228 



( Contintted from Vol. XI. , page 45. ) 



SECOND REPORT.— THE EXCAVATION AND GENERAL 

 RESULTS. 



By John Ward. 



INCE the first report, three years ago, systematic exca- 

 vation has been carried on in this cave at irregular 

 intervals, chiefly in winter. My helpers have been the 

 two brothers Rains, and their cousin, Mr. C. Gregory, 

 the young men, it will be remembered, who made the discovery 

 of bones in this cave. Upon them has fallen the chief share 

 of the above work ; and I cannot proceed without first testifying 

 to the highly creditable manner in which they have done it, 

 and to their keen interest and perseverance, in spite of its labo- 

 rious character. They deserve the best thanks of our Society. 



The results have come short of what was anticipated. For this 

 nobody, of course, is to be blamed, unless the old users of the 

 cave for their want of appreciation of 19th-century archaeology ! 

 In cave-digging, as in barrow-digging, appearances are decidedly 

 deceitful, and one must be prepared for blanks. Still, although 

 the investigation, so far, cannot be said to have thrown new light 

 upon primitive man and his times, it has by no means been a 

 wasted work, as will be seen in the sequel. The chief aim, how- 

 ever, of this report is to set forth facts rather than inferences, and 

 facts so presented that the readers may form their own conclu- 

 sions and pronounce upon those herein stated. There is a very 



