204 _ Mr. Schoolcraft on the 
_aA strip of alluvial land of a sandy character extends from 
the lake up the river three or four leagues, where it is suc- 
ceeded by high broken hills of a sterile aspect and covered 
chiefly by a growth of pine, hemlock, and spruce. on 
these hills, ah may be considered as lateral spurs of the 
Porcupine mountains, the aba Mines, so called, are situ- 
ated, at the distance of thirty two miles from the lake, and 
in the centre of a region characterized by its wild, rugged, 
and forbidding appearance. The large mass of native cop- 
pet reposes on the west bank of the river, at the water 
ge, and at the foot of avery elevated bank of alluvion, 
face of which appears, at some former period to have 
See into the river carrying with it the mass of copper 
together with detached blocks of granite, hornblende, and 
other bodies peculiar to the soil of that place. The copper, 
which is in a pure and malleable state, lies in connexion wi 
serpentine rock, the face of which, it almost somplete'y 
Fe ah 2 te e to the atmos here, presents a metallic bril- 
liancy ;* oak is attributable either to alloy of the pre- 
(1) In preparing ee report, a more particular description of the geog- 
ostic character of this mass of copper was deemed unnecessary, but in 
tena it for — sero of the amatuers of natural science, it may be 
proper to hat the serpentine rock is not in situ, nor is it so found in 
any stor tha the e regions visited. ‘T'o account for its appearance in a section 
of country to in geologically foreign, it He ine be nec ecessary to enter 
into the enq’ halt mee what means have ive rocks 
i pe ahs eatin e ae which is incom- 
i the limits of this Perot, and which, moreover would, in itself, 
Pree ee of a very interesting me emoir. 1 will or ae 
suggest, wh at has struck me in in passing through that ee the Por- 
ted tk miles west, are of ex- 
tinguished Rhea Ams have thrown forth the masses of native copper 
ps the region of the "Ontong. This opinion is supported by by the ; 
¢ posed (so far as observed) of granite, which is 
probaly wsoated with ae primary rocks, and among them serpentine— 
that the ne rock at their ‘base is highly snctiged towards the 
montis esis vertialy and appenty thon it this posi- 
ha bor up-heaving of the he. grees and also, that their elevation which 
ae thledated by Ca apt. at 1800 
of lake Shperior— 
pers such as frequently characterize volcanic : 
* This however, is no uncommon appearance of native duper Eps 
