Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-09-26
WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES.
Large Numbers of Skulls and Bones
of a Prehistoric Race Found in a
Grundy County Cave.


remember a notice made some time
ago of some bones found in a cave
near Viola, and sent to DIR. Black,
which beyond doubt are human
bones. The cave referred to is about
nine miles from Viola, .l4 miles from
McMinnville and six miles from AL
lamont. The exact location is on the
right hand side of the public road
leading from McMinnville to Alta
mont, 100 yards from the Warren
and Grundy county line in Grundy
county, and about 300 yards from the
road. This cave, though so easy of
access has been almost obscure to
even the oldest citizens in this North
cut's) Cove. There is not even a path |
leading to it. Tall trees overshadow |
it and rank weeds and briars sur
round it.
1t was some time last spring when
my brother and some others visited
this cave and by accident found the
bones, of which you saw an account.
He and again visited this cave in
June, but saw nothing very interest
ing, more than had been previously
discovered. Since that time | have
been teaching near the cave, and,
being a lover of natural scenery, have
made it point to visit all the caves /
could, and on last Saturday morning,
in company with Squire Smart, p.
X. Northcut and others, l made my
second visit to the above mentioned
cave; and while it was the intention
of our party to see only the things
which others had seen, we made a
discovery, that, when fully known,
will furnish large field Of thought
for the scholars of our country, and
cause much conjecturing by the ig-
norant and unlearned.
Just before leaving the cave Mr..
Northcut and myself, at his request,
made a little search for more bones.
After closely examining every nook
where we thought there was likely
to be anything of the kind, we were
about to abandon the search, when
Mr.. n. said to me: 81 believe this is
askull," and began pecking on little
rounded bump, which l told him was
only the solid rock of the bottom of
the cave. soon changed my mind,
, for two or three blows with the stone
in his hand knocked a hole through
a human skull. We saw at once
there were dozen more just like this
= one, so we agreed to 60 to a neigh
boring house and get some tools
with which to dig out the rock from
around the skulls, for there was a
= stalagmite incrustatiOn over the bony
: bed from one tosix inches deep. We
| soon returned with young man by
name of Argo to help us.
1t was difficult digging to get them
out whole, for the rock was formed
by the sediment of water which had
percolated slowly through the solid
t rock above. We managed, however,
toget out six almost whole. Beneath
1 the skulls was a bed Of bones of all
e sizes all mingled more or less with
rock. Without close examination
S we saw sixteen skulls, and of course
y the other bones are all there. One
e strange feature about it is they were
e all close together.
e AS the day was drawing to a close
we abandoned our work for a time
g without finding anything to show Of
y what race these people were, but or
d yesterday some men went to see the
g place and found among the rubbish
large shell, which could not have
e been found nearer than Collins River
d several flint arrow heads and cur
iously shaped rock. These show evi
l. dences Of race anterior the whites
II We will try to find more Of these anC
a perhaps can arrive at a correct con
lie clusiOn as to whom these people were
Some are of the opinion that tn,
g Indians made this their burial place
d but they surely wouldn't have pileC
lie their dead one upon another. Other
n think that a band of one tribe muir
b. dered a band of another tribe ant
piled their carcasses all in one com
W mon sepulcher. These are mere con
re lectures. am not much of a geOlo
* gist, but it seems to me that the tim
d. of the incrustation must be very Ion,
is as the water runs over this place onl,
S. a part of the year. If anyone want
lg to see what 1 have poorly describe,
in 1 will take pleasure any Saturday il
n going to the cave.
w 1t will be known hereafter as Skul