n which people might ever have lived. The
opening is about 5 feet wide and 4 feet high; and from it comes a
stream sufficient to run a mill.

No other caves could be located in this county or in the Sequatchie
Valley north of it.

SEQUATCHIE COUNTY

LAKEY'S CAVE.--In the foothills of the Cumberland Plateau, about 5
miles southeast of Dunlap, the county seat, is the largest cave in the
county. A great quantity of earth and rock has accumulated in front of
the entrance, washed from the mountain side over an area of several
acres. Formerly most of the surface drainage carrying this down flowed
into the cave, thus keeping a passageway open through which a man
could crawl. Ditches have recently been cut to turn away the water,
the entrance walled up, a solid door hung, and the cave is now used
for a storeroom. It was never habitable.

A mile north of the above-mentioned cave, toward Dunlap, is a cave
with a very large entrance: a sort of rock-house or half dome. The
floor is covered with huge rocks and a constant stream flows out. It
is said that a party once entered Lakey's Cave and emerged at this
one. There is no dry place in it.

PICKETT'S CAVE.--Seven miles southwest of Dunlap is a cave, described
as having an ample entrance, with much room inside, perfectly dry, and
opening in a cliff 20 or 30 feet above a large, never-failing spring.
The description is correct as to location, but not as to size. The
opening is about 4 feet across each way, with a slight covering of
earth on the floor. The cave winds like a flattened corkscrew. At no
place near enough to the mouth for a glimmer of light to penetrate is
the roof more than 5 feet above the floor or the side walls more than
5 feet apart.

There are two recesses in the cliff on the opposite side of the little
creek formed by the spring. They are 40 to 50 feet above the water,
each with an irregular floor of 20 by 30 feet under shelter of the
rock. No solid rock is visible in front of them, but a projecting
ledge, which seems continuous, appears on either side about 6 feet
below the present average level of the floor; and this is probably the
depth of accumulation at the front. It may be less toward the rear.
The cavities are in a stratum which is somewhat shelly and crumbles
easily.

HIXSON'S CAVE.--Six miles northeast of Dunlap is a cave said to be
large, accessible, dry, and well suited for occupancy. It is on the
side of Walden's ridge, 400 feet or more abov