s A N ( ! I E X T M I N I N G 



The copper bearing amygdaloid (7^) is separated from the crystalline or "Green- 

 stone" trap (^L) by a parting of conglomerate (d), which is however sometimes wanting, 

 and its place supplied by a thin bed of red clay called "flucan "overlaid b_\ a layer 

 of quartz carrying specks of copper. This parting, whether it be of red conglome- 

 rate or of flucan and quartz, is known as the "slide," and sometimes (though 

 improperly) is called a cross-course. The beds all dip northerly and at an angle of 

 28 . Resting immediately on the slide, and composing the inferior face of the 

 greenstone stratum, is a bed of blackish-green chloritic rock (<■<■) very much jointed, 

 which contains between its joints, in a leafy state and in its mass in a state more 

 solid, scales, particles, and lumps of copper. This chloritic bed is from 12 to 15 

 feet thick, and in it the ancients worked forming this cavern. The)- did not operate 

 on a vein at this place. 



The Waterbury Company, encouraged by the labors of their predecessors, followed 

 from the bottom of "a" along the surface of the conglomerate by an inclined shaft 

 •■/:,' E" to a depth of 300 feet, measuring on the slide. 



In removing a part of the old burrow B, Dr. Blake discovered several shovels, 

 of white cedar, resembling the paddles in form now used by the Chippeway 

 Indians in propelling their canoes. Had these been found elsewhere, they would 

 bave been regarded as ordinary paddles, but in this place they had evidently been 

 ii>cd as shovels. This is also evident from the manner in which the blades are 

 worn, as shown by the lines a a, b b, cc, in the annexed sketch. 



Wooden Suovel, 3J feet long — Waterbury Mine. — a a a. Original form. — b b. Partially worn.— c c. Worn obliquely. 



The blades are more worn on the under side 1 than the upper, as if the mineral 

 had been scraped together and then shovelled out, as is the practice of the miners 

 of the present day. The shovels which were found beneath the water level were 

 sound in appearance, and the strokes of the tool by which they were formed 

 remained perfectly distinct, but on being dried they shrunk very much, opening in 

 long cracks, the wood retaining little of its original strength or hardness. 

 \ birch tree, two feet in diameter, grew directly over one of these paddles. 



A portion of a wooden scoop, or bowl, was found in the pit, e\ idently intended 

 to dip up and to pass water. Its edge had been worn, like the shovels, by scraping 

 over the rock; but it was so much decayed that it fell to pieces when it was taken out. 



I examined the walls of. this cavern minutely, hoping to find the marks of some 

 tool of metal. The effects of blows of stone mauls were visible, and such is the 

 bardness of the rock, that if drills or picks had been used upon it, I think the 

 marks would he easily seen, particularly on that part which was protected from the 

 atmosphere by water. 



\t one place something resembling the impression made by the point of a light 

 h irp pick was discernible, but not very plain, and only in a single instance. 



