648 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



its west side. The Major says the top was occupied as a fort. Certainly na 

 finer site could be chosen. Thus ended our first day's work. On the second 

 day, it being decided that the mountain of the cave-dwellers would be too diffi- 

 cult for Mrs. G. to climb, Major Minor very kindly invited Mr. Thomas and his 

 nearest neighbor, Esquire Hicks, to accompany us. Our road led along the rail- 

 road track east several miles and then to the northeast up a beautiful valley, 

 interspersed with handsome pin^s. We passed on our right a detached volcanic 

 mountain with crater still extant, 300 feet across its southern rim, partly worn 

 away. To the left upon a slight knoll in the timber, was a fort evidently to com- 

 mand the s®uthern approach to the caves. 



At the distance of eight miles from Flagg Staff, and I guess twelve miles in 

 a northeasterly direction from the clifi'-dwellings, we found ourselves at the base of 

 a steep hill 700 feet high. This forms the southern extremity of a range of vol- 

 canic foot hills of the San Francisco Mountains. Ascending the hill at an angle 

 of 45°, its face being covered with powdered lava thrown from the caves near 

 the summit, we found it pretty hard work, as each step upward was sure to give 

 way downward ! The crust of this mountain was originally in a molten state, 

 which gradually consolidated into a tufaceous rock, tough and hard. To form a 

 dwelling place, a circular hole was made into the ground, probably to the bottom 

 of what would constitute the floor of the principal room, and it was then rounded 

 out into an oval or circular form, from ten to twenty feet in diameter and from 

 five and a half to seven feet in height, leaving a sufficient thickness overhead to 

 make a strong roof. Out of the main room some two or three other rooms ex- 

 tended ; serving probably as sleeping or store rooms. In some cases a room was 

 excavated much lower than the large room, probably answering the purpose of a 

 cellar. Generally the dwellings had no connection with each other, but in some 

 cases they had. At the top and southern brow of the hill was a fort with a part 

 of the walls standing, some three feet thick. It extended east and west across the 

 hill some sixty feet, evidently designed to defend the approach from the northern 

 ridge, which is about on the same level. As a general thing these caves were 

 arranged in parallel and semi-circles, commencing at the top of the hill at the 

 south end just below the fort, and extending down the sides of the mountain, the 

 lower circles being the longest. The entrances to the caves in some cases were 

 near the middle and must have been by ladders, in other cases near one side, 

 and might have been by stairs. Around many of the openings were circular 

 walls, evidently constructed to guard against accidents or as a defense against an 

 enemy. In some of these caves, well away from day light, were beds evidently 

 used by bears or wild animals. As part of the time my explorations were by 

 myself and beyond the hearing of my companions, even with a shout, the query 

 did arise, while poking around with a long stick in the low, dark cellars, what 

 would happen should I find Old Bruin at home? What gave special emphasis 

 to such an enquiry was the fact that my only weapon of defense was a stick. 

 After such reflection my stay in dark passages was not prolonged ! 



One of the largest caves was near the top by the fort and is supposed to have 



