138 BtTREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [boll. 76 



floor of the cave would be practically at its present level. Under 

 the circumstances exploration would probably, almost certainly, be 

 fruitless. The company which owns the cave would also wish it re- 

 stored to something like its present state. 



Ellis Ca\t:. — On the estate of Dr. Ellis, 19 miles north of Fort 

 Payne and 3 miles from Sulphur Springs, are two caves known 

 locally as Big-mouth and Little-mouth. The smaller is closed by a 

 locked gate. The larger has a rather imposing appearance from the 

 outside. From a ledge of rock, in place, in front of it, one looks 

 down a steep slope in Avhich rocks up to 40 or 50 tons weight are im- 

 bedded. At a vertical depth of 30 feet is a level space not more than 

 8 or 10 square yards in area. From this a narrow crevice goes to the 

 right. Within a few yards it reaches a hole which can be descended 

 only by means of a rope or ladder. Persons have, however, gone sev- 

 eral hundred yards in it. 



On the left of the level space and bounded on each side by solid 

 rock walls is a pit 10 feet deep, caused by inflowing storm waters 

 which have created this depression in seeking a small outlet, also to- 

 ward the left. The height from the bottom of this sink to the roof 

 of the cave is nearly 60 feet. 



Crossing this pit on a foot log, which rests on loose rock and earth 

 at its farther end, a crevice var3dng from 6 to 10 feet wide goes 

 inward for 50 feet. Earth covers the loose rock at the level of the 

 foot log almost at once, and this earth has a steep ascent toward the 

 rear. The crevice widens beyond the distance mentioned, though 

 irregularly, being in some places 25 feet from side to side. So far as 

 progress is concerned, the cave terminates 150 feet from the doorway 

 in a blank wall. It may be that if the earth were out of the way 

 further progress would be possible. 



Considerable digging has been done for saltpeter, but except near 

 the front it has been only superficial. 



The top of the earth at the extreme rear of the cave is almost or 

 quite as high as the roof at the front, which means that, if the bot- 

 tom should be level, the thickness of this accumulated deposit is not 

 less than 35 feet. As the dip is toward the rear and quite sharp, 

 about 10 or 12 degrees, the earth here may well be much thicker than 

 indicated. 



Excavation would be tedious and costly, as it would be impossible 

 to dispose of the dirt except by blasting a deep trench through the 

 rock in front to make room for wheeling it out. 



KiLLiAN Caves. — There are two of these, both on the west slope of 

 Lookout Mountain. One is near Brandon, 6 miles south of Fort 

 Payne. The entrance is a large sink hole on the side of the moun- 

 tain, descent into which is difficult owing to the steepness and large 

 rocks. At the bottom the water which flows in over the muddy floor 



