Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-07-11
AN OLD INDIAN STOREHOUSE.
Discovery Of the Cave Where the Red
Men Used to Hide Away Lead--Curi-
Gus Copper Implements, DC.

COoperStoWn, n. T., Cor. N. I. World
A few days since w. H. Wedger, E.
A. Strong and J. w. Shove were visiting
Sleeper's Gorge, near Lamensville, this
county. This gorge is one of the widest
places in the State. In exploring the
rocks and ravines Strong fell from
ledge of rocks several feet to a pile of
driftwood on the edge of diego creek.
He was not hurt, but ia order to extri-
cate him from his position his compan-
the rocks and remove guam
tity of the debris In doing this
they discovered an opening in the rocks
large enough to permit the passage of
mans body. The three visitors crept
through the opening and found them
selves In narrow passage which was
dripping with water. A few feet
from its mouth, however it became
dry and dusty. The men followed it
for twenty feet, and it having gradually
widened they thought it deserved
thorough examination, and they returned
to the village for lights, ropes, ladder,
&c. Each with lantern re-entered the
cavern. The tunnel-like passage led
them for fifty feet into the ledge, when
they found themselves in an apartment
about thirty feet square with ceiling
nine or ten feet high. The walls were of
flint and sharp and ragged. A strong
current of cold air prevailed, although
there was no opening to be found any
where to the cave other than the en-
trance. A dry, fine dust lay on the
floor to the depth of several inches
There was no dampness in the cavern
In one corner of the cave what seemed
to be a mound of dust about two feet
high was revealed by lights. An ex-
animation was made of this and several
inches of dust being removed a heap Of
what was at first thought to be stones
was discovered. These proved to be
Jumps of pure solid lead. A number of
curious copper implements were found
in various parts of the cavern, and near
the pile Of lead a human skeleton, with
the large bones and the skull well pre-
served, was buried beneath thick layer
of dust. These relics were removed |
from the cave, and the lead weighed in
the aggregate more than ton. The dis
covery was followed by great excite
ment, and hundreds are focking daily
to the gorge to see the curiosity.
There has been legend in that part
of the Susquehanna valley, from
the days Of the first settlers, that the
Indians had a secret lead mine some
where in the locality, where they OBJ
tanned material for the bullets, and
specimens from which they frequently
sold in the settlements. The mineral
discovered in the cave is free from for
eign substances, but there is no indica-
ton anywhere about the neighborhood |
of the existence of mine from which it |
might have been taken. The theory is
advanced that this cave was known to
the Indians, and they brought lead from
the lake country for use along the Sus-
quehanna, and stored it in the cave.
The skeleton is that of an Indian. No
suspicion of the existence Of this cave
wasever had in the community, nor is it
mentioned in any Of the numerous tradi-
tons and family legends of that region,
which is peculiarly rich i'll lore Of that
kind. The copper implements would
seem to denote that representatives Of a
race older than the Indians have visited
this cavern.