110 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 76 



tus. These, especially the vertical one, seem to confirm the supposi- 

 tion that the roof reached out this far at a period which is quite 

 recent as compared with the age of the cave. 



To a depth of 25 or 26 feet the task of excavating was as tedious 

 and difficult as digging up a much-traveled, rocky road, the earth 

 being dry enough to scour the shovels. Then the earth grew moist 

 and within 2 feet was muddy. Cavities appeared, into some of 

 which a switch could be thrust 3 or 4 feet. Where such a cavity 

 extended under a large stone, stalactites were in process of forma- 

 tion. Soon the earth began to work into a soft mud under the feet 

 of the workmen, and at 32 feet particles and small clods were noticed 

 falling from the sides of the shaft. A foot lower this breaking 

 away became more decided. It may have been due merely to the 

 loose condition of the wet earth allowing unsupported portions to 

 fall from the freshly exposed surface, but there was also the risk 

 that the softer earth was sliding under the weight of that above. 

 The worlanen, two of whom were experienced well and cistern dig- 

 gers, declared the risk too great and demanded to be brought to the 

 surface. 



The depth reached by this shaft was at least 5 feet lower than 

 at any point inside, within 200 feet of the mouth of the cave. The 

 material, with the exception of the sand layer, was almost identical 

 from top to bottom, there being no apparent difference other than 

 increase of moisture in the lower part. The only explanation sug- 

 gesting itself at present is that the chasm is filled with large loose 

 rocks up to a point near the bottom of the shaft ; that debris from the 

 hillside above has covered these more rapidly than it could settle in 

 the crevices and cavities among them; and that water which makes 

 its way downward finds some obstruction to its free passage out at 

 the bottom of the chasm. 



The only safe plan of excavation seems to require the removal of 

 all the earth between the side walls to a depth below the mud. If 

 the rock bottom, or any solid bottom, is at a depth of 120 feet, there 

 is small chance that man lived in this region at a time when it was 

 easily accessible. 



Saltpeter Cave. — ^This is about 600 yards northwest of Wyandotte 

 Cave. " The entrance, in a side of a ravine, is 5 feet high and 19 

 feet wide. Once within, a gigantic room expands, 220 feet long, 75 

 feet wide, and 10 to 30 feet in height, with smooth flat ceiling and 

 earthen floor, the latter descending and with its edges much encum- 

 bered with fallen rock." [W. S. Blatchley.] 



From the description given, this would seem an ideal site for 

 research. Unfortunately, the bottom of the ravine is not more than 

 5 feet lower than the top of the talus at the entrance. This slight 



