round passage, breaks in at two different
points not at the same elevation, and covers the nearly level floor of
the depression, about 15 acres in area, to a depth or 15 to 20 feet.

Another sink, near this, is conical in form, a fourth of a mile across
and more than 200 feet deep.

GOAT BLUFF CAVE (10)

Goat Bluff Cave, 4 miles west of Arlington, on the left bank of the
Gasconade, is at the foot of a vertical cliff 50 feet high, the slope
above rising about as much higher to the crest of the ridge. A few
yards to the west is a slight ravine through which, with a little
effort, the top of the hill may be reached. In front, the declivity,
while steep as earth will lie, furnishes fairly easy passage to and
from the river which lies 200 feet below.

The entrance to the cave is an arch 30 feet high and 75 feet wide,
facing a little east of south. The width holds nearly the same for 90
feet, whence it rapidly contracts to 20 feet; the roof meanwhile
descending to 10 feet above the floor. The extreme rear of this
chamber is nearly filled with large blocks of stone. At the front part
the floor is several feet higher along the west wall than at the east;
this condition being due to the combined action of accumulation from
the ravine above mentioned and erosion by a little rivulet which
emerges from a crevice 30 feet within the entrance and flows at the
foot of the east wall. Beyond this the floor is practically level
across the inclosed space, with a slight and uniform ascent toward the
rear. No evidence of rock bottom appears at any point.

A preliminary cut at the outer margin of the cave showed two distinct,
sharply separated strata. The lower is a red or yellow clay containing
much angular gravel such as usually results from disintegration of
limestone in which chert is abundant. Above this is a deposit of very
loose fine material. Toward the rear the upper deposit had been
disturbed by "curiosity seekers," who reported finding much evidence
of prehistoric occupation, such as ashes, charcoal, fragments of
pottery, and worked flint, as well as several skeletons, the latter
"in a sitting position." The last part of this statement is a mistake.
The bodies were closely flexed and placed on the side; the bones
settled to the bottom of the grave, while the skull, if intact, is
reached first by excavators and the conclusion drawn at once that it
is "on top of the other bones." This error of observation is quite
common amon