26 



\ \ i 1 I : N T MINING 



\ rude knife and spear-head of copper were recentlj picked up by Mr. AA illiam 

 Windross, a< Oak Orchard, Oconto County, Wisconsin, on the western shore of 

 Green Bay. They are in the possession of Lyman C. Draper, Esq., of Madison, 

 Wisconsin, to whom they were presented by the Hon. C. D. Robinson, of Green 





Copper Kniff. Natural size. — tee. Flaws. 



Section ol blade from a to 6. 



Bay. The spear or arrow-head differs from those of Lake Superior principally in 

 the state of finish, and in having a hole e in the shank to fasten it to a handle or 

 shaft Both these specimens are roughly forged and apparently ground to a blunt 

 edge. They are, with little doubt, recent, the work of some half-breed or French- 

 man. 



By whom were the ancient mines wrought? — 1 have already given reasons going to 



show that it. was not the present Indian race by whom these mines were worked. 

 \s yet no remains of cities, graves, domicils, or highways have been found in the 

 copper region. As the race appears to have been farther advanced in civilization 

 than their successors, whom we call the aborigines, the) probably had better means 

 of transportation than the hark canoe. They might thus carry provisions a great 

 distance by water. Their mine-works are open cuts exposed to the day, which in 

 the winter in this country, where snow lies from three to five feet in depth, could 

 not he occupied comfortably without shelter. No remains of such coverings have 

 been discovered, nor is it probable that any traces of such should now Ik- recover 

 able. On tin- upland the thermometer descends to minus 38°. This would not 

 render these trenches absolutely untenable, but would present great difficulties in 

 working them. Even in modern shafts and galleries, that are closed by self-shutting 

 doors, frost penetrates to a depth of twenty and thirty fathoms. It is frequently 

 necessary to put sto\es in the upper levels in order to prevent their being tilled with 

 ice. It would therefore be barely possible, by no means profitable, to work in open 

 trenches during winter. The miners could readily bring with them in the spring 

 supplies for three months, and before these were exhausted the same craft might 





