128 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 76 



This broiigfht the work to the terminus tliat had been the aim from 

 the first, namely, the lowest level of the floor, which was thus shown 

 to be only a foot above the solid rock instead of at least 10 or 12 

 feet as the general appearance of the entrance and its surroundings 

 had indicated. It was completely cleaned off as far as this was 

 possible, but within 3 feet of the end of the trench began a mass 

 several feet in thickness of fragmentary rocks of every size up to 

 20 tons or more which had fallen from the roof and were bound 

 together by stalagmite. 



Altogether, more than 300 cubic yards of material were removed. 

 The workmen had been carefully instructed as to what the search was 

 for, and kept a close lookout, as evidenced by the very small objects 

 they were continually offering for inspection. It is safe to say that 

 not a spadeful of earth missed scrutiny ; but, aside from the artificial 

 wall, the only traces of human presence were three valves of mussels, 

 a turkey bone rudely pointed for use as a perforator, and three or 

 four bones which seem to have been subjected to fire. Not a chip 

 of flint or other stone showing work, no ashes or charcoal, not a 

 piece of pottery, were discovered. If aboriginal burials were made 

 in the cave — and the wall is almost definite proof of such fact — 

 they are either on the floor under stalagmite or in crevices now con- 

 cealed by fallen rocks. 



Numerous small fragments of animal bones were found scattered 

 singly at all depths in the material removed. Nearly every one 

 showed marks of the teeth of rodents. According to Prof. F. A. 

 Lucas, of the National Museum, they all belong to modern species 

 except one tooth, which is that of the cave tapir, and (possibly) 

 the jaw of an otter. 



BLEDSOE COUNTY 



College Cave. — About three- fourths of a mile west from the old 

 Sequatchie College is a cave which was described as the largest in 

 the county, and as the only one in which people might ever have 

 lived. The opening is about 5 feet wide and 4 feet high; and from 

 it comes a stream sufficient to run a mill. 



No other caves could be located in this county or in the Sequatchie 

 Valley north of it. 



SEQUATCHIE COUNTY 



Lakey's Cave. — ^In the foothills of the Cumberland Plateau, about 

 5 miles southeast of Dunlap, the county seat, is the largest cave in 

 the county. A great quantity of earth and rock has accumulated 

 in front of the entrance, washed from the mountain side over an area 



