The Elbert County tribune., 1909-06-17
Interior Of Place Covered with
Crude Carvings.
Stronghold Of Aborisines 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. P. 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 1t. The cave is a
mile from the railroad track. The
opening Of the cave is reached by a
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
pass very near to 1t without observing
that 1t was cave. These loose rocks
show by their color that they have not
been moved for ages. and the quantity
of them indicates that they were
placed there SO as to wall up the
mouth of the cave, II 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 be smoked. and owing to
the formation 1t is easy to break OF
fragments Of the lava rock which
show very plainly that 1t had at one
time undergone high degree of heat
A smooth sand floor at the bottom of
the cave, and an obstructed opening
on the side toward a perpendicular
cliff only few feet away, give con-
clusiye 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
a 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
remnants CT once large Indian vii
lage on the grounds where the town
of Cliffs is built. and some of the old
est Indians tell of their "ancotta" ia
theirs living here many years ago.
when the first white man (supposed to
be the Lewis and Clark expedition)
drifted down the Columbia river and
stopped at this Indian village several
days. The finding of many Indian
curios, such as stone axes, mortars.
pestles. battleaxes, flint arrow points.
etc. gives further evidence of a tribe
once occupying these grounds Some
OF the best curios in the Stewart col
lection that were on exhibition at the
Lewis and Clark fair. in Portland.
were found on these grounds Some
splendid specimens have been found
since.
A. G. Butt has a mortar picked up
last summer that is perfectly carved.
having for an outside border many of
the various carvings found on totem
poles. and w. p. Rauch has what is
said by many to be the best specimen
of an Indian pestle. 1t Is nearly twenty
d oh 1ono NJ tIorl< ~k-,-