NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION". 101 



copper, which do not promise a considerable percentage of the 

 metal. A mass of steatite, imbedding a heavy mass of pure 

 native silver, which had been probably carried from the north- 

 west, with the drift stratum, was found cast out quite into the 

 Huron basin ; and this rock, in its intimate associations with the 

 serpentine formation of Lake Superior, should be closely scruti- 

 nized. There is also a formation of slate and quartz in the 

 primitive district, which is entitled to particular attention. 



Inorganic masses are developed, throughout the globe, without 

 regard to climate. Russia yields the precious metals in great 

 profusion, and there are no laws governing the distribution of 

 these metals, which forbid the expectation that they should be 

 abundantly disclosed by the stratification of the basin of Lake 

 Superior. With respect to the useful metals, particularly copper 

 and iron, it is undeniably the richest and most extensive locality 

 of these metals on the globe.* 



* Geological Report, vide Appendix, v^ 



