160 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



only a few small pieces of native copper. The 

 range we ascended was on the west side of the 

 river, extending W.N.W. and E.S.E. The moun- 

 tains varied in height from one thousand two 

 hundred to one thousand five hundred feet. 

 The uniformity of the mountains is interrupted 

 by narrow valleys traversed by small streams. 

 The best specimens of metal we procured 

 were among the stones in these valleys, and 

 It was in such situations that our guides de- 

 sired us to search most carefully. It would ap- 

 pear, that when the Indians see any sparry sub- 

 stance projecting above the surface, they dig 

 there ; but they have no other rule to direct them, 

 and have never found the metal in its original re- 

 pository. Our guides reported that they had 

 found copper in large pieces in every part of this 

 range, for two days' walk to the north-west, and 

 that the Esquimaux come hither to search for it. 

 Ihe annual visits which the Copper Indians were 

 accustomed to make to these mountains, when 

 most of their weapons and utensils were made of 

 copper, have been discontinued since they have 

 been enabled to obtain a supply of ice chisels 

 and other instruments of iron by the establish- 

 ment of trading posts near to their hunting 

 grounds. That none of those who accompanied 



