Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-02-22
AMONG THE ROCKS.
A Cavern on Cane Creek Explored.
NUMBER III.


Prof Bradley having heard of cave on
Cane Creek which was said to contain hui
man remains determined, last week, to
take his class and explore it. The party
went out on the Knoxville and Kentucky
Road by Thursday evenings train, and on
Friday morning having procured some
picks and shovels, proceeded to the cavern.
1t is known as the kirkpatrick Cave"
and opens on the land of Mr.. Offutt, on
ridge near the mouth of Cane Creek.
Several persons living in the vicinity
Joined the party, with torch-lights, and it
was decided to survey the extent of the
cave before excavating. Numberless stall
aetites hung from the lofty ceilings, like
icicles on winter day and huge columns
and mounds of stalagrnite rested on the
floor, formed by accumulation from the
drip above. Springs of pure water, clear
as crystal, were seen and some very
beautiful specimens of carbonate of lime,
crystalized on the surface of the rocks, were
chopped off for the University cabinet.
These crystalizations are exquisitely deli
cate and fragile, and resemble the hoar-
frost of a cold winter morning.
The faring of the torches in various di-
rections-from the nights above and from
the depths below-as they moved through
the darkness, presented scene of almost
unearthly aspect. The beauty of the cavern
has been much spoiled by the smoke of
torches and the vandalism of relic seekers.
After collecting goodly number of
specimens peculiar to caves, the party re-
turned to place within few feet of the
entrance, where the human remains were
said to exist, and commenced digging. The
main object was to learn whether any
utensils or other articles existed with the
bones, which might determine the race to
WI thQU hQlnnoro6
soon found, some even on top of the floor
of the cave. AS the work proceeded down.
ward, more perfect specimens were found.
Leg and arm bones, a nearly entire skull
and set of teeth, and pieces of ribs were
dug out. 1t was remarked that the teeth
were all perfectly sound, evidently indi-
eating dearth among the dentists of those
days. Some of the surface bones bore
marks of animals teeth, having been
gnawed. Some were found inbedded in
the hard rock; through one a root had
grown; all were in an extreme stage of
decay, and had every appearance of hav-
ing lain there many hundred years. Bits
of mica, which must have been brought
from the Smoky Mountain range, and river
shells-especially one of the genus 10
were found, which, together with the pc
euliar shape of the bones, indicate, as Prof.
Bradley thinks, that these are neither the
remains of Europeans nor Indians, but
of the ''mound builders" race inhab-
iting the continent before the Indians, two
thousand or more years ago, whose mounds
are found scattered over various parts of
the Mississippi Valley, and about whom
so li6tle is known. No utensils or other
articles which might more surely indicate
their origin were found, as it was hoped
they would be.
More extensive excavations will be made
in the spring, with the expectation that
some discovery may be made which will
tell us something more of who and what
these mysterious people were.
The party also visited the steam saw
mill of Messrs. Burr, Richardson, Terry
& Co., at the mouth of Cane Creek. We
understand that it saws from to 10 thou
sand feet of lumber per day, with a capa-
city for IA thousand feet. Eight to ten
hands are employed constantly in running
the mill; sometimes fourteen. The river
(Clinch) bank is lined for two miles with
floating RATS, comprising some thousands of
logs which have been brought down from
various points; some as far up the Cumber-
land Gap. This is one of the GAINESVILLE,
Ohio, mills of the largest size and does an
enormous amount of work.
The kindness of Mrs. Rose derserves
especial mention, as well as others in the
vicinity, who extended the hospitality of
their houses during the stay.
STUDENT.