miles down
the river on the opposite side. Miller's Cave, however, possesses an
additional advantage, one probably not to be found elsewhere. This is
the absolute security of its inmates from the attack of an enemy. The
mouth of the cave is in the face of a perpendicular bluff, the wall
on either side so smooth that not even a squirrel can obtain a
foothold. The upper stratum of the precipice projects to such an
extent that a rope or a ladder let down from above would fall several
feet beyond the outer edge of the floor. Below, there is a vertical
drop of 30 feet to the top of the rough talus which is as steep as
rocks and earth will lie. If an assailant, by approaching from either
side, should reach the foot of this bluff he would offer a fair target
for stones rolled or hurled down by defenders who are safely out of
reach of missiles from any direction.

The only means of entrance is a small opening in the west wall,
communicating with another cave. This is so restricted in size as to
permit the passage of only one person at a time, and he must assume a
crawling or crouching posture. This opening, which for distinction
will be called the doorway, has its top, sides, and bottom coated with
stalagmite formation; so it may once have been somewhat larger than at
present. The limited amount of the deposit over the natural rock at
either end of the orifice is evidence, however, that it could never
have been high enough for a man to walk through without stooping, or
wide enough for two persons to pass each other; consequently one man
armed with a club or other weapon could easily guard it against any
number who might attempt to enter.

The cavern from which this opening leads, and which will be called the
outer cave, is close to and nearly parallel with the face of the
bluff, and its course is therefore approximately east and west,
forming nearly a right angle with the main cavern. It has a slight
curve, so that the doorway is not visible to one who is approaching
from the outside until he is within a few yards of it.

The outer cave has its beginning at a point where the bluff bends
toward the north; that is, where there is a shallow reentrant curve,
formed by the face of the cliff breaking away at this part and rolling
down the hill; a considerable portion of this cave itself has been
thus destroyed, as shown by another entrance into the bluff beyond.
Much talus has accumulated in this cave, over which there is at
pres