Use of Copper by the American Aborigines. 319 
tlement of New England, in 1625, and that the relics were of 
native manufacture, from sheets or plates of brass obtained from 
the early colonists. This probability is further sustained by the 
circumstance that a portion of the wood attached to the arrows 
was still preserved, as was also a large proportion of the bark en- 
velope of the skeleton, at the time of its discovery ; which could 
hardly be the case, if its interment had been made as early as the 
tenth century, which is the period assigned to the Scandinavian 
visits. It cannot be claimed that the preservative properties of 
the salts of the copper could have more than a very local applica- 
tion or influence. 
_ And while upon this point, it may be mentioned that Wood, 
in his “ New England Prospect,” published in 1634, (p. 90,) dis- 
tinctly states that the Indians obtained brass of the English for 
their ornaments and arrow-heads, the last of which, he adds, 
“they cut in the shape of a heart and triangle, and fastened in 
a slender piece of wood, six or eight inches long’”’—in a manner, 
according to the description, precisely similar to that observed in 
the articles found with the Fall River skeleton. If any further 
evidence were needed to establish the opinions already.advanced, 
it might be found in the fact that, a few years ago, in the town of 
Medford, near Boston, in Massachusetts, a skeleton was exhumed, 
accompanying which were found some flint arrow-heads, and 
some brass arrow-points, identical with those discovered at Fall 
River, together with a knife of English manufacture of two 
undred years ago. ] 
_ It has afready been suggested that the shore-of Lake Superior 
18 the probable locality whence the copper used by the aborigines 
of, at least, the Eastern and Middle States, was obtained. “his 
Suggestion is rendered more than probable by the fact that abun- 
dant traces of aboriginal mining have been discovered there in 
the course of recent explorations. Some of the more productive 
Veins in the “Copper Region” seem to have been anciently 
worked to a considerable extent. The vein belonging to the 
“Minnesota Company” exhibits evidence of having been worked 
for a distance of two miles. ‘The ancient operations are indicated 
by depressions or open cuts on the course of the vein. Upon 
feet. In the mine of the:particular company above named, cov- 
ered by fifteen feet of accumulated soil, and beneath trees not 
less*than four hundred years old, was found a mass of pure 
' Copper, weighing 11,537 lbs:, from which every particle of th 
Tock had been removed.” It had been supported by skids an 
ms Was surrounded by traces of the fire which had probably been 
