G A N C I E N T MINING 



The veins on Isle Royale, and near the north shore, opposite Point Keweenaw. 

 wriv extensively wrought in olden times. 



In the other direction, sixtj and eightj miles to the southeast, in the iron region 

 mar Marquette are remains that are also ancient, and which will he noticed here- 

 after. 



No doubt future examinations will bring others to notice on the continuation of 

 the mineral range to the southwest, as it extends in that direction into Wisconsin. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL AVOEKS. 



1st Group. 



The Agate Harbor Company has an extensive property on the range south of 

 Agate Harbor, on which there are reported to be Indian diggings, as these excava- 

 tions are frequently called by the miners. They are well developed at the works 

 of the Native Copper Company, on the northern slope of the range, and on the 

 Northwest Company's grounds at their mines, south of the "Greenstone" cliffs. 

 The same veins extend across both these locations, a distance of a mile and a half, 

 indicated by the presence of old works. 



At the Northwest Mine the pits arc conspicuous, showing on the surface the 

 position of tJiree veins that have since been wrought. Stone mauls were abundant 

 in them. Some of the pits had been made in a. band of red conglomerate, which 

 lies between the strata of greenstone (or crystalline) and amygdaloid trap. This 

 conglomerate is composed of pebbles and boulders principally of red trap, cemented 

 l>\ argillaceous red sand, forming a very compact stratum, twelve to twenty feet. 

 thick. It here carries copper in small grains or pieces, near the veins; also crys- 

 tallized calcareous spar and epidote. 



The ancients did not neglect the most trifling indications of metal, but appear to 

 have instituted a thorough investigation as to whether the copper existed in true 

 veins, in metalliferous bands, or in detached nests. There is nothing remarkable in 

 their operations at the "Native" Copper and the "Northwest" mines, except this 

 closeness of pursuit, through all the veins and branches to their most minute 

 extremities. 



Waterbury Mine. — The works of this Company are situated about one mile and 

 a half west of the Northwest Mine. A person passing to the interior from Eagle 

 Harbor or anywhere along the northern shore of Point Keweenaw, and crossing 

 the mineral range to the valley of the kittle Montreal, witnesses everywhere the 

 same topographical features. The mountain range rises from the lake level, in the 

 distance of a mile, to an elevation of 500 and (il)() feet; in the next mile the ascent 

 is less precipitous, but the ground continues to rise from one to two hundred feet 

 more. Prom the summit of the range there is along the whole line, from the 

 extremity of the point to the Albion location, two miles west of the Cliff Mine, a 

 vertical wall of naked trap rudely columnar, the upper edge, or crest, of which 

 forms the snmmit of the range. This mineral front has the appearance of a vast 

 upheaval from two to three hundred feet high facing the south, ami about thirty 



