The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-07-02
-
INDIAN CAVE FOUND
interior OF Place Covered with
Crude Carvings.
stronghold Of Aborigines Was DUG
Out OF Solid Rock Along Shore of
the Columbia River in State
OF Washington.


Cliffs. Wash "A large Indian cave
has been discovered in the solid rock
about two miles from town. No one
knows anything about this cave. not
even some of the old time inhabitants
OF the Goodnoe hills, who have resided
In the Columbia valley for more than
forty years. Nor do the Oldest Rock
Creek indians know anything about
the cave.
w. =. Rauch volunteered to lead the
first exploring party of 20 of Cliffs
citizens to this wonderful cave few
days ago, and since that time every
body wants to see It, The cave is a
mile from the railroad track. The
opening of the cave is reached by n
roundabout walk up a gradual ascent
of from one to two miles. The door
way of the cave is between two and
three feet high and about four feet
wide, and on account of the loose
boulders lying near O. footman might
pass very near 10 II without observing
that il was a cave. These loose rocks
been moved for ages. and the quantity
of them indicates that they we're
placed there so as to wall up the
mouth Of the cave. If desired The en-
tire party went inside, and it was esti-
mated that there was room for 200
more people
The cave Is of circular form and
from eight to nine feet to the highest
point Of the ceiling The formation Is
that of burned lava rocks, and the
condition of the walls and ceiling show
traces of the work of man, A number
Of paintings, Indian hieroglyphics, etc,
are still to be seen on the smoothest
rock in the ceiling Parts of the walls
appear to he smoked and owing TO
the formation ii is easy to break off
fragments of the lava rock which
show very plainly that il had at one
time undergone a high degree of heat
a smooth sand lloor at the bottom OF
the cave, and an INSTRUCTED opening
on the side toward a perpendicular
cliff only few feet away. give con
elusive evidence that the cave was
once used by wild Indians
The sand used at the bottom of the
cave must have been carried there, as
there is no soil Of this nature within
q number Of rods, practically every
thing being of rock formation.
About fifty yards from this cave is
another wonder the handiwork of the
Indians Of years ago. This consists of
an opening cut through the cliff to the
perpendicular wall which overlooks
the level valley OF hundreds of acres
below, This window is nearly foot
wide and about three feet in height
No doubt many deer. buffalo or other
Wild animals have been killed on the |
fiat below by Indians, who shot |
through the opening.
The Oldest white settlers tell of the |
of once large Indian vii
Iage on the grounds where the town
IF Cliffs is built, and some OF the old. |
est Indians tell of their "ancotta" ia |
Tiers living here many years ago. |
when the first white man supposed To |
he the Lewis and Clark expedition |
IA fitted down the Columbia river and |
stopped at this Indian village several |
days. The finding of many Indian |
7urios, such as stone axes mortars, !
lestIes, hattleaXes, flint arrow points, |
etc, gives further evidence of tribe |
once occupying these grounds Some
IF the best curios in the Stewart col |
ection that We're on exhibition at the
I.ewis and Clark fair. in Portland. |
we're found on these grounds. Some
splendid specimens have been found |
since.
A. G. Butt has mortar picked up |
asst summer that is perfectly. carved. |
having for an outside border many Of |
he varions carvings found on totem
POLES, and W p. Ranch has what is
said by many to be the best specimen |
# an Indian .pestle 1t is nearly twenty |
inches long, of black stone. carved as
as lathe could make il, and |
las perfect animal head with pro-
ruding eyes. and collar around its |
neck. II gives evidence OF having
seen used hundreds of years and is
still unbroken.