FOWKB] ARCHEOLOGICAI. INVESTIGATIONS 29 



social gatherings ; but in recent years it has been used as a barn and 

 storehouse. The owner, Mr. Valentine Allen, gave cheerful per- 

 mission for all the excavation that was desired, subject only to the 

 proviso that the floor be put back in condition suitable for the pur- 

 poses for which he needed it. And it is only fair to state that he 

 was not at all difficult to satisfy in this respect. 



A stream coming from^ the interior had a flow at the close of the 

 long drought in 1918 sufficient to fill a 2-inch pipe with a rapid fall; 

 in wet seasons the w^ater spreads from wall to wall until it comes to 

 within 100 feet of the mouth. 



Back in the cave, where the slope is greater, it has sufficient volume 

 and force to carry away all pebbles smaller than coarse gravel and 

 the material that finds lodgment among the stones. 



The cave is easily traversed for almost 600 feet; beyond this are 

 narrow crevices and tortuous passages, where explorers must fre- 

 quently crawl or clamber. One adventurous party proceeded until 

 they reached an opening on the other side of the hill ; but this was 

 so choked by fallen rock and debris from the hillside as to be im- 

 passable. In storms a strong breeze passes through the main en- 

 trance, in or out in accordance with the direction of the wind. 



Owing to the irregular outline of the cliffs, the w^idth of the 

 entrance can not be accurately given. From side to side, well under 

 the front of the ceiling the distance is 110 feet. Two himdrecl feet 

 toward the interior it contracts to 50 feet. At the entrance the walls 

 are vertical to a height of 25 feet ; a short curve at the top on either 

 side, due to the breaking away of the ledges, connects them with 

 the roof, wdiich is somewhat higher. Being a single massive stratum, 

 the top is practically horizontal, but the floor constantly rises from 

 the front w^ith a slight and fairly uniform grade. The front cham- 

 ber is straight and well lighted for 300 feet, Avhere it turns abruptly 

 westward ; from this point the floor is solid rock which the water 

 keeps comparatively free from any loose matter except heavy blocks 

 from the walls or top. 



Beginning at the entrance is a deposit whose farthest extension 

 reaches 100 feet into the cavern. It is composed to a small extent of 

 sand and clay carried by the stream, and of earth blown or washed in 

 from the outside ; but, as investigation proved, it is mainly ashes from 

 prehistoric fires. The surface of this deposit, especially toward the 

 inner end, is very uneven, being higher near the walls than through 

 the central portion. This is due to two causes : In very wet seasons 

 water has carried away much of it, and a large amount has been 

 hauled out by the owner to scatter over his fields as a fertilizer. He 

 reports that in the course of this work he found quantities of pottery 

 fragments, broken bones, flints, and " two or three " human skeletons, 

 with fragments of others. This is the basis for the assertion, fre- 



