280 A N C 1 E JS T M O N IT M K N T S . 



To the north-west of tiiis, an open cut mas made, twenty-tour feet on the course 

 of the vein, and from it was taken not less than a bushel of hammers and 

 wedges of stone and pieces of copper. A few rods to the northward of the present 

 works on the eastern vein of the ' Copper Falls Location,' and also at some distance 

 to the south-east of the mines at the Eagle river, similar traces of ancient mining 

 are to be observed."* 



* These statements are confirmed by several observers. The subjoined passages are fVom a letter from 

 the eminent geologist and mineralogist, Prof. W. W. Mather. 



" I am informed by gentlemen connected with the survey of the govejiimcnt mineral land.-, that abun- 

 dant traces of ancient raining are to be observed at the Copper Falls and Eagle river mines. It is 

 stated that on the hill south of the Copper Falls mine, an e.xcavation several feet in depth, and some 

 rods in length, was discovered e.\-tending along the course of the vein. Fragments of rock, etc., thrown 

 out of the excavation, were piled up along its sides, the whole covered with soil, and overgrown with 

 bushes and trees. On removing the accumulations from the e.xcavation, stone axes of large size, made of 

 greenstone, and shaped to receive withe handles, were found. Some large, round, greenstone masses, that 

 had apparently been used for sledges, were also found. Thev had round holes bored in them to the 

 depth of several inches, which seemed to have been designed for wooden plugs, to which withe handles 

 might be attached, so that several men could swing them with sufficient force to batter or break the rock 

 and the projecting masses of copper. Some of them were broken ; and some of the projecting ends of 

 rock exhibited distinct marks of having been battered in the manner here suggested." 



The great Ontonagon mass of virgin copper, now deposited in Washington, when found, exhibited marks 

 of having had considerable portions cut from it ; and the ground around was strewn with fragments of stone 

 axes which had been broken in endeavors to detach portions of the mass. Heniy (T'/arc/s, p. 195) 

 observes that the Indians obtained much copper from the above localities, which thev worked into 

 spoons, bracelets, etc. He saw one piece in their possession, weighing twenty pounds. 



The following additional information embraced in a private letter to a gentleman of Buffalo, under date 

 of June 15, 1848, relating to ancient mining on the shores of Lake Superior, will prove highly interesting 

 in this connection. The new discoveries which it records seem to establish that the mines were anciently 

 extensively worked, and the copper extracted in large masses. Were it not for the abundance of stone 

 implements in the excavations, it might be supposed that they were the traces of the later operations of 

 the French. 



"The gentlemen connected with Vulcan Mining Company have made some very singular discoveries 

 in working one of the veins which has been lately found. They discovered an old cave, excavated centu- 

 ries ago. This led them to look for other w^orks of the same kind, and they have found a number of sinks 

 in the earth which they have traced a long distance. By digging into those sinks, they find them to have 

 been made by the hand of man. It appears that the ancient miners worked on a different principle from 

 that adopted at the present time. The greatest depth yet found in these holes is thirty feet. After 

 getting down to a certain depth, the ancient miners drifted along the vein, making an open cut. These 

 cuts have been filled nearly to a level by the accumulation of soil, and we find tiees of the largest growth 

 standing in the depressions ; and also find that trees of a very large size have grown up and died, and 

 decayed many years since : in the same places there are now standing others of over three hundred years' 

 growth. Last week they dug down into a new place, and about twelve feet below the surface found a 

 mass of copper weighing from eight to ten tons. This mass was buried in asiies, and it appears the 

 ancient minars could not handle it, and having no means of cutting it, probably built fire around it to 

 melt or separate the rock, which might be done by heating and then dasliing on cold water. This piece 

 of copper is pure and free from corrosion. The upper surface has been pounded smooth. It appears 

 that this mass of copper was taken from the bottom of a shaft, at the depth of about thirty feet. In 

 sinking this shaft from where the mass now lies, they followed the course of the vein, which dips conside- 

 rably ; this enabled them to raise it as far as the hole came up with a slant. At the bottom of the shaft 

 were found skids of black oak, from eight to twelve inches in diameter ; these sticks were charred through. 



