Rocky Mountains. 3S 



which here, form the north bank of the river. At times of 

 high water, the Ohio flows in, and fills the cave nearly to its 

 roof. In this cave, it is said, great numbers of large bones 

 were some time ago found, but we saw no remains of any- 

 thing of this kind. Impressions and casts of the shells of 

 submarine animals are seen in the rocks, forming the sides 

 of the cave, as in all the stata of compact limestone, in this 

 region. The organic remains' here, do not appear to be so 

 numerous as those of the rocks at the falls, and at Cincinnati ; 

 and are much less distinct, and visible in the fracture; in- 

 deed the fracture generally exhibits to the eye no vestige of 

 organic remains. It is upon the surface only, and more 

 especially in such parts of it as are in a certain stage ot 

 decomposition, that they are at all to be distinguished. 



As far as we could discover, they consist, chiefly of the 

 caryophyllse, similar to the radiated species, so common at 

 the falls of Ohio; of the encrinus, but of this our specimens 

 were not so perfect, as to enable us to determine the analo- 

 gy. Numerous other remains were exhibited, but not 

 sufficiently characterized, to be referred to their proper 

 places in the system. The top of the cliff, into which this 

 fissure opens, is said to be the favourite haunt of great num- 

 bers of birds of prey. This is not improbable, as many 

 hawks and birds of prey always choose high and inaccessi- 

 ble cliffs to build their nests in. We saw about the tops of 

 these rocks, only one pair of hawks, which we took to be of 

 the red shouldered species, (Falco lineatus,) hurt a heavy rain, 

 which commenced soon after we had ascended, prevented us 

 from procuring a specimen. About the cave, we found 

 some fragments of pottery, arrow points, and other articles 

 of Indian manufacture. 



Near Shawaneetown are extinsive salt manufactories, at 

 a place heretofore called the United States' Saline, afford- 

 ing employment and a source of trade to a part of the inhabi- 

 tants of that village. Common salt, with the nitrates of 



vol. i. 5 



