, 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