near Stover 100 of the lower Mississippi Valley 161 on Brush Creek 99 theories concerning origin of 163-165 _See_ Village sites. HOUSE SITES. _See_ Heiaus. HOWE, NEBR. , excavations near 155 HRDLI[VC]KA, DR. ALE[VS], reference to 158 HUBLIN'S CAVE 130 HUGHES, SAM P. , work of 155-156 HUNTER, A. B. , mounds on farm of 166 HURRICANE BLUFF CAVE 97 HUT RINGS-- at Beckwith's Fort 170 similar to ruins of Mandan houses 171 HUTCHINS CAVE 112 HUTCHINSON, HARRISON, cave on farm of 97 IAO VALLEY, remains in 191 ILLINOIS, explorations in 111 IMPLEMENTS-- found in cave 113 found in Molokai 177 found near cemeteries 123 from Sell Cave 46 INDIAN FORD CAVE 96-97 INDIAN FORT, on the Osage River 99 INDIAN MOUND CAVE 124 INDIANA-- cave region of 102 explorations in 102-111 IOWA POINT, grave at 152 IRON MOUNTAIN, house mounds near 161 IRON MOUNTAIN RAILWAY, mounds along 167 IRVIN, GEORGE, cave on farm of 96 ISBOLL CAVES 135 JACKSON, GENERAL, cave used by, as storage room 143 JACKSON COUNTY, ALA. , caves of 135 JEROME, rock shelters in vicinity of 40 JOEL BUCKNER CAVE 113 JONES FARM, cave on 24 JURGGENMEYER, CONRAD, cave on farm of 94 KAMEHAMEHA I, KING-- "slide" made in time of 185 temple built by 183 KANSAN DRIFT, skeletons reported found in 155 KAUAI ISLAND, investigations in 191-194 KENTUCKY, explorations in 112-123 KERR'S MILL, cave near 44 KEY, BUCK, cave on farm of 133 KEY ROCKS 24 KEY'S CAVE 133 KILAUEA, investigations near 183 KILLIAN CAVES 138-139 KNIVES-- discovered in cave 31 flint, found in cave 39 found in cairn 27 LACKAYE'S BLUFF CAVE 97 LAIRD'S CAVE 112 LAKEY'S CAVE 128-129 LAND COMPANY'S CAVE 129 LANE, GEORGE, mound on farm of 24 LANE'S CAVE 56 LAUDERDALE COUNTY, ALA. , caves of 133-134 LAUGHLIN RANCH, cairns on 44 LAUPAHOEHOE, ruins at 187 LAWRENCE COUNTY, IND. , explorations in 102-106 LEAVENWORTH, caves in vicinity of 111 LEWIS AND CLARK-- mound mentioned by 152 names of, carved on rock 153 LIBRARY OF BISHOP MUSEUM, contents of 174 LIHUE, fishpond near 192 LIMROCK, caves near 135, 136 LINN CREEK, cave formerly near 91 LINNVILLE CAVE 124 LITTLE-MOUTH CAVE 138 LITTLE PINEY-- cave near 40 cave on 23, 34 mound on 24 village site on 34 LITTLE WYANDOTTE CAVE 111 LOCK'S CAVE 112 LODGE SITES on Long's Hill 159-160 LOGAN COUNTY, KY. , reconnoissance in 122 LONG'S HILL, the site of Gilder's discovery 157 LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Caves on west slope of 138 LOST HILL-- cairn on 84 described 25 LOVE'S CAVE 120 LUCAS, F. A. , expert on animal bones 128 LUCKENHOFF, JOHN, cave on farm of 94 MCCREARY CAVE 121 MCDERMENT'S CAVES 141-142 MCWILLIAMS FARM, cave on 42 MAMMAL CAVE 116 MAMMOTH CAVE, KY. 115 caves near 115-117 MAMMOTH CAVE, MO. , rumors of, not verified 20 MAMMOTH CAVE OF ILLINOIS 111 MARENGO CAVE 107 MARIES COUNTY, MO. , explorations in 96-98 MARION COUNTY, TENN. , caves of 131-132 MARSH, HENRY, cave on farm of 23 MARSHALL COUNTY, ALA. , explorations in 139-150 MARTIN COUNTY, IND. , caves of 106 MARTIN, LEWIS, cave on place of 113 MAUI ISLAND, aboriginal structures on 188-191 MAUNA KEA, quarry on 183 MAXEY'S CAVE, described 43 MERAMEC RIVER, house mounds on 161 MERAMEC VALLEY, relics seldom found in 22 MESHACH CREEK, caves on 121 MILL