The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-08-29

arc paiu In wages 10 tue natives Oh y. Britain. -
II letter from a gentleman in Bowling Green to
his friend in RusseilUiNe, kentucky, descrittipe
ola Cave.
BowLINo-GREEN, June 10, 1909.
On the 10Th Of the present inst, l. in
company with a number of others, went to see
large cave that has lately been discovered in this
county, it is found On the lands of 4 Mr. Brown,
on the north side of the road leading from Stew
arts fry to the widow Lucas's it is one mile
from the ferry and four east wardly of the Bowl.
ing Green. The ground immediately over The
cavern is depressed about 8 or o feet below the
common level Of the barrens in the bottom of
this depressionis the hole ny which we were to de-
scend tits four feet in diameter and through
solid rock, after descending about SIX feet, we
passed through the rock dark gloomy yap,t
then presented itselfto vfcwin every direction :;
in sfking Ave and twenty feet more, we came to
the spot that supported our conductor, small
perpendicular pole above thirty feet long when
the fire was thrown down and our candies light
ed up, we discovered that we were standing on
the summit OF subterranean mountain that
broke off SO abruptly TO the westward that if anv
one Of us had fallen from the pole in clmbne.
Down or up, he must have rolled near one hun
dred feet before he came to the bottom, excenS
some casual circumstance had prevented such
Nas an intervening rock that had detached itself &
fallen from the arch above.
Our lights prepared, we began our march
down the rapid descent to the westward the
first thing that arrested our attention in particu
lar, was human bones, which were found in con
siderable numbers from within few feet of
where we landed until we reached the bottom of
the mountain bones Of every description are tn
be found in abundance. though mostly decaved
and broken to pieces, yet two skulls were taken
out entire few days anterior to our visiting the
place one OF them have examined, il is larger
fhan common, the sinciput is fatter the super.
ciliary rigde of the os fronts higher the two
tables and diploe thicker than in anv human
skull ever before noticed. cai!us formed nv
the dropping of water covered the os occipitis &
parietalia nearly to the coronal sut,,,r fbis
was the case with many those in the cave one
place in Particular not less than half b,tshel of
bones lay concealed together, and in many others
they are to be found adhering to- the rocks 80
tenaciously as not to be got off without breaking
these bones appear to have been the natural con.
sequences resulting from the efIusion of much
blcod that they were slain in Battle, is to be in.
ferred from the following circumstances.
First, the appearances Of old Notifications and
places defence in the vicinity of the cave, which
are prominent features OF trouble Secondlv
the manner III which the bones lie, plainly shew
that they were thrown down, from the ton in a
furry, and left to roll of promiscuouslv. as the
situation below, and chance directed Them
Thirdly, from tire appearance as to the time tbev
have lam there, ell equally superannuated and
corroded down by the unretentinE hand of time.
Fourthly, because they appear To- have been the
bones of adults exclusively many Of them old
men Here, as in other viWparous animals of the
class ofmamroalia, age is evinced by the teeth the
incisores and molares being considerably worn A.
way by long and frequent mastica,on; that thev
bones Of men and1iot Of women, is suspected
from the following circurn instances Those of
men arc larger in general the processes and RI
gosstIes more prominent, and the fosss siniIes
aud snuosIties for the insertion aud Judgment of
the muscles, tendons, nerves and blood vessels
are more distinctly marked in men than in ,yo.
men, all which circumstances seem plainly to oc
cur in those immediately under our considerati.
ON besides, il is we'll known fact, that the
borigines of America are, and ever were tegaci.
Gus Of their dead, and will, at the risk of their
lives, bear of The bodies of their slain brethren IN
safe place Of deposit; here then, they found /,
and here it was, that the earth opened her bow
els to receive them, reeking from their hands. &
here, no doubt, she iIas preserved them for ages.
free from intrusion or contempt, until the present
more iriquisitiye and audacious generation has
dared to ,nsult their names BY trsmplmg on their
ashes with unhallowed feet