superincumbent earth was removed by a trench whose boundary was the
solid rock on each side until the cave widened to more than 8 feet
between the walls; then a width of 7 to 9 feet was excavated midway
between the sides, the entire trench having a length of 92 feet, or
reaching nearly to the vertical wall at the rear. For about 60 feet
the earth was removed to the rock floor. At this distance the floor
dipped. The bottom of the trench continued to follow the same level it
had held to this point, in the belief that the dip in the floor was
due to a crevice or slight erosion channel and would soon disappear,
bringing the rock to its normal position. This was not the case;
several holes were dug, the deepest one 3 feet, into the mingled clay
and rock, without finding any evidence of a solid bottom. The
conclusion seemed certain that the passage leading from the entrance
of the cave to the large room at its farther end was only a tributary
or branch of a cross-cave extending in an east and west direction, as
intimated above. Prof. Eigenmann, of the State university, reached the
same conclusion through surveys not connected with this work. Under
the circumstances further digging seemed useless; for if this should
be a cross-cave the bottom would probably, almost certainly, be on a
level with the stream now flowing through the central passage, while
if it should prove to be only a cellar-like deepening, it would not be
utilized for a habitation.
At 30 feet from the entrance the accumulated earth had a thickness of
6 feet; from there it rose gradually to the roof at the end.
At 37 feet, in a pocket of coarse sand on the rock floor, such as
settles in a gentle current, were four fragments of bone. There is not
enough of them to identify with certainty, but they seem to belong to
a deer, a turkey, and some bird about the size of a quail.
At 66 feet in, a foot lower than the surface of the bedrock (being 5
or 6 feet beyond the above-mentioned dip), were small fragments or
particles of charcoal, or what had every appearance of such. They were
in earth that showed the lamination or stratification due to
successive water deposits, and had been introduced in the same manner.
The entire earth deposit below the sand capping showed this
lamination, sometimes horizontal, sometimes curved, proving a long
period of deposition. Further evidence of age is found in the
travertine, 7 inches thick, that occurs on top of the earth at the
back of the cave.
In the absence of all other evidence the specks of charcoal can not be
accepted as proof of human life in the vicinity at the time these
deposits were forming.
While the work was in progress three students from the university came
through the central cave in a small boat, having entered through a
sink hole 3 miles away in an air line. At some point of their course
they lost their lanterns and made the remainder of the journey in
absolute darkness, feeling their way along the walls, dragging or
carrying the craft over shallows, and at one place lying flat in the
bottom and propelling the boat by applying hands and feet to the roof,
which was less than a foot above the water.
MARTIN COUNTY
Various caves are reported in the vicinity of Shoals. Those whose
location was clearly given are merely "rock houses" or recesses in the
Carboniferous conglomerate bluffs bordering the east fork of White
River. Some of them would make fairly good shelters, but all which can
now be examined are at so low a level that the river gets into them or
very close to them in flood periods. Consequently there is no
probability that ancient remains are to be found in them. Some of the
shelters higher up on the cliffs may have been utilized, but the
bottom of these is now covered with huge blocks, some weighing a
hundred tons. It is true that such rock houses, in all parts of the
country, were regular resorts for modern Indians, and they probably
furnished shelter to the earliest inhabitants of this region, no
matter how remote the period of occupation. But owing to their open
front and the exposed situation of most of them, it is quite possible
that the wind may remove the fine material falling from roof and sides
almost as fast as it is deposited. At any rate the débris on the
floors is seldom more than 3 or 4 feet deep, and articles very plainly
of no great age are frequently found at all levels in it.
In a few places along the river bluffs limestone crops out beneath the
sandstone, and springs occasionally appear along the line of junction,
eroding small cavities, but these are subject to overflow, and none of
them has an opening large enough to enter without crawling.
ORANGE COUNTY
VICINITY OF PAOLI.--From this town six caves were visited, all that
could be located by diligent inquiry. None of them has any particular
designation except "Mill Cave," which is so named because the stream
issuing from it furnishes power for a flour mill. The water covers the
floor at all seasons.
One, though quite small, could have been occupied at a former period,
but the roof and front fell in some years ago, entirely closing it.
