1883.] 249 [Sharpies 



through the caves we frequently found these roots coming through 

 the apparently solid roof. 



One of the negroes illustrated on one of these the use of the 

 primitive big toe. We had observed the great development of 

 the big toe among these people and now we found a reason for 

 it ; they use it as a thumb in climbing. He clasped the root in 

 this manner with his hands and feet and ascended it with 

 ease, though he was a fellow weighing over a hundred and fifty 

 pounds. 



The opening in the first cave led into a large, roughly circular 

 chamber which in former times had evidently been a place of 

 considerable resort, as the walls were blackened in many places 

 by smoke and the fireplaces and ashes were plainly to be seen. 

 On the walls of this chamber are a number of rude drawings, 

 which in most cases are evident attempts to imitate the human 

 figure. In one of the branches of this cave the first explorers 

 found two bowls and a chair. They were evidently of aboriginal 

 manufacture, being similar to those described by the early visitors 

 to this region as in use by the inhabitants, and they must have 

 been in the cave upwards of three hundred years, since it is about 

 that time since the Spaniards took the Indians to the happy 

 hunting grounds and depopulated the islands. 



Everywhere, except under the openings, these caves contain a 

 peculiar red earth ; in some cases this is only a few inches in 

 thickness, in other places it half fills the cave and in many it fills 

 the cave to within a few inches of the roof, having a depth of 

 over twenty feet. 



The impression in passing through the caves is that of an 

 immense warehouse in which the earth has been purposely piled. 

 This earth is a mixture of sulphate and phosphate of lime with a 

 small amount of alkaline chlorides and more or less organic 

 matter. It seems to be almost destitute of organic remains. A 

 singular circumstance connected with the deposit is the fact, 

 that, while surrounded on all sides with carbonate of lime, it is 

 itself almost free from this substance. It is very wet, the moisture 

 when it is first taken out averaging forty per cent. A number 

 of analyses have been made by myself, Dr. Liebig of Baltimore 

 and others. The following may be taken as representing the 

 composition of a fair sample partly dried. 



