CAVE AT KIRKDALE, 



9 



buried there, which some years since died of a dis- 

 ease called the murrain, which proves that they 

 from existing circumstances conceived that the Cavo 

 had been accessible from the slope of the hill, and 

 that the mouth of it had been filled up either by rub- 

 bish which had been placed against it, or which had 

 fallen down from the higher ground. One of the work- 

 ^nen said also, that he had found a few bones two or 

 three years before in the same quarry, not many 

 yards distant from the floor of the cave. These, I 

 conceive, had glided down through a vertical fissure, 

 which had conveyed them in an oblique direction, 

 in consequence of a part of the crevice being filled 

 with marly clay ; the other part being open to afford 

 them a passage. A crevice of this description ex- 

 isted in the floor of that part of the cave which has 

 been removed, which I saw and examined. There 

 is no doubt of this opening being a natural cavern, 

 that it was the residence of Hyaenas, and that re- 

 mains of other animals found in it were such as thejr 

 killed and brought home, or finding them dead 

 dragged them piecemeal to their den. 



The main direction of the cave is E. S. E. deviating: 



9 



from a straight line by several zig zags to the right 

 and left, as seen by the prefixed plan.* Its greatest 

 length is about 300 feet; the appearance of its inte- 

 rior is particularly grotesque, it fills the mind with 

 peculiar sensations ; and when you come to a place 



* I have copied the plan from that taken and drawa 

 by W. Salmond, Esq., being in the cave with him when 

 be was finishing his measurement for it, and knowing, it 

 t be correct. 



P 



