90 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull, tg 



cordance with the oiiginal plans. Whether it be clue to the national 

 appreciation of aichitectural beauty or the national appreciation of 

 ability to do things in a large way, the palace seems to impress most 

 visitors more than 'the remarkable combination of natural features. 



The principal >'javes in the vicinity have distinctive names, as 

 "Onyx" (there \:>eing two thus called), "Robbers'," "RiA^er" (this 

 because there is k stream in it which can be crossed only in a boat), 

 " Bridal," etc. Others are named for the owners of the land, or from 

 some peculiarity, as " Dry," " Bunch," " Morgan," " Arnholdt." 

 Many are not deemed of sufficient importance to have specific titles. 



All those named were visited, as well as a number of the others. 



A detailed description is not necessary. Not one of these caverns 

 has ever been occupied unless as a temporary shelter. Some are 

 flooded at intervals, either from the outside or by interior drainage ; 

 some have very restricted entrances and are dark at the front ; some 

 have rock floors or muddy bottoms; some can be entered only by 

 clambering over talus to an opening at the bottom, or near the 

 bottom, of a sink hole. Some shallow cavities, which under different 

 conditions would be available as rock shelters, are in places difficult 

 of access, remote from water, or otherwise unsuitable. 



Some of these caverns have wonderful deposits on ceilings, walls, 

 and floors, rivaling in beauty and ornate patterns those of the most 

 famous caves of the country; and if they were easily accessible or 

 could be conveniently explored, would attract hosts of visitors. One 

 in particular, the " Bridal Cave," so called from a mass of stalactite 

 material fully 10 feet from side to side at the top, which hangs in 

 delicate translucent loops and folds and convolutions, equals Luray 

 or Wyandotte for beauty, though not for extent. 



It was reported that two walled graves stand on a " bald " on the 

 farm of Will Robert Eidson, on the divide between the Niangua and 

 the Little Niangua Rivers, about 4 miles north of Roach post office. 

 They were described as " rocks laid up in a regular wall about 4 feet 

 high, and about 30 steps square, and filled up inside with rocks." A 

 visit to the site disclosed two ordinary cairns, made by throwing 

 weathered limestone boulders into a rounded heap. Both piles have 

 been scattered, and as they now exist one is about 25 feet, the other 

 about 30 feet across. Such exaggerated, misleading descriptions are 

 common, and result in much fruitless investigation. 



Several caves are reported in the vicinity of Toronto, in Camden 

 and Miller Counties; especially the Cokely Cave, 4 miles from 

 Brumley on the Linn Creek road. From the descriptions given 

 l)y informants, none of them appear to be suitable for habitation. 



Many cairns exist on the ridges in this region, especially on high 

 points overlooking valleys. All of them were built up with chert 



