296 ETHNOGEOGKAPHY OF THE TEWA INDIANS Ikih. asn. 29 



Accordiiig to information obtained from Tewa, Mexicans, and 

 Americans, a natural cave has always existed at this place. This 

 cave was deepened about 25 years a<jo by a party of miners from 

 the Middle West, under extraordinary conditions, according to 

 information obtained from Mr. E. F. Hobart, of Santa Fe. A 

 woman who resided in an Illinois town saw in a trance the Black 

 Mesa, and mineral deposits at its center. She had never been in 

 the West, but she saw it just as it is. Organizing a party consist- 

 ing of four men and hereelf, a start was made at once for San 

 Jldefonso, under guidance of the spiritual insight of the woman. 

 Thev made a camp near Hobart's ranch, and under the woman's 

 direction the men commenced digging and blasting, making the 

 ancient cave deeper. No mineral of counnercial value was dis- 

 covered. After carrying the cave to its present dimensions the 

 project was abandoned and the party returned to the East. 



The cave is at present 13 feet high at its mouth and 6 feet 

 across. The mouth is at the top of the talus slope, perhaps about 

 300 feet above the bed of the Rio Grande. The floor is horizontal 

 and the walls are quite uniform and smooth. The cave is 75 feet 

 deep, and 50 feet from the mouth is a cavity with perpendicular 

 sides, 12 feet deep. The portion of the cave near the mouth is 

 clearly in its ancient condition, unaltered. There arc traces of red 

 lines still left on the roof, evidently the work of Indians. There 

 are also concentric circle designs about 4 inches in diameter, and 

 some incised and reddened lines. It is difficult to determine just 

 where the old part of the cave ends and the recently excavated 

 portion begins, but it is not far from the mouth. 



Owing to mythological ideas even the sophisticated Tewa of the 

 present day do not like to venture near the hole. It was through 

 this hole or door that the child-eating giant went in and out. 

 From out this hole in very ancient times the mountain belched 

 smoke and fire. See further concerning this under [18:19]. 

 According to information obtained at Santa Clara Pueblo by 

 an informant, at the time of the flood the Tewa people were 

 rescued in caves at Abiquiu [3:36], Chimayo [22:18], and T unfjo. 



The oidy published reference to this cave that has been found 

 is in Bandelier: 



On the steep wide of the Tu-yo there is a cave about which some fairy and 

 goblin stories are related which may yet jirove useful for ethn(.)logical and his- 

 toric [purposes. ' 



See [18:19]. 



1 Bandelier, Final Report, pt. ii, p. 82, 1892. 



