Sul Ross State University - Brand Yearbook (Alpine, TX)

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Fort Davis Cave A SMALL black chasm among the rocks on a Fort Davis mountain side, a chasm so unobtrusive as to have been overlooked until two years ago, is the opening to the Indian Cave at Fort Davis. There, as late as Civil War days, perhaps, the Indians lived — now at peace with the whites, now making fearful raids, stealing cattle, rushing out from ambush upon freighters, and attacking the fort. And along the walls and ceiling ot the cave they left in picture-writing a mystifying record — of these very raids, perhaps, though our interpretation of the crude paintings is only conjectural. On the dark walls and ceilings are numerous prints — originally white but gray now from time — of the hand, each one a symbol, probably, a boast of some deed of prowess. In red outline along the wall is a map, the tips of its numerous projections evidently indicating to the Indian the location of waterholes and camp sites. On the wall, too, are black and red paintings, among them the two leaping deer and the quaint animal jauntily confront¬ ing a bow and arrow, which appear in this book. Many other deer, one of them a great buck with beautiful antlers, file across the cavern walls, along with a buffalo and a coyote, each one, doubtless, hinting of some outstanding event in Indian life. Page 17

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