66 



OLAFSEN AND POVELSENS 



cause those who take refuge in it can discover all who come 

 towards them, and prevent them from ascending, while the 

 attacking party is obliged to proceed in darkness. 



At ten paces from the ascent, we discovered an elevation of two 

 feet and a half, extending thirty-six feet, by fourteen in width, 

 and having in the middle a path about two feet broad. It is pre- 

 cisely in front of the entrance, so that one cannot proceed farther 

 into the cavern without scaling it: it consists of lava stone of 

 a square form, which must have been conveyed from the outside, 

 and we are satisfied beyond a doubt, that this cave must have been 

 the retreat of the criminal fugitives to whom we have alluded. 

 The bottom is covered with a very fine black sand, on which they 

 spread sheep-skins, which served them for beds : it is large enough 

 for twenty persons to lie with convenience, provided they place 

 themselves across, instead of along it. 



Near this spot we found a large heap of sheep and ox bones, the 

 base of which was twelve feet in circumference ; they had pre- 

 served their form and natural colour; but on taking them into the 

 hand, they were so soft that they crumbled to pieces. We 

 demolished the upper parts of this heap, and, on reaching the 

 lowermost stratum, we found it almost in a state of dust; the 

 bones of which it had been formed resembling boiled peas, from 

 which the water had been strained. The remains were still moist, 

 and possessed a sort of glutinous quality ; we found that the mar- 

 row of these bones had separated, from corruption, into two 

 parts longitudinally. 



Our travellers expected to meet with some other remains of 

 antiquity ; but their researches were fruitless, all the caverns and 

 other parts of the country having doubtless been searched, and 

 excavations made in them with great assiduity, particularly at the 

 time of the Stourloungues, when there was a great scarcity of 

 arms. Our party only found in the place just mentioned, as ap- 

 propriated for rest, a single small tool, which was but half 

 finished ; it was five inches and an half long, and formed a 

 kind of bodkin, the upper end of which was perforated in two 

 places, and the lower end was incomplete. It appeared as if this 

 instrument had served the fugitives for a needle to sew their sheep- 

 skins, and the rags which they used for cloaths. They saw no 

 traces of hearths, except some stones placed in squares, and 

 which had been reddened by the action of the fire ; but they 

 found neither cinders nor ashes. There is reason to believe, that 

 they ate their food in the two large chambers or cavities already 

 mentioned, which must have been more convenient by securing 

 them in a great degree from the smoke, which had no proper 

 outlet. 



