Crossing the Ohio River from the southern Indiana cave region, the counties of Kentucky lying in the belt of lower Carboniferous limestone were next visited. No cave that seemed worth examining could be heard of above the extreme southern portion of Hardin County. The sections examined will be taken in their geographical order from north to south.
HARDIN COUNTY
Hutchins or Bradley Cave.—This is in the bluff bordering on the left bank of Nolin River, 2 miles west of Upton. It was reported that human remains had been found in it. The present owners, who have known the cave for a long time, never heard of any such finds. The entrance is low and narrow, so that access to the cave is to be had only by creeping several yards. The cavern then expands into a very large chamber, separated into three by curtains or partitions of stalactites and stalagmites. Very little of floor, roof, or walls is to be seen, being almost entirely covered by secondary deposits. Some of these are remarkable for size and beauty. There is no probability that the cave was ever inhabited.
Saltpeter Cave.—This is 3 miles southwest of Upton. It has a large entrance and an earth floor, but the dirt has all been worked over for making saltpeter, so there is nothing to search for.
HART COUNTY
Laird's Cave.—About 2 miles north of Northtown is a large, roomy cave, with a good entrance, but water drips from all parts of the ceiling, and the floor is muddy and rocky. The drainage from 3 or 4 acres of hillside flows over the arch of the entrance and logs 6 inches in diameter are carried into it by the surface floods.
Lock's Cave.—This is a mile east of Rowlett's Station, near the top of a ridge, and lying nearly parallel with its crest. It affords another instance of a cave which has come to light only after a portion of its roof has fallen in. The detritus entirely conceals the opening at one end. The other end is entered by going down the fallen rocks over a slope of 15 or 20 feet, which leads to a bottom strewn with rocks. In such cases there can be nothing under the loose material, because the cave had no entrance until this had fallen in.
Garvin Cave.—This cavern, which is 3 miles southeast of Munfordville, has an opening at the bottom of a sink hole, requiring a rope or ladder for descent.
Harlow Cave.—This is 3½ miles southeast of Munfordville. It is a very large cave, apparently, as the slope down the débris is more than 40 feet high, to a rocky shelf, beyond which the descent was followed some yards without finding any indications that a level bottom was near. It is another illustration of the fallen roof.
Wynne's Cave.—Three miles south of Rowlett's Station is a large sink hole. Stones thrown into the vertical shaft at the bottom can be heard striking the sides for three or four seconds before coming to rest.