A third has a small entrance on a hillside. A steep and rough descent
was followed beyond reach of daylight without coming to a level
bottom.
The other three are very small with rock bottoms.
FRENCH LICK SPRINGS.--Two or three miles from this place is "Star
Cavern," which is advertised as being of great size and beauty. The
immediate surroundings are quite romantic and deserve the praise
accorded the spot by visitors. The cave itself, however, more
resembles an artificial tunnel than a natural result of erosion. The
floor is clean rock with a little brook flowing over it.
Two other caves not far from Star Cave are dry, but with solid rock
floors, so they were not visited.
ORANGEVILLE.--Near this place are the so-called Gulfs of Lost River.
The stream sinks a few miles east of Orleans, emerges at the "Gulfs"
from one side of a very large sink hole with precipitous margin, and
immediately goes out of sight again in a deep pool or chasm. It
reappears a mile or so away at the foot of a cliff where, after heavy
rains, it boils up like a gigantic fountain. Numerous small caves or
sink holes exist in the neighborhood, three of which were reported as
being dry, lighted, having good entrances, and well suited for
habitancy. One of them is at the bottom of a sink hole on a hill. The
descent is steep and rocky for 20 feet (it was not followed farther)
and no doubt so continues to the level of the river which flows almost
directly under it.
The two others are in the principal "Gulf." They are open and of good
size, but mud high on the walls shows they are filled with water in
wet seasons.
CRAWFORD COUNTY
MARENGO CAVE.--This is growing famous as it becomes better known.
Blatchley says that in it "are probably crowded more beautiful
formations of crystalline limestone than in any other known cave of
similar size in the United States." Visitors who have been in both say
it surpasses Luray Cavern in the magnificence of its sheets and
columns of deposited material.
As it was not opened until 1883, and the bottom can be reached only by
a stairway 60 feet high, it was of course unknown to the aborigines.
A small cave near Marengo has an opening on a hillside, and can be
directly entered from the outside; but it is at times a passageway for
a strong current of water 3 feet deep and extending the full width of
the cavity.
MILLTOWN.--A mile north of the town is a large cave which would
furnish an abode for scores of people. The entrance is in a slight
depression on the level upland west of Blue River. The descent is down
an easy slope of fallen rock and earth about 30 feet deep to a rock
floor. Beyond the foot of the slope there is a slight thickness of
earth, so that explorations could reveal nothing that had a certainty
of antiquity.
There is presented here a fine example of the manner in which caves of
this character become exposed to the upper world. At first, there was
an underground channel draining the adjacent country over a territory
of varying extent, sometimes many square miles. At some point the roof
fell in more rapidly than in other parts, until at last it became so
thin as to give way entirely. If the débris was not sufficient in
amount to extend above that part of the roof which remained intact on
either side, so that it would be gradually carried away, the cave
would remain open in both directions, as is the case at the "Gulfs"
just described and at other caves statements of which appear in
subsequent pages. Usually the débris quite chokes up one side and all
the superficial drainage is turned into the other, which is thus kept
open. In time, the slope around the depression becomes tolerably
uniform except close to the entrance, and there is no outward
indication that the cave ever extended farther than the spot where the
new entrance is located. So the cave, as it is now open to
examination, is only a portion of the original passage, and as the
explorer pursues his way, he may be going toward either the former
mouth or the source. In the former case, he comes out of a large
opening, or what was formerly such, on some slope in the neighborhood,
or descends until his way is obstructed by water. In the latter, he
may find his way shut off by diminishing passages, or he may descend
to lower levels through newer drainage channels cut by the streams
which have been reversed and forced to carve other outlets for
themselves.
This change occurred in the Milltown Cave a very long time ago.
Standing on the débris, several feet within the entrance and beneath a
part of the roof now perfectly dry and showing no marks of percolating
water, is a stalagmite 31 inches in diameter, which has weathered to a
depth of 3 to 4 inches from atmospheric influences alone.
WYANDOTTE CAVE.--So much has been printed concerning this celebrated
cavern that no mention need be made of its interior features. The
place seems excellently adapted as a habitation for primitive people.
