178 THE MAMMOTH CAVE. 



to pieces by the weights which had been placed 

 upon it as to be of no value. There is no doubt 

 that by proper efforts discoveries might be made 

 which would throw light on the history of the 

 early iahabitauts of this continent. A highly 

 scientific gentleman of New York, one of the 

 early visitors to the Cave, says in his published 

 narrative : 



"•^On my first visit to the Mammoth Cave in 

 1813, I saw a relic of ancient times, which re- 

 quires a minute description. This description is 

 from a memorandum made in the Cave at the 

 time. 



"'In the digging of saltpetre-earth in the Short 

 Cave a flat rock was met with by the workmen, 

 a little below the surface of the earth, in the 

 Cave : this stone was raised, and was about four 

 feet wide, and as many long ; beneath it was a 

 square excavation about three feet deep, and as 

 many in length and width. In this small nether 

 subterranean chamber sat in solemn silence one 

 of the human species, a female, with her wardrobe 

 and ornaments placed at her side. The body was 

 in a state of perfect preservation, and sitting erect. 

 The arms were folded up, and the hands were 

 laid across the bosom ; around the two wrists w^as 

 wound a small cord, designed, probably, to keep 



