l08 BUREAU OF AMERICAN- ETHNOLOGY [bull. 76 



There is presented here a fine example of the manner in which 

 caves of this character become exposed to the upper world. At 

 first, there was an underground channel draining the adjacent 

 country over a territory of varying extent, sometimes many square 

 miles. At some point the roof fell in more rapidly than in other 

 parts, until at last it became so thin as to give way entirely. If the 

 debris Avas not sufficient in amount to extend above that part of the 

 roof which remained intact on either side, so that it would be 

 gradually carried away, the cave would remain open in both direc- 

 tions, as is the case at the " Gulfs " just described and at other caves 

 statements of which appear in subsequent pages. Usually the debris 

 quite chokes up one side and all the superficial drainage is turned 

 into the other, which is thus kept open. In time, the slope around 

 the depression becomes tolerably uniform except close to the en- 

 trance, and there is no outward indication that the cave ever ex- 

 tended farther than the spot where the new entrance is located. 

 So the cave, as it is now open to examination, is only a portion of 

 the original passage, and as the explorer pursues his way, he may 

 be going toward either the former mouth or the source. In the 

 former case, he comes out of a large opening, or what was formerly 

 such, on some slope in the neighborhood, or descends until his way 

 is obstructed by water. In the latter, he may find his way shut off 

 by diminishing passages, or he may descend to lower levels through 

 newer drainage channels cut by the streams which have been re- 

 versed and forced to carve other outlets for themselves. 



This change occurred in the Milltown Cave a very long time ago. 

 Standing on the debris, several feet within the entrance and beneath 

 a part of the roof now perfectly dry and showing no marks of per- 

 colating water, is a stalagmite 31 inches in diameter, which has 

 weathered to a depth of 3 to 4 inches from atmospheric influences 

 alone. 



Wtandotte Cave. — So much has been printed concerning this 

 celebrated cavern that no mention need be made of its interior fea- 

 tures. The place seems excellently adapted as a habitation for primi- 

 tive people. It is situated on a hill at whose foot is the bank of Blue 

 River. Five miles away, as the road runs, is the Ohio. The back- 

 water sometimes reaches up the tributary for more than 10 miles. 

 The flint-bearing stratum of the Harrison County aboriginal quar- 

 ries outcrops a short distance away and appears at several points 

 within the cave. The country is extremely rugged, and good springs 

 occur frequently. Game was formerly abundant in the hills, and 

 Blue River still re\^ards the angler with various species of fish, many 

 of them of large size. 



A former race, presumably the modern Indian, did much work 

 within the cave. Tons of travertine or stalagmite, the so-called ala- 



