, a task of no slight difficulty. The water in places was
shallow and the current only moderately rapid. Considering the fact
that it furnished potable liquid for ourselves and horses, and that
the line of trees which skirted the bluff was available for firewood,
our camp compared well with many which we subsequently made in our
summer's explorations.

[Illustration: BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY

SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT PL. XCI^_b_

CAVATE DWELLINGS--OAK CREEK]

The section of the cliff which was examined embraced the northern
series of these caves, extending from a promontory forming one side of
a blind or box canyon to nearly opposite our camp. Adjacent to this
series of rooms, but farther down the river, on the same side, there
are two narrow side canyons, in both of which are also numerous caves,
in all respects similar to the series we chose for examination. At
several points on the summit of the cliffs, above the caves, large
rectangular ruins, with fallen walls, were discovered; these ruins
are, however, in no respect peculiar, but closely resemble those
ordinarily found in a similar position throughout this region and
elsewhere in Arizona and New Mexico. From their proximity to the caves
it would seem that the cavate dwellings, and the pueblos on the
summits of the mesas in which they are found, had been inhabited by
one people; but better evidence that such is true is drawn from the
character of the architecture and the nature of the art remains common
to both.

Let us first consider the series of caves from a point opposite our
camp to the promontory which forms a pinnacle at the mouth of the
first of the two side caverns--a row of caves the entrances to which
are shown in the accompanying illustration (plate XCII). I have
lettered these rooms, as indicated by their entrances, _a_ to _l_,
beginning with the opening on the left.

The rock in which these caves have been hewn is very soft, and almost
white in color, save for a slightly reddish brown stratum just below
the line of entrances to the cavate chambers. Although, as a general
thing, the wall of the cliff is almost perpendicular, and the caves at
points inaccessible, entrance to the majority of them can be effected
by mounting the heaps of small stones forming the debris, which has
fallen even to the bed of the river at various places, and by
following a ledge which connects the line of entrances. The easiest
approach mounts a steep decline, no