78 hjarltf Man in Nort/ierfsfern Minnesota — Stuntz. 



Lake Superior to the north and into the llainy lake region have 

 been improved by some former race possessing more mechanical 

 skill than the Indians now residing there. 



These ancient mound builders, for such we will assume these 

 prehistoric voijageiirs to be, had two or three important routes from 

 the Mississippi to Lake Superior. The St. Croix river route through 

 Wisconsin was the nearest and most used and at Yellow hike are 

 extensive earth works and tumuli. One mound on the shore of 

 that lake measures about 19 feet iu height and is seventy-one paces^ 

 in circumference. It occupies a sightly locality . Pottery and 

 ornaments common to these people are found in these mounds. 

 A few miles further up the river the line of travel diverged into 

 three routes: Up the main river and over a mile and a half portage to 

 the Brule river and thence down to Lake Superior. The second route 

 by water Avas up the Eau Claire through the lake of that name and 

 down Pike river or White river and Bad river to Lake Superior, 

 From the mouth of Bad river the extensive copper regions on Ke- 

 weenaw Point were easily reached. The third and shorter route was- 

 over a long portage to the mouth of Sioux river, southwest of 

 Bayfield. 



The way stations for the food supply of these routes of travel 

 are about 100 miles apart, a three to four days' trip. At Bayfield 

 and Ashland the great fish supply was reached. At Ontanagon, 

 Eagle river and Portage lake these people mined large amounts of 

 copper and exported it over the routes mentioned to the extensive 

 markets in the lower Mississippi valley. . 



To the country north of Lake Superior tiiere were diilerent 

 routes. The most important one was up the Mississippi to Sandy 

 lake; thence across the divide to the St. Louis river (Gichi Gummi 

 sibi of the Chippewas i.e. river of the Great lake. ) Prom the mouth 

 of East Savannah the combined route from the Mississippi and 

 from Lake Superior continued up the St. Louii and its northerly 

 branch, the Enibarras river, to and across the great water shed of 

 the Mesabi mountains, then down Pike river into Vermillion lake. 

 This was the great route from the Mississippi valle}^ to the min- 

 ing regions of northeastern Minnesota. Farther up the Missis- 

 sippi there lay an important route from Lake Winnebigoshish to- 

 and through Bowstring lake and its extensive wild rice fields,down 

 Big Fork river to Kainy river and then on to the great water way 

 extending along the International boundary for two hundred railes> 



