ON THE SHORES OF LAKE SUPERIOR. 



11 



Most, of these hammers arc fractured at both 

 ends, and the peculiar sharp cut character of the 

 fracture in many cases indicates that the imple- 

 ment had been used to drive metallic wedges, such 



as quarrymen call a "gad." Copper gads of this 

 kind have been found in old pits at the Minnesota 

 Mine. It will be seen also that there are heavier 

 mauls with double grooves, probably to be handled 

 by two men. 



In the description of works at the Central Mine, 

 a class of hammers will be noticed without a groove. The 

 one here figured was taken from a pit near Shaft No. 1 of 

 the section above given. Not far to the south of the same 

 / shaft was found a copper spear or javelin head, in the rub- 

 bish near the bottom. Three others were found by Mr. 

 Hill on the surface. One of them was so much corroded 

 that the socket was nearly gone. The other I have sketched 

 of natural size and thickness, from the original in the pos- 

 session of Mr. Hill. It was evidently formed by beating the 

 metal while cold, probably between stones, having a rough 

 and not a polished exterior; it is not. much decayed. The 

 section of the blade B shows that its two faces were not 

 symmetrical. A piece of decayed wood was found in the 

 socket of one of them, being apparently the remnant of the 

 shaft, by which it was hurled. As the edges of the "shank" 

 or socket are not soldered together, but 'only bent around 

 the shaft, it was probably wound with some ligament to give 

 it strength. It is too large and heavy for an arrow-head; 

 neither has it the shape proper for that purpose. 



The description here given of the pits of the east vein 

 will answer for almost all others. 



In working the surface of the vein, or of the copper-bearing 

 bed, the ancient operators must have wrought open to the 

 day. They no doubt commenced as low down the slope of 

 the range as the copper appeared to them worth being taken 

 out, and worked upwards towards the south, in order to keep 

 their drainage. From their rude and tedious method it was 

 of the highest consequence to cause the water to flow away 

 behind them, without the necessity of baling. 



The "attle," or broken rock, was generally thrown back 

 into the vacant space whence it had been taken: but little of 

 it was cast out to right and left along the margin of the vein, 

 which explains why the pits are so shallow at the present time. 



In many places on this location, the vein is with' enough to 

 allow men to work between its walls. 



Fig. 4. 



Stone Hammer or Mai'I., with one groove, 

 and broken by use ; length 7 inches. 



Copper Falls Mini'. 



Copper Spear-head — Copper 

 Falls Mine. — B. Section of 

 blade at cd. d. Section of 



shank nt a b. Scale, full 

 size. 



