igii] The Coppermine Country 211 



never heard of a copper mine on the large arm of the sea, but the ore is 

 brought down by canoes to the open sea; and that the rivulet which 

 washes the said copper is not known to have any communication with 

 Hudson's Bay, the mine being about fifteen miles from the open sea, by 

 the accounts of the Indians. 



"That they might bring the Ore in their canoes to Churchill River. 

 But the witness can't say whether the company's sloops could go within 

 fifteen or sixteen miles of the mine, since there are frequent shoals in 

 those seas. But canoes may come down to meet the vessels, for the ice 

 makes the water so smooth, that a canoe can live thirty leagues from 

 shore; that he apprehends the Indians come a little to the northward 

 of Whale Cove, which bears a point or two to the west of the north from 

 Churchill. 



"That if the Indians were encouraged, they would bring great 

 quantities of ore, as well as smelted copper, to Whale Cove; and that a 

 pound and a half of ore would, in the opinion of the witness, produce a 

 pound of pure metal. That if persons were sent up to the mine, they 

 might smelt the ore there; but they would labour under a difHculty for 

 want of fuel, the country producing no wood; and what the Indians 

 smelt, they do in small quantities with moss. 



"That the country about the mine is only inhabited in the fishing 

 season; and that he apprehends it produces furs; and that he never heard 

 the Company offer to trade with the Indians for copper; That the Rivu- 

 let which runs by the mine runs into the sea; and that he apprehends 

 there is a communication betwixt this sea and Whale Cove ; that he 

 has heard the late Mr. Norton (who was the first that brought.the North- 

 ern Indians to trade, being sent among them for that purpose by the then 

 Governor) say, that he had been at this mine, and that a considerable 

 quantity of copper might be brought down ; that the Indians will carry 

 their canoes, as the witness believes, about four or five miles over land, 

 but they often leave their canoes and go within land. That on Mr. 

 Norton's being sent to the Northern Indians, a small trade was carried 

 on, which has been improved of late years, but nothing to what it might 

 be by giving the encouragement of a greater price. But Mr. Norton 

 never told the witness why the copper trade was not carried on. "* 



*^" Captain Carruthers, being examined, informed your Committee, 

 that he had formerly been in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, 

 which he quitted thirty-five years ago. 



"That he has heard a good deal of a copper mine to the northward 

 of Churchill River, the Indians speaking of it to the interpreter while 



* Report 1749, p. 226. 

 *iOp. cit., p. 231. 