It is situated on a hill at whose foot is the bank of Blue River. Five
miles away, as the road runs, is the Ohio. The backwater sometimes
reaches up the tributary for more than 10 miles. The flint-bearing
stratum of the Harrison County aboriginal quarries outcrops a short
distance away and appears at several points within the cave. The
country is extremely rugged, and good springs occur frequently. Game
was formerly abundant in the hills, and Blue River still rewards the
angler with various species of fish, many of them of large size.
A former race, presumably the modern Indian, did much work within the
cave. Tons of travertine or stalagmite, the so-called alabaster, have
been quarried from some of the deposits, while a large number of flint
nodules has been dug out of the cave-earth where they fell from the
disintegrating limestone. Some of this labor was carried on more than
a mile from daylight.
The mouth of the cave was formerly almost closed by a mass of talus.
About 10 feet has been removed from the top of this, so that one may
now walk in without difficulty. On the inner side of the portion
remaining there is a slope for 96 feet, to a vertical depth of a
little more than 27 feet. The next 100 feet gives a descent of about 3
feet; then another steep slope begins. The first point at which
bedrock floor is found within the cave is 120 feet lower than the
point of entry. It is supposed that the drainage to which the cave
owes its origin was outward; if this was the case the floor must be
more than 120 feet below the roof at the doorway. While this may be
true, it is not indicated by the condition of the visible strata. For
about 50 feet outward the side walls are nearly parallel and nowhere
more than 30 feet apart. Then they terminate at an angle in the
outcrop of the ledge along the hillside. The appearance and condition
of the upper strata, together with this narrow separation of the side
walls outside the cave, produce the impression that at a period not
very remote the roof of the cavern reached to the outcropping ledge in
which the walls end. Even though the rock floor should be at the great
depth supposed there is a possibility that an earth floor could be
found below the detritus which has accumulated since the roof fell in
or has worn away.
To test the matter a shaft was begun at a point 16 feet in front of
the doorway. This was as near as such work could be done without
interfering with the advent of visitors, and allowed a margin of 30
feet toward the outer slope. The shaft, 6 feet in diameter, soon
passed into a compact mass of red clay filled with rocks of various
sizes. At 14 feet down this was broken by an irregular stratum
averaging a foot in thickness, of coarse sand or fine gravel with a
slight admixture of clay, such as would form in a running stream. Its
slope was inward or toward the cave. As there are sandstone ledges on
the hillside above, this sand may have come from them, but, if so, it
is singular that none appeared elsewhere. At 18 feet down was a mass
of travertine measuring nearly 3 feet across and from 6 to 12 inches
thick. It had formed around the lower part of a stalagmite 18 inches
long, and the bottom of the whole formation rested horizontally on
clay. This gave the excavators hope that an earth floor had been
reached, as the stalagmite was vertical and resembled in all respects
stalagmites in the cave. But it was soon found to be a foreign
inclusion, and the same confused mixture of clay and stone continued
below as above. Various fragments of stalactites and stalagmites were
found as part of the detritus. These, especially the vertical one,
seem to confirm the supposition that the roof reached out this far at
a period which is quite recent as compared with the age of the cave.
To a depth of 25 or 26 feet the task of excavating was as tedious and
difficult as digging up a much-traveled, rocky road, the earth being
dry enough to scour the shovels. Then the earth grew moist and within
2 feet was muddy. Cavities appeared, into some of which a switch could
be thrust 3 or 4 feet. Where such a cavity extended under a large
stone, stalactites were in process of formation. Soon the earth began
to work into a soft mud under the feet of the workmen, and at 32 feet
particles and small clods were noticed falling from the sides of the
shaft. A foot lower this breaking away became more decided. It may
have been due merely to the loose condition of the wet earth allowing
unsupported portions to fall from the freshly exposed surface, but
there was also the risk that the softer earth was sliding under the
weight of that above. The workmen, two of whom were experienced well
and cistern diggers, declared the risk too great and demanded to be
brought to the surface.
The depth reached by this shaft was at least 5 feet lower than at any
point inside, within 200 feet of the mouth of the cave. The material,
with the exception of the sand layer, was almost identical from top to
bottom, there being no apparent difference other than increase of
moisture in the lower part. The only explanation suggesting itself at
present is that the chasm is filled with large loose rocks up to a
point near the bottom of the shaft; that débris from the hillside
above has covered these more rapidly than it could settle in the
crevices and cavities among them; and that water which makes its way
downward finds some obstruction to its free passage out at the bottom
of the chasm.
