HISTORICAL SKETCH. 17 



1701, Le Sueur.] 



it green." Four leagues above the mouth of the St. Croix, at the mouth of 

 a small lake, Le Sueur saw a large mass of copper. " It is on the edge of 

 the water, in a small ridge of sandy earth, on the west of this lake."* The 

 blue, or green, earth, which was mistaken for an ore of copper by Le Sueur, 

 was obtained in a mine three-quarters of a league distant from the fort. 

 The fort was named L'Huillier, from one of the chief collectors of the 

 king, who had assayed the ore in Paris in 1696. Having spent the winter 

 at his fort, in the spring of 1701 he descended the Mississippi with a large 

 quantity of the ore, 4,000 pounds of which were sent to France. He 

 intended to return, but in 1703 the garrison left by him arrived at Mobile, 

 in charge of Derague, having been compelled to abandon the post on 

 account of ill treatment by the Indians, and lack of supplies. This river 

 is further described as being near a range of hills (Keating says mountains) 

 ten leagues long that seemed to be composed of the same substance. 

 Charlevoix says : " After removing a burnt, black crust, as hard as a rock, 

 the copper could be scraped with a knife." Penicaut says : " This mine is 

 situated at the beginning of a very long mountain which is upon the bank 

 of the river, so that boats can go right to the mouth of the mine itself. At 

 this place is the green earth, which is a foot and a half in thickness, and 

 above it is a layer of earth as firm and hard as stone, and black and burnt 

 like coal by the exhalation from the mine. The copper is scratched out 

 with a knife. There are no trees upon this mountain. If this mine is 

 good, it will make a great trade, because the mountain contains more than 

 ten leagues running of the same ground. It appears, according to our 

 observations, that in the very finest weather there is continually a fog 

 upon this mountain."! 



Mr. W. W. Mather, who accompanied Featherstonhaugh, says that he 

 " found the green earth, but it contained no copper." Mr. Featherstonaugh 

 is very positive in his denial of the existence of any copper in that locality, 

 and pronounces the whole account a fabrication by Le Sueur. 



It is more probable that Le Sueur was honest in his conviction, but was 

 mistaken in the value of the green earth which he mined. Charlevoix, 

 La Harpe and Penicaut agree in the statement of the main facts, and if 



* Neill's Minnesota, p 161. 



t Translated by A. J Hill, in the Third Volume of the Minnesota Hittorical CMecUont. 



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