XXV. HEMATITE ORE AXD PATXT ]\ITXE, [MISSOUKI 



EARLY in the first decacle of tlic present century traces of an- 

 cient excavations Avere observed by miners engaged in opening 

 an iron mine near Leslie, Mo. As tlie work advanced l)eneatli 

 the surface it was found that the ore had been fairly honeycombed 

 by some ancient people, the tunnelings extending to 

 Ancient Traces the depth of 20 feet or more. There were many par- 

 tially' filled galleries, generally sinuous and often so 

 restricted as to permit the passage of small persons onl}-, but now 

 and then so enlartred as to accommodate standing workmen. 



Ohjocts rf tho An- 

 cient Work 



Fk;. 1:-!5. a licap vi ancient mining tools llirnwii mit of tlic (luarry. 



All doubt as to the nature of the ancient operations was removed 

 liv the discovery in the old excavations of many rude 

 stone implements, and upward of 1,000 of these had 

 been gathered by the miners at the time of the writ- 

 er's visit, and cast into a heap on the margin of the mine (fig. 135). 

 These implements are exceedingly rude, consisting of masses of hard 

 stone or hematite weighing from 1 to 10 pounds, some picklike in 

 sha])e and many roughly grooved or notched for the attachment of 

 2GG 



