206 Mr. Schookrqfi on, the 



to the extensive strata of serpentine and other magnesian 

 rocks found in various parts of the globe ! The Ontonagon 

 river at this place is broad, rapid and shallow and filled with 

 detached masses of rock out of place, which project above 

 the water, and render the navigation extremely difficult, 

 during the summer season. The bed of the river is upon 

 sand-stone similar to that which supports the Palisadoe 

 rocks upon the Hudson. There is an island nearly in the 

 centre of the river which serves to throw the current against 

 the west bank where the copper reposes, and which as it 

 is the only wooded island noticed in the river, may serve 

 to indicate the locality of this mineral treasure to the future 

 enquirer. 



Several other masses of native copper have been found 

 On this river at various periods since it has been known to 

 Europeans, and taken into different parts of the United 

 States and of Europe, and a recent analysis of one of these 

 specimens at the University of Leyden, proves it to be na- 

 tive copper in a state of uncommon purity, and uncombin- 

 ed with any notable portion either of gold or silver. 



A mass of copper discovered by the Aborigines on an 

 island in lake Superior at Point Chegoimegon eighty miles 

 west of the Ontonagon, weighed twenty eight pounds, and 

 was taken to the island of Michilimackinac some years ago 

 by M. Cadotte, and disposed of. It was from this mass 

 that the War Department was formerly supplied with a spe- 

 cimen, and from which the analysis alluded to, is also un- 

 derstood to have been made. About eleven years ago, a 

 trader by the name of Campbell procured from the Indians 

 a peice of copper weighing twelve pounds which they 

 found on an island in Winnebago lake, about a hundred 

 miles in a direct line east of the copper rock on the On- 

 tonagon. This was also taken to the Island of Michili- 

 mackinac and there disposed of. Other discoveries of this 

 metal in masses, varying from one to ten pounds are stated 

 to have been made on the shores of lake Superior — the Fox 

 river — the Cbippeway — the St. Croix, and the Mississippi 

 about Prarie du Chien, but the statements do not rest on suf- 

 ficient authority to justify any particular enumeration. The 

 existence of copper in the region of lake Superior appears to 

 have been known to the earliest travellers and voyageurs. 

 As early as 1689 the Baron La Hontan in concluding a de- 



