208 Mr. Schoolcraft on the 



eastern shores, were covered with copper ore, which appear- 

 ed like beds of copperas, (sulphat of iron) of which many 

 tons lay in a small space." (1) 



Five years after Carver's visit (A. D. 1771,) a consider- 

 able body of native copper was dug out of the alluvial earth 

 on the banks of the Ontonagon