sage:

"Tell your wise men, that the Illinois have glutted their vengeance, and that their spirit is satisfied and appeased. On the borders of the lake we will bury the hatchet. Woe to those who make us take it from the ground." Soon after this act they departed, and reside to this time on the spot they mentioned for their intended retreat. The first who visited the cave witnessed a dreadful spectacle. The putrid bodies of the Americans were strewed all around. And as wolves, panthers, buzzards, and vultures, had made them their prey for several days, it must be difficult to form an idea of their mangled and terrible appearance. The remains were gathered together and buried under some sand at the far end of the cave, where they are frequently disturbed to gratify the curiosity of the river navigators.

About three years after this distinguished act of national and Indian ven

geance, the cave became possessed by a party of Kentuckyans, called " Wilson's Gang." Wilson, in the first instance, brought his family to the cave, fitted it up as a spacious dwelling, and erected a sign post on the water side, on which were these words: "Wilson's liquor vault and house for entertainment." The novelty of such a tavern induced almost all boats descending the river to call and stop for refreshment and amusement. Attracted by these circumstances, several idle characters took up their abode at the cave, after which it continually resounded with the shouts of the licentious, the clamour of riot, and the blasphemy of gamblers. Out of such customers as these Wilson found no difficulty in forming a band of robbers, with whom he formed the plan of murdering the crews of every boat that stopped at his tavern, and send the boats manned hy some of his party to New Orleans,

and there sell their lading for cash, which was to be conveyed to the cave by land through the states of Tinassee and Kentucky; the party returning with it being instructed to murder and rob on all good occasions presented by the road. After a lapse of some time, the merchants of the upper country began to be alarmed, on finding their property make no return, and that their people never came back. Several families and respectable men who had gone down the river were never more heard of, and the losses became so frequent that it raised at length a cry of individual and general distress. This naturally led to enquiry, and large rewards were offered for the discovery of the perpetrators of such unparalleled .crimes. It soon came out that Wilson with an organized party of forty-five men was the cause of such waste of blood and treasure; that he had a station at Hurrieane Island to arrest boats that passed

by the mouth of the cavern, and that he had agents at the Natehiz and New Orleans, of presumed respectability, who converted his assignments into cash, though they knew the goods to be stolen, ör obtained by the commission of murder! The publicity of Wilson's transactions soon broke up his party; some dispersed, others were taken prisoners, and he himself was killed by one of his associates, who was tempted by the original reward offered for the head of the captain of the gang.

These facts, which I had heard before, came direct to my memory on my arrival at the cave, and I confess to you, that I hesitated some moments before I resolved to explore it. My men had also heard accounts of the cavern which made them tremble, and recommended me strongly to depart, for fear of any dreadful accident. I was not to be turned from my purpose. I ordered light

and arms, and entered the gloomy and spacious fabric of nature. After meditating a few moments on the general outline and grandeur of the scene, I descended to particulars, and found the cave to measure two hundred feet long, and forty feet high: the entrance forming a semicircluar arch of ninety feet at its base, and forty-five in its perpendicular. The interior walls are smooth rock stain- . ed by fire and marked with names of persons and dates, and other remarks, etched by former inhabitants and nearly by every visitor. The floor is very remarkable; it is level through the whole length of its centre, and rises to the sides in stone grades, in the manner of seats in the pit of a theatre. On a diligent scrutiny of the walls, I could plainly discern that the Indians, at a very remote period, made use of the cave as a house of deliberation and council, The walls bear many hyeroglyphics, well executed.