NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 99 



killing him, and hoped the offence would be forgiven, as one of 

 the shots fired had been from an American * 



This act of the Indian addressing the bear, will be better 

 understood, when it is stated that their mythology tells them, that 

 the spirit of the animal must be encountered in a future state, 

 when the enchantment to which it is condemned in this life, will 

 be taken off. 



On passing do^m the river, an Indian had promised to disclose 

 another mass of native copper, near the river, and we stopped at 

 a spot indicated, to enable him to bring it. Whether he repented 

 of his too free ofier, agreeably to Indian superstition, or feared 

 some calamity to follow the disclosure, or really encountered 

 some difficulty in finding it, I know not, but it is certain that, 

 after some time spent in the search, or afi'ected search, he came 

 back to the river without producing it. 



Soon after this incident, we reached the mouth of the river, 

 and found the party left encamped at that point, in charge of 

 Mr. Trowbridge and Mr. Doty, well, nothing having occurred in 

 our absence. The wind was, however, adverse to our embarka- 

 tion, had it been immediately desired. 



A council of the Ontonagon Indians was summoned, which 

 met in the after part of the day; speeches were delivered, and re- 

 plied to, and presents distributed. A silver medal was presented 

 to Wabishkepenais. 



Head winds continuing, we were farther detained at this spot 

 the following da}'". While thus detained, an Ontonagon Indian 

 brought in a mass of native copper, from the banks of this river, 

 weighing eight or nine pounds. This mass was of a flattened, 

 orbicular shape, and its surface coated with a green oxide. At a 

 subsequent part of my acquaintance with this river, another mass 

 of native copper (still deposited in my cabinet) was brought to me, 

 from the east fork of the river, which weighed from forty to fifty 

 pounds. This mass, of a columnar shape, originally embraced a 

 piece of stone which the Indian finding it had detached. It was 

 also coated with a dark green oxide of copper. Both of these 

 masses appeared to have been volcanic. Neither of them had 

 the slightest traces of gangue, or vein-matter, nor of attrition in 



* Cliemoquiman, from gitchee, great, aud moquiman, kuife. 



