114 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 76 



child on account of the shape of the skull, but is more probably In- 

 dian, as the three were found together. Two of the bodies had been 

 laid side by side; the other was near their feet at a right angle to 

 them. In the back of the child's head is an incision somewhat over 

 an inch long. The skull is slightly fractured downward from one 

 end of this cut, and the corner or angle thus formed in the bone is 

 pressed outward. 



A flint implement found almost in contact with the skull fits 

 closely into the aperture and may have produced it, as the form of 

 the wound could have been thus caused. 



The cavity or chamber of this cavern is about 100 feet across in 

 each direction. There is a small opening near the back which has 

 been examined to a distance of 75 or 80 feet, being there obstructed 

 by large blocks of sandstone similar to those which fill the space from 

 floor to ceiling along the back end of the shelter. 



There is another very large block just at the entrance, in which are 

 one shallow and two deep circular depressions which were probably 

 mortars. Bones of deer, bear, and other animals have been found 

 within a foot or two of the surface both outside and inside of the 

 cave. Contrary to what is usual in sandstone cavities of this sort, the 

 outside earth slopes upward from the entrance and after heavy rains 

 considerable water flows into the cave. This makes the earth on the 

 floor quite sticky at times, although it is mainly sand, containing very 

 little clay. 



The skeletons were found at a depth of about 16 inches, close to the 

 side wall. A small trench dug where they were unearthed showed, 

 in succession, a layer of ashes 4 or 5 inches thick and not more than 

 3 feet across, a foot below the surface of the floor; a few inches of 

 earth ; a layer of ashes an inch thick, at two feet ; below this, yellow- 

 ish undisturbed sand, apparently fallen from the sandstone roof, and 

 continuing to the rock floor, which was about 32 inches below the top. 



Another trench was dug about midway across the cave and the same 

 distance from the front as the skeletons were found. This was on or 

 close to the line of heaviest drainage into the cave and the earth was 

 so wet as to be very sticky. A few little patches of what appeared to 

 be ashes but which had not resulted from fires made on the spot, 

 three or four broken mussel shells, and a chip of flint were found in 

 the first 18 or 20 inches. More than this amount of earth could 

 easily have washed in since they were left here by modern Indians. 

 Below this level the earth contained not the slightest object of human 

 origin, to the rock floor which was found at a depth of 6 feet. On 

 the rock was nearly pure sand, probably the result of disintegration ; 

 some clay lay on this; then the mixed loam, sand, and clay composing 

 the outside soil. 



It would appear that this cave was utilized as a place of shelter at 

 irregular intervals by Indians in tolerably recent times; that at least 



