116 RUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bdll. 76 



into the entrance to the cave. It is said that this water soaks into the 

 g:roiind within a few rods and that just beyond are large, dry rooms, 

 well adapted for habitation, which formerly contained many evi- 

 dences of aboriginal occupation. Exploration is impossible now, as 

 the entrance was effectually closed some years ago by throwing in 

 logs, brush, rocks, and earth, in order to protect the formations. from 

 relic hunters. The water from the spring falls directly on and 

 flows into this, and can not now be turned aside. Even if it could, 

 all excavated material would have to be carried up a steep slope and 

 deposited in the field surrounding the sink hole. 



Dixon's Cave. — It is supposed, with good reason, that this was at 

 one time connected with Mammoth Cave. It can be easily entered, 

 through a large crevice, where the surface rock has fallen in. Ap- 

 proach to the bottom is down a steep and rugged slope of about 60 

 feet vertically. Within, no earth is visible, it having been entirely 

 removed by saltpeter miners, who left the rocks piled in great rows 

 from side to side across the cavern. 



Mammal Cave. — This is so named because a tusk was formerly 

 exhibited at the hotel which was reported to have come from here. 

 It was afterwards learned that the specimen was imported from 

 another State. The cave is small and damp, not suitable for living 

 or even for stopping in. 



Proctor's Cave. — This is 6 miles from Mammoth Cave. The 

 present entrance is artificial and so far as could be learned the cave 

 is a recent discovery. 



Haunted Cave. — The name is given to commemorate the fact that 

 human bones were found in it. Phj^sicians, it is said, pronounced 

 them bones of a white person. The cave, which is on Green River, 

 some miles below Mammoth Cave, was not visited, as the entrance 

 is described as a crevice through which a man has difficulty in 

 squeezing his way, while the interior is nowhere more than 8 feet 

 wide. The cave soon connects with another narrow vertical crevice 

 which reaches the surface at the top of a ridge. 



Briggs's Cave. — About 6 miles west of Cave City, and 4 miles west 

 of north from Glasgow Junction, is a cave on land of Ike Briggs, 

 which was described as fit for habitation. Its entrance is in a small 

 sink hole, on a hillside. The approach is easy, and entry not diffi- 

 cult ; but the cave receives the drainage of several acres and the floor 

 is always muddy. 



Poyner's Cave. — This is a mile east of Briggs's. While a large 

 cave, the entrance is at the foot of a sink hole an acre in area. It is 

 necessary to stoop for some distance on entering, and the bottom 

 here is rough and wet. Farther in it is dry and roomy — so much so, 

 that people in the neighborhood use one chamber as a " ballroom." 

 This part is some distance beyond daylight. As in all caves which 



