36 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 76 



90 feet, whence it rapidly contracts to 20 feet ; the roof meanwhile 

 descending to 10 feet above the floor. The extreme rear of this 

 chamber is nearly filled with large blocks of stone. At the front 

 l^art the floor is several feet higher along the west wall than at the 

 east; this condition being due to the combined action of accumula- 

 tion from the ravine above mentioned and erosion by a little rivulet 

 which emerges from a crevice 30 feet within the entrance and flows 

 at the foot of the east wall. Beyond this the floor is practically 

 level across the inclosed space, with a slight and uniform ascent 

 toward the rear. No evidence of rock bottom appears at any point. 



A preliminary cut at the outer margin of the cave showed two 

 distinct, sharply separated strata. The lower is a red or yellow clay 

 containing much angular gravel such as usually results from dis- 

 integration of limestone in which chert is abundant. Above this is 

 a deposit of very loose fine material. Toward the rear the upper 

 deposit had been disturbed by " curiosity seekers," who reported 

 finding much evidence of prehistoric occupation, such as ashes, char- 

 coal, fragments of pottery, and worked flint, as well as several skele- 

 tons, the latter " in a sitting position." The last part of this state- 

 ment is a mistake. The bodies were closely flexed and placed on 

 the side; the bones settled to the bottom of the grave, while the 

 skull, if intact, is reached first by excavators and the conclusion 

 drawn at once that it is " on top of the other bones." This error of 

 observation is quite common among relic hunters, and is not un- 

 known among student investigators. 



In order to dispose of material removed in excavating, it was neces- 

 sary to start a trench from the slope outside the mouth of the cave. 

 As it progressed the substratum of clay became wetter and more 

 difficult to dig. At 40 feet from the beginning, where the trench Avas 

 11 feet deep, the seeping water accumulated until it covered the 

 bottom of the trench, so that no greater depth could be reached. A 

 crowbar forced downward for 18 inches, as far as it could be driven, 

 did not reach solid bottom. Not the slightest trace of human agency 

 was found anywhere below the top of the clay, and from this point 

 excavations were confined to the upper stratum, to which alone the 

 following description is applicable. 



This deposit was composed partly of fine loose earth, probably 

 carried in by the wind and on the feet of persons and animals ; partly 

 of roof dust ; and partly of ashes. A considerable portion of it was 

 roughly stratified in layers of varying extent and thickness, though 

 much of it was irregular, and it was mingled throughout with camp- 

 site debris. Occasional layers of roof dust several feet across in any 

 direction and of varying thickness, from a faint streak to 6 inches, 

 so closely resembled ashes that many persons could not be convinced 

 of its true character. Its occurrence in this manner indicates that 



