APPENDIX. 531 



that, at the present day, examinations for the ores of copper could 

 not be made in that country with hopes of success, except in the 

 trap-rock itself; which rock is not certainly known to exist upon 

 any place upon Lake Superior, other than Keweena Point. 



If this opinion be a correct one, the cause of failure of the 

 mining company in this region is rendered plain. Having con- 

 sidered each insulated mass of pure metal as a true indication of 

 the existence of a bed in the vicinity, operations were directed to 

 wrong points ; when, having failed to realize their anticipations, 

 the project was abandoned without further actual investigation. 

 We would be induced to infer that no attempts were made to 

 learn the original source of the metal which was discovered, and 

 thus, while the attention was drawn to insulated masses, the ores, 

 ordinary in appearance, but more important iyi situ^ were neglected ; 

 and perhaps, from the close analogy in appearance to the rock with 

 which they were associated, no distinction was observed. 



What quantity of ore the trap-rock of Keweena Point may be 

 capable of producing, can only be determined by minute and 

 laborious examination. The indications which were presented 

 by a hasty investigation are here embodied, and with deference 

 submitted to your consideration. 



I have the honor to be. 



Sir, your obedient servant, 



DOUGLASS HOUGHTON. 



Hon. Lewis Cass, Secretary of War. 



2. BemarJcs on the Occurrence of Native Silver and Ores of Silver 

 in the Stratification of the Basins of LaJces Huron and Superior. 

 By Henry R. Schoolcraft. 



Traces of this metal which have been found in the drift and 

 boulder stratum of both Lakes Huron and Superior, indicate the 

 existence of the metal in place. During my residence at St. Mary's, 

 two specimens of its occurrence were brought to my notice. The 

 first of these consisted of points of native silver in a moderately 

 large mass of native copper, found in 1823, near the entrance of 

 the Nama or Sturgeon River into Keweena Lake, of the large 

 peninsula of that name, in Lake Superior. Like the majority of 



