Vol. 60.] HUMAX REMAINS IN GOUGHS CAVERX, CHEDDAR. 339 



deep rent, at the bottom of which is a backwater of the subterranean 

 stream that now flows out a few yards west of the entrance to 

 Gough/s Cavern. 



Before leaving this part of the subject, two interesting stones in 

 the vestibule should be noted. The one marked c (fig. 1. p. 335) 

 is a rectangular block of limestone resting horizontally upon an old 

 surface in the cave-earth, about 3| feet below the upper calcareous 

 deposit. When the earth was cleared away from it the workmen 

 found a large number of flint-chips embedded in the earth at its 

 base, and some still resting on its upper surface. The tabular block 

 had apparently served as a tool-bench to some cave-dwelling worker 

 in flint. 



Near by, on the left-hand side of the entrance to the vestibule, is 

 a projecting stone which has been rounded at its edges, rubbed 

 smooth, and polished in a striking manner. Buckland. 1 referring 

 to stones similarly polished in the German caves of Zahnloch and 

 Gailenreuth, quotes the opinions of Goldfuss & Bosenmiiller. that 

 the rubbing and polishing are due ; to friction from the skin and 

 paws ' of the animals (bears) which in remote ages frequented the 

 caves. 



Fig. 2 (p. 336) illustrates the mass of successive deposits which 

 have been cleared out of the entrance and vestibule down to the level 

 of the line g, which marks the present floor ; the darker shading 

 shows what still remains. 



The lower bed of stalagmite. — This floor, upon which the 

 cave-earth rests (f, fig. 2). is a hard crystalline deposit. It covers 

 the rocky floor of the vestibule and passages in some parts, but in 

 others, and especially in fissure g (rig. 1, p. 335). it has some inches 

 of sand and pebbles beneath it. 



The lateral fissure (g, fig. 1), in which the human remains were 

 found, may now be described. "Cntil quite recently it remained 

 absolutely choked with rock-debris and earth. But as the waters 

 that entered the cavern from the fissures on the south side of the 

 cave drained backward towards the low level marked I on the 

 plan (fig. 1), the chambers and passages were often flooded : and this 

 state of affairs causing great loss to the owner, he determined to 

 clear out the lateral fissure^/ (fig. 1), and drain off the flood-waters 

 into it : thus, as it afterwards appeared, imitating Nature's own 

 method of getting rid of them. It was while this project was 

 being put into execution that the discovery was made. 



The sections (figs. 4 & 5, pp. 340, 341) will give an idea of the 

 succession and proportional thickness of the deposits that had to be 

 cut through. It was found that a sudden drop of a few feet occurred 

 at the mouth of the fissure, and this brought the accumulation to a 



i i 



Reliquiae Diluvianae' 1823. pp. 130-37. 



