662 PROCEEDI^^GS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.46. 



the arch was partially examined, and a few arrowheads and chips of 

 flint were found together with some animal bones intermingled in a 

 mass of wood ashes and charcoal. At one point the mass of ashes 

 was some 18 inches in thickness. 



''Saltpeter Cave" is a large cavity near the left bank of Little 

 Saline Creek, about 12 miles southwest of Ste. Genevieve. No evi- 

 dence of Indian occupancy was met with. Various caves are said to 

 exist near the Establishment Creek, some miles north of Ste. Gene- 

 vieve, but they were not visited. 



THE "SALT PANS." 



The fragments of large pottery vessels met with in vast quantities 

 in the vicmity of the salt sprmg, and on the village site just below the 

 mouth of the Salme, represent two distinct types of ''pans." The 

 first, and probably the more numerous, show the impression of woven 

 or braided fiber or hair on the outer surface, the inner surface bemg 

 smooth. In the second variety both the outer and mner surfaces are 

 smooth. Careful search was made in all excavations to ascertain, if 

 possible, whether the two forms occurred in distinct strata in the 

 masses of ashes, burnt stone, etc., but at no point were such conditions 

 met with. As has been mentioned in the description of the area 

 immediately south of the spring, large "smooth" vessels were found 

 here, and no pieces of "cloth marked" pottery were found in the 

 excavation. This conforms with the evidence gathered at the site 

 near Kimmswick. There on the high plateau above the spring, the 

 site of the settlement or camps, not a single example of "cloth 

 marked" ware was discovered in the excavation, which covered about 

 one-third acre. Four large vessels, ranging from 21 to 32 inches in 

 diameter, were discovered, in addition to vast quantities of fragments 

 of similar vessels; but all were smooth. Similar fragments had been 

 used in Iming graves in a near by group. At the foot of the elevated 

 ground, near the bank of a small creek, was a spring of salt water. 

 An excavation made near the spring reached the undisturbed clay at 

 a depth of about 3 feet. Resting upon the clay was a stratum, some 

 18 mches in thickness, composed of fragments of large pottery ves- 

 sels, fresh-water shells, animal bones, ashes, and charcoal. Above 

 this was a deposit of alluvium. Of the large number of fragments of 

 vessels met with in this excavation aU, without exception, bore the 

 imprint of a woven or braided fiber. On the surface of the ground 

 near the spring were a few pieces of smooth ware, similar to the many 

 examples discovered on the plateau. Here we have conclusive evi- 

 dence that the two varieties of vessels were made and used at different 

 periods, also that of the two the "cloth marked" is the older. 



Among the numerous pieces of fabric marked pottery found near 

 the Saline were some showing the imprint of unusually fine and well- 



