CA VE-HUNTING. 247 



excavations had been conducted in a quiet 

 corner of the cavern, where only the finest film 

 of carbonate had collected. With the point of 

 a sharpened stick I broke away part of the 

 incrustation, and revealed a band of clay con- 

 taining more bones. Beneath this came a laver 

 of red loam, richer in remains than the clav, if 

 it did not wholly consist of organic matter. We 

 had seen what we had seen ; and Grip and I 

 agreed that the matter should remain a pro- 

 found secret until another day. 



I am sorry to say that my generally faithful 

 friend upon this occasion broke confidence ; for 

 that evening I saw him, covered with red loam, 

 returning from the hole with another dog — not 

 a scientific dog, but a foolish-looking poodle — 

 and I afterwards found that the two had been 

 prospecting on their own account. 



Next morning, however, we went to our 

 " Fairy Hole," this time provided with a short- 

 handled pick, a spade, a pail of water, a brush, 

 and a wooden box. Then we went to work. 

 Gip vigorously, I sedately. We first removed 

 several small blocks of limestone; and, after 

 clearing the way, began to work the clay. 

 This yielded an enormous quantity of bones, 