CAVE 106, 118, 121 MILLER, DANIEL S. , cave on farm of 57 MILLER, WALTER, cave on farm of 54 MILLER COUNTY, MO. , explorations in 91-96 MILLER'S CAVE-- description of 57-81 measurements of 61-62, 63 plan of 62 shells in 66-67 MILLTOWN, cave near 107 MILLTOWN CAVE, change in 108 MISSOURI RIVER, explorations along 151-160 MITCHELL, cave in vicinity of 104 MIX CAVE 53-54 MOAB, village site near 83 MOLOKAI-- deforestation of 177 former population of 175 investigations in 175-182 kind of stone found in 177 MONEY CAVE 21 MONROE COUNTY, ILL. , explorations in 111 MONROE COUNTY, KY. , explorations in 120-121 MONTAUK, cave in vicinity of 19 MONTEAGLE, caves in vicinity of 131 MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TENN. , explorations in 123-124 MORGAN CAVE 90 MORGAN COUNTY, explorations in 100 MORRELL CAVE 125-128 MORTARS-- found in caves 39, 74, 77, 78 large stone used as 187 MOSQUITO CREEK, communal burial on 153 MOUNDS-- mentioned by Lewis and Clark 152 not found in Molokai 178 _See_ House mounds; Lodge sites; Village sites. MUNFORDVILLE, KY. , caves in vicinity of 112-113 MUNRO, JAMES, acknowledgment To 175 MURRELL'S CAVE 134 NAPOOPOO, investigations at 184 NATIONAL MUSEUM, objects shipped to 81 NATURAL BRIDGE CAVE 100 "NEBRASKA MAN, " theories regarding 157-158 NEMAHA RIVER, mound on, mentioned by Lewis and Clark 152 NEW MADRID COUNTY, MO. , mounds of 166 NEWBURG, cave in vicinity of 41 NEWSOM SPRINGS, caves near 134 NIANGUA RIVER, caverns on 89 NICKAJACK, caves near 131 NICKAJACK CAVE 132 NILES, cave near 19 NORTHTOWN, cave in vicinity of 112 OLAA, bones in caves near 182 OMAHA, investigations in vicinity of 156 ONYX CAVES 22, 34-35, 90 ORANGE COUNTY, IND. , explorations in 106-107 ORANGEVILLE, caves in vicinity of 107 OSAGE COUNTY, MO. , explorations in 98 OZARK REGION, explorations in 13-100 PAGE, ROBERT, cave on land of 55 PALMER, DR. E. E. , rock house on land of 120 PAOLI, caves in vicinity of 106 PAPILLION, NEBR. , work near 156 PARIS, REV. MR. , story of Captain Cook related to 184 PARK, WILLIAM-- buffalo wallows examined by 152 skeletons exhumed by 151 "PAVED TRAIL" in Molokai 176 PAWNEE VILLAGE SITE 153 PAYNE CAVE 119 PERFORATOR AND KNIFE from Wright Cave 93 PERFORATORS, BONE, in cave 31 PERU, NEBR. , lodge sites near 156 PESTLE AND GRINDING STONE found at Laupahoehoe 188 PESTLES-- found in caves 39, 74, 77, 78 in Molokai 177 PETERS CREEK, caves on 119-120 PETROGLYPHS-- near Miller's Cave 60-61 on Gasconade River 89 _See_ Pictographs. PHELPS, JAMES, cave on farm of 24 PHELPS COUNTY, MO. -- caves of 22-42 house mounds in 162 PHILLIPS CAVE 51 PICKETT'S CAVE 129 PICTOGRAPHS-- reported near Paydown 97 _See_ Petroglyphs. PILLMAN, JOHN, cave on land of 83 PIPES-- fragment of, in cave 31 from cairn 27 from Miller's Cave 69, 80 PIQUET ORCHARDS, cave near 89 PLATTIN CREEK, house mounds on 161 POINSETT COUNTY, ARK. , mounds in 171 POLISHING STONES. _See_ Rubbing stones. POOL HOLLOW, cave in 41 POT from Goat Bluff Cave 38-39 POTTERY-- from Miller's Cave 77 from Sell Cave 46-47 of Gourd Creek Cave 31 place where made 59 unknown in Molokai 178 POYNER'S CAVE 116-117 PRIDE'S CAVE 134 PROCTOR'S CAVE 116 PULASKI COUNTY, MO. -- caves of 42-89 house mounds