JONES: EXPLORATION OF A CAVE AT ELBOLTON, NEAR THORPE. 87 
white incrustation of carbonate of lime, more or less stalactitic, in 
some places soft, in others hard and crystalline. In the narrow upper 
passage there is a mass of stiti' tenacious clay containing- a quantity 
of angular particles of limestone and sand. At present there is no 
stream of water passing through the cave, though, after heavy rain- 
falls, water comes freely from the roof. It is evident that there are 
other openings to the cave as the roof must be near the surface, and 
there are two or three small pot-holes in the direction of the cave. 
The floor of the first chamber consists of angular pieces of lime- 
stone, both large and small, together with stalactites interspersed 
with a small amount of clay. It is evident they have fallen from the 
roof and not been carried hither. We have not ascertained the thick- 
ness of this deposit. We think it will be at least eight feet. We 
pierced into this floor at a spot about ten feet from the entrance, 
and during the four visits we have made to the caves, an experimental 
trench across the chamber has been dug to the depth of about five 
feet. The character of this upper cave earth still continues the same ; 
the stones are all loose, though some of them are larger and freer from 
clay than the surface ones. So far we have found no rolled pebbles 
or foreign stones ; what seemed to be such have turned out when 
washed to be the curved parts of fallen Stalactites or Limestone 
Fossil Shells. In order to provide a zone between tlie undisturbed 
ground and the material tlirown out of the trench, we placed news- 
papers on the floor upon which we piled the stuft' from the trench. 
From the beginning the bones of animals were interspersed in the 
debris. Prof. Miall kindly determined a few bones and teeth I sent 
him after our first visit. Our collection of remains has since vastly 
accumulated, and we have had no opportunity of ascertaining fuU}^ 
their character. 
Human remains of one or more individuals have been found at 
each visit. Last Wednesday, (Aug. •22nd, 1888), the lower jaw of 
an adult was exhumed, it is evident death has not been recent, as the 
strong and massive jaw has been sufiiciently long in the gTound to 
absorb much calcareous matter ; it is now much heavier than a recent 
one would be. The upper jaw, with portions of the skull, were found 
on the following Monday. 
