NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 

 Fig. 1. 



97 



The rock consists of a mass of native copper in a tabular 

 boulder of serpentine. Its, face is almost purely metallic, and 

 more splendent than appears to consist with its being purely 

 metallic copper. There is no appearance of oxidation. Its size, 

 roughly measured, is three feet four inches, by three feet eight 

 inches, and about twelve or fourteen inches thick in the thickest 

 part. The weight of copper, exclusive of the rock, is not readily 

 estimated ; it may be a ton, or a ton and a half. Old authors 

 report it at more than double this weight. The quantity has 

 been, however, much diminished by visitors, who have cut freely 

 from it. I obtained adequate specimens, but found my chisels too 

 highly tempered, and my hammer not heavy enough to separate 

 large masses. Having made the necessary examinations, we took 

 our way back up the elevated banks of the river, and across the 

 forest about six miles, to the final place of debarkation of Gov. 

 Cass and his party. But our fears were at once excited on learn- 

 ing that the Governor, with his guide, Wabishkepenais, had not 

 reached the camp. It was already beginning to be dark, and the 

 gloom of night, which is impressive in these solitudes, was fast 

 closing around us. Guns were fired, to denote our position, and 

 a light canoe was immediately manned, placed in charge of one 

 of the gentlemen, and sent up the river in search. This canoe 

 had not proceeded a mile, when the object of search was descried, 

 with his companions, sitting on the banks of the river, with a 

 real jaded air, with his Indian guide standing at no great dis- 

 tance. Wabishkepenais had been bewildered in his tracks, and 

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