in 162 QUARRIES-- in Hawaii 183 on Kauai Island 191 RAILROAD CAVE 55 RAIN HEIAU of Molokai 180-181 RAMSEY'S CAVE 81-83 RANCH HOUSE, house mounds near 56 REFUSE, meaning of the term 16 RENAUD CAVE 23 RICE, WILLIAM H. , investigations of 191 RICH FOUNTAIN, house mounds in vicinity of 99, 162 RICHLAND CAVE 52 RIDDLE CAVE 56 RIDEN, J. W. , cave on farm of 22 RIDEN'S CAVE 57 RIVER CAVE 90, 98 ROARING SPRING, description of 58 ROBBERS' CAVE 90 ROCK LEDGES QUARRY, discovery at 102 ROCK SHELTERS 24 defined 16-17 in Bryant's Bluff 40 of Colbert County, Ala. 134 on Big Piney 89 ROLLA, house mounds near 41 ROLLA ROAD, house mounds on 22 ROLLINS, SAM T. , cave on farm of 52-53 ROOF DUST, use of the term 16 ROSS, JOSEPH, cairns on farm of 85, 88 ROUBIDOUX CAVE 52 ROUBIDOUX CREEK, caves on 42, 43, 44, 45, 51, 52 ROWLETT CAVE 113 ROWLETT'S STATION, caves in vicinity of 112, 113 ROYAL FAMILY OF HAWAII, former abode of 192 RUBBING STONE from Sell Cave 48 RULO, NEBR. , investigations near 154 SACRIFICIAL ALTARS. _See_ Altars; Sacrificial stones. SACRIFICIAL STONES in Hawaiian Islands 181, 186, 192 ST. ELIZABETH, caves near 94-95 ST. FRANCIS COUNTY, ARK. , house mounds in 170 ST. FRANÇOIS COUNTY, MO. , mounds of 166 ST. JAMES, house mounds near 42, 162 ST. JOHN'S BAYOU, mounds along 166 SALEM, MO. -- caves in vicinity of 20 house mounds near 22, 161 SALINE CREEK, grave on 95 SALT CAVE 115-116 SALTPETER-- Hublin's Cave worked for 130 made in Fearin Cave 139 manufactured in Morrell Cave 126 mining for, in Barnard Cave 140-141 SALTPETER CAVE-- in Barren County, Ky. 119 in Crawford County, Ind. 110-111 in Dent County, Mo. 21 in Hardin County, Ky. 112 in Jackson County, Ala. 136 in Marshall County, Ala. 140 in Phelps County, Mo. 41 in Pulaski County, Mo. 57 in Texas County, Mo. 19-20 SCHORD, JOHN W. , cave on farm of 56 SELL, DR. W. J. , cave on farm of 45 SELL CAVE, described 45-51 SEQUATCHIE COLLEGE, cave near 128 SEQUATCHIE COUNTY, TENN. , caves of 128 SEQUATCHIE RIVER, cave on 131 SERPENT, ridge in form of 194 SEWANEE, cave in vicinity of 131 SHANNON COUNTY, MO. , caves of 18-19 SHARK GOD-- stone known as 186 tradition concerning 178 SHEFFIELDS, cave at 135 SHELL, objects of, from Miller's Cave 79 SHELL HEAPS in Colbert County, Ala. 135 SHELLMOUND, caves in vicinity of 131 SHELLS, accumulation of, in Miller's Cave 66 SHELTER CAVE, defined 16-17 SHILOAH CAVE 102 SHOAL CREEK, cave on 134 SHOALS, caves in vicinity of 106 SHORT BEND CAVE 20-21 SHORT BEND POST OFFICE, caves near 20, 21 SHORT BEND ROAD, house mounds on 22 SHORT CAVE 117-118 SINK HOLES near Onyx Cave 35 SINKERS, found in Molokai 178 SINKIN CREEK, caves near mouth of 18 SIOUX, driven westward by Chippewas 172 SKELETONS-- communal burial of 151 found near Rulo 154 in mound in Crittenden County 169 _See_ Bones, human; Skulls. SKIVERS, from Miller's Cave 79 SKULLS-- found at Lost Hill 26, 27, 28 petrified 154 _See_ Bones, human; Skulls. SLABS, stone, used in vault 26-27 SLICK ROCK CAVE 120 "SLIDES" of Hawaii 185 SMITH, JAMES I. , caves on land of 19 SMITH CAVES 19 SMITH'S CAVE. _See_ Ben Smith's Cave. SMITH'S GROVE, cave near 118 SMITHSONIA, cave at 133 SPEARHEADS discovered in cave 31 SPECIMENS FROM CAVES, where found 