re of foreign material in this hole than
elsewhere in the dark earth above and around it. It is shown in figure
30.

[Illustration: FIG. 30.--Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 471/2
feet.]

The amount of shells, pottery, etc., had been decreasing for several
feet before this point was reached; indeed, from 40 feet onward there
was very little of it--enough, however, to show that all the dark
earth had been disturbed and thoroughly mixed. The fire beds, too,
while holding their depth of about a foot, contained more earth
between the successive layers of ashes, showing as great age,
probably, as those nearer the entrance, but less continuous
occupation. This condition prevailed to about 60 feet from the
entrance, at which point the yellow earth, now mixed with sand and
gravel, was only 3 feet below the surface of the floor. The appearance
of this line is sketched in figure 31.

[Illustration: FIG. 31.--Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 60
feet.]

At 62 feet there was a dip in the yellow earth, extending to 67 feet
and 2 feet deep at its lowest point; it then rose to the usual level.

At 70 feet ashes appeared in greater quantities; at 73 feet the dark
earth was only a foot thick, the ashes and burned earth being 2 feet
thick and apparently all dumped, as there was no definite arrangement
of the various parts. (See fig. 32.) A small perforated disk and a
double-pointed bone needle were found here.

The fire beds now began to thin out rapidly, the dark earth also
diminishing in quantity, until at 80 feet, from which point the
entrance was no longer visible owing to curvature of the walls, there
was only 5 or 6 inches of them in all, resting directly on the yellow
earth, which contained much more clay than farther toward the front.
The walls began to diverge here, forming a room whose greatest width
was 11 feet 6 inches at 95 feet. At 100 feet a reverse curve brought
the cavern on a course parallel to that which it had held up to 60
feet.

[Illustration: FIG. 32.--Cross section of Fort Deposit Cave at 70
feet.]

At 90 feet there was evidence of fire at one side, the ashes and
burned earth being 5 inches thick at the wall, and thinning out to a
feather edge within 4 feet. This was the last fireplace discovered
which may not with certainty be attributed to white men. The yellow
earth, presenting no evidence of having been disturbed since
originally deposited, reached from the superficial layer o