The only safe plan of excavation seems to require the removal of all
the earth between the side walls to a depth below the mud. If the rock
bottom, or any solid bottom, is at a depth of 120 feet, there is small
chance that man lived in this region at a time when it was easily
accessible.
SALTPETER CAVE.--This is about 600 yards northwest of Wyandotte Cave.
"The entrance, in a side of a ravine, is 5 feet high and 19 feet wide.
Once within, a gigantic room expands, 220 feet long, 75 feet wide, and
10 to 30 feet in height, with smooth flat ceiling and earthen floor,
the latter descending and with its edges much encumbered with fallen
rock." [W.S. Blatchley.]
From the description given, this would seem an ideal site for
research. Unfortunately, the bottom of the ravine is not more than 5
feet lower than the top of the talus at the entrance. This slight
elevation is the only barrier which keeps the surface water from
flowing in, and while the ravine seldom has any water in it, there
would be enough after a moderate rain to drown out the diggers who
were working below its level if the bank were removed.
LITTLE WYANDOTTE.--This, like three caves on Blue River above
Wyandotte, four in the vicinity of Leavenworth, and one on the
opposite side of the river in Meade County, Ky., has a small entrance
in solid rock, with a steep and narrow passage to the foot of a slope
which does not expand into a room of any size until at some distance
beyond daylight.
HARRISON COUNTY
The only cave of any note in Harrison County is at the King quarries,
5 miles east of Corydon. It has two outlets, one at the foot of a
little cliff, through which a fine spring has an exit; the other in
the face of the cliff, about 10 feet higher and a little to one side.
The latter discharges more or less water after every rain. The
drainage of several large sink holes is through the two openings. The
owner says mud has accumulated to a depth of 3 feet on the floor
within his remembrance, due to cultivation around the sink holes,
which causes the soil to waste.
* * *
ILLINOIS
MONROE COUNTY
MAMMOTH CAVE.--The so-called "Mammoth Cave of Illinois" is near
Burksville, in Monroe County. An opportunity was afforded to visit it
while engaged in the cave work. It is very extensive, according to the
owner's description, being "7 or 8 miles long." The mouth is at the
bottom of a sink hole, and the cave is now reached by a narrow
stairway 40 feet high. Formerly it was necessary to clamber down the
walls, stepping from ledge to ledge with a foot and a hand on either
side. Then a ladder was made, said to have been 50 feet long; and,
with more frequent visitors, the stairway followed. The crevice is
very short, a mere crack, apparently made by water working its way
down from the bottom of the sink. All the drainage within the rim goes
into the cave, and it accumulates in the rainy season until the floor
is covered. A farmer living near says he has seen the water from the
cave rise until it covered the bottom of the sink hole. As similar
depressions are numerous in the vicinity, probably the combined inflow
is greater than the cave can carry away. The floor has been leveled
and a close pavement of large slabs laid over the muddy portions. No
one has ever heard of human remains being found anywhere in the cave.
* * *
KENTUCKY
Crossing the Ohio River from the southern Indiana cave region, the
counties of Kentucky lying in the belt of lower Carboniferous
limestone were next visited. No cave that seemed worth examining could
be heard of above the extreme southern portion of Hardin County. The
sections examined will be taken in their geographical order from north
to south.
HARDIN COUNTY
HUTCHINS OR BRADLEY CAVE.--This is in the bluff bordering on the left
bank of Nolin River, 2 miles west of Upton. It was reported that human
remains had been found in it. The present owners, who have known the
cave for a long time, never heard of any such finds. The entrance is
low and narrow, so that access to the cave is to be had only by
creeping several yards. The cavern then expands into a very large
chamber, separated into three by curtains or partitions of stalactites
and stalagmites. Very little of floor, roof, or walls is to be seen,
being almost entirely covered by secondary deposits. Some of these are
remarkable for size and beauty. There is no probability that the cave
was ever inhabited.
SALTPETER CAVE.--This is 3 miles southwest of Upton. It has a large
entrance and an earth floor, but the dirt has all been worked over for
making saltpeter, so there is nothing to search for.
