126 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [boll. 76 



The sink hole is due to the falling in of the roof of the cave, 

 which coulcl no doubt be followed to the river if it were free from 

 obstructions in this direction. 



North of west from the mouth of the cave is another opening, 

 partly in the same strata but 40 feet higher, the clip of the rock 

 being 10 or 12 degrees to the southeast. This was so blocked with 

 talus which had fallen from the cliff and washed down the side of 

 the sink hole that it was necessary to creep nearly 40 feet from 

 the entrance, down a moderate slope, before coming to a point 

 where it was possible to stand upright. From here progress to the 

 junction of the two caves, about half a mile from the entrance, is 

 easy except where fallen rocks interfere somewhat. 



Early in the Civil War a large amount of saltpeter was manu- 

 factured here. A dam was constructed just within the mouth of the 

 main cave, and in the pool thus formed boats were used to transport 

 the material from the interior. The workmen not required for 

 handling the craft usually preferred to walk through the upper cave 

 to the place where the earth was procured. 



The combination of natural features at this place is unusually fa- 

 vorable to aboriginal habitation. The main cave is excluded from 

 consideration by reason of the stream filling it from wall to wall 

 after very heavy rains. The upper cave, however, showed, beyond 

 the debris choking the entrance, a level floor, cumbered, it is true, by 

 fallen rocks, but apparently quite suitable for a dwelling place 

 were these removed. Although opening toward the north, its posi- 

 tion so far below the summits of the surrounding hills protects it 

 from winter winds. The creek assures an ample supply of clear cold 

 water. Mountains, refuge for game, are in sight in various direc- 

 tions, while the Holston River is less than a quarter of a mile away. 



In order to remove the debris a point 3 feet below the lowest spot 

 on the floor was selected on the slope outside. From here a trench 

 was carried in on a level, the additional depth being taken to facili- 

 tate clearing away all material that had accumulated inside the 

 cavern in comparatively recent time, and thus lighten the task of 

 deeper excavations should these be required. The trench needed to 

 be only wide enough at the bottom to allow room for running a 

 wheelbarrow, but owing to the great amount of broken rock, loosely 

 held together by a small quantity of earth, the sides continually gave 

 way, so that by the time it was safe to pass through the trench was 

 25 feet wide at the top and 24 feet deep at the mouth of the cave. 

 The rocks were of every size from small pebbles to blocks weighing 

 more than a ton each. 



Nothing whatever of artificial character, not even a flint chip or 

 fragment of charcoal, was unearthed until at a point 4 feet inside 

 the farthest projecting stratum of the roof. Here was found a pre- 