17 SPEERS CAVE 100 SPRING CREEK CAVE 83 SPRING CHEEK VALLEY, house mounds in 22 STALACTITES-- abundant in Morrell Cave 125 beauty of, in Bridal Cave 90 _See_ Stalagmite. STALAGMITE-- abundance of, in Morrell Cave 126 in Killian Cave 139 in Luckenhoff Cave 94 in Onyx Cave 35 masses of, in McDerment's Cave 142 _See_ Alabaster; Drip rock; Onyx; Travertine. STANDING ROCK, near Linn Creek 91 STAR CAVE 107 STARK'S CAVE 96 STEFFY'S CAVE 113 STERNS, DR. FREDERICK H. , work of 156 STEUFFER CAVE 99 STOKES, MR. , work of 174 STOVER, house mounds near 100, 162 STRATMAN, HENRY L. , cave on farm of 98 "STRAWHORN'S" HOLLOW, cave in 41 STUDENTS, journey through cave by 105-106 SUGAR TREE CAMP, cairns at 40 SULLIVAN COUNTY, TENN. , explorations in 124-128 TAVERN CREEK, cave on 95 TAYLOR MOUND 151 TEETH, deductions from wear of 48, 49 TEMPLE. _See_ Great Temple. TEMPLE HILL, cave near 119 TEMPLE SITE on Senator Cooke's ranch 176 TENNESSEE, explorations in 123-133 TENNESSEE RIVER, caves on 139 TERRELL LAND, cave on 18 TEXAS COUNTY, MO. , caves of 19-20 THOBURN, J. B. , conclusion of, regarding house mounds 164 THOMAS, DAVID, village site on farm of 83 THOMAS CAVE 118, 125 THRUM, THOMAS G. , work of 174, 194 THUMB-SCRAPERS, abundant on village site 153 TICK CREEK CAVE 41 TILLMAN, CHARLES, Grave on Land of 95 TILLMAN, JOHN, graves on land of 96 TODD COUNTY, KY. , explorations in 122-123 TOMPKINSVILLE, caves in vicinity of 121 "TONKY, " caves in vicinity of 89 TORONTO, caves in vicinity of 90 TRADITION-- concerning the Shark God 178 of the "Ground House Indians" 172 TRAVERTINE-- from Wyandotte Cave 108 _See_ Alabaster; Onyx; Stalagmite. TROY, KANSAS, explorations in vicinity of 153-154 TULEY, JOHN BLACK, cave on land of 121 TUNNEL CAVE 56 TURKEY-PEN SLOUGH, village site at mouth of 40 TUSCUMBIA, MO. , village site in vicinity of 95-96 TWIN CAVES 22 VIENNA, cave in vicinity of 96 VILLAGE SITES-- in vicinity of Arlington, Mo. 40 on Big Piney 83 on Gourd Creek 34 on Saline Creek 96 on Wolf River 153 Pawnee 153 _See_ House mounds; Hut rings; Lodge sites; Mounds. WAIHEE, remains at 189-190 WAILUA, investigations at 192-193 WAILUKU, heiaus at 188-189 WAIMEA, remains near 183, 194 WARREN COUNTY, KY. , explorations in 118 WATSON CAVE 22 WAYNESVILLE-- cairns in vicinity of 44 caves in vicinity of 43, 51, 52, 56 WELBURN'S CAVE 140 WELCH'S CAVE 18 WHITE CLOUD, KANS. , explorations in vicinity of 151-153 WHITE'S CAVE 115 WIDENER, CHARLES E. , cave on farm of 23 WILD-HOG CAVE 23 WILSON, JACK, remarkable will of 92-93 WILSON CAVE 92-94 WOLF RIVER, village site on 153 WOOD, G. S. , Indian cemetery on farm of 123 WOODLAND HOLLOW, cave in 84 WORLEY, E. S. , cave on farm of 125 WRIGHT CAVE 91-92 perforator from 93 WYANDOTTE CAVE 108-110 size of 102 WYNNE'S CAVE 113 YANCY MILLS, caves in vicinity of 23, 24 YELLOW LAKE, mound opened near 172 YOARK, MARTHA, home of 44 YOARK CAVE, described 43-44 ZIMMERMAN, MARK E. -- buffalo wallows examined by 152 skeletons exhumed by 151 * * * * * +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | Typographical errors corrected in text: | | | | Page 55: deposists replaced with deposits | +--------------------------------------------------------------+ * * * * *