HART COUNTY
LAIRD'S CAVE.--About 2 miles north of Northtown is a large, roomy
cave, with a good entrance, but water drips from all parts of the
ceiling, and the floor is muddy and rocky. The drainage from 3 or 4
acres of hillside flows over the arch of the entrance and logs 6
inches in diameter are carried into it by the surface floods.
LOCK'S CAVE.--This is a mile east of Rowlett's Station, near the top
of a ridge, and lying nearly parallel with its crest. It affords
another instance of a cave which has come to light only after a
portion of its roof has fallen in. The detritus entirely conceals the
opening at one end. The other end is entered by going down the fallen
rocks over a slope of 15 or 20 feet, which leads to a bottom strewn
with rocks. In such cases there can be nothing under the loose
material, because the cave had no entrance until this had fallen in.
GARVIN CAVE.--This cavern, which is 3 miles southeast of Munfordville,
has an opening at the bottom of a sink hole, requiring a rope or
ladder for descent.
HARLOW CAVE.--This is 3½ miles southeast of Munfordville. It is a very
large cave, apparently, as the slope down the débris is more than 40
feet high, to a rocky shelf, beyond which the descent was followed
some yards without finding any indications that a level bottom was
near. It is another illustration of the fallen roof.
WYNNE'S CAVE.--Three miles south of Rowlett's Station is a large sink
hole. Stones thrown into the vertical shaft at the bottom can be heard
striking the sides for three or four seconds before coming to rest.
WASH. ROWLETT CAVE.--On "the old Lewis Martin place," 1½ miles west of
Rowlett's Station, a section of roof, 20 or 25 feet across, has
dropped into a deep cavity. The sides are still insecure. The descent
to a spring under what appears to be the original roof is somewhat
more than 40 feet. The ceiling is not more than 6 feet high.
STEFFY'S CAVE.--Four miles southwest of Munfordville between 200 and
300 feet in length of the roof of a high and wide cave has fallen in.
Ice remains in this cave until May or later every year.
JOEL BUCKNER'S CAVE.--About 10 miles northeast of Munfordville is a
large cave with the entrance on a hillside. The roof has evidently
extended several rods farther out than at present. The front part of
the cavern is wide and high, but is now nearly filled with débris. The
roof slopes at about the same angle as loose material within, there
being not more than 3 feet of space between the two at any place
nearer than 30 feet from the present mouth. Rocks thrown back showed
the same uniformity of slope to continue at least several yards and
the depth there to be about 20 feet below the top of the detritus at
the mouth. This cave was suitable as a habitation before the material
now choking the mouth had accumulated, provided water was obtainable.
The nearest spring now is more than a mile away. An exploration would
require, as a preliminary, the removal of several hundred cubic yards
of compacted rocks and clay.
HARRY BUCKNER CAVE.--Half a mile north of the cavern last named is
another with a very narrow entrance. The floor, which slopes downward,
is solid rock in part, and the place is not adapted for occupancy.
CUB RUN CAVE.--Cub Run is a little settlement 12 miles west of
Munfordville, near the Edmonson County line and about equidistant from
Green River and Nolin River. Two miles in a direct line south of the
village is a cave or rock shelter which has much local notoriety from
the fact that three skeletons were found in it. They were imbedded in
mixed ashes and earth and accompanied with several pestles, bone
perforators, three flint knives, a small celt, and part of a clay pipe
stem. One of the skeletons was that of a child not more than 8 or 10
years old. It has been pronounced the frame of a white child on
account of the shape of the skull, but is more probably Indian, as the
three were found together. Two of the bodies had been laid side by
side; the other was near their feet at a right angle to them. In the
back of the child's head is an incision somewhat over an inch long.
The skull is slightly fractured downward from one end of this cut, and
the corner or angle thus formed in the bone is pressed outward.
A flint implement found almost in contact with the skull fits closely
into the aperture and may have produced it, as the form of the wound
could have been thus caused.
The cavity or chamber of this cavern is about 100 feet across in each
direction. There is a small opening near the back which has been
examined to a distance of 75 or 80 feet, being there obstructed by
large blocks of sandstone similar to those which fill the space from
floor to ceiling along the back end of the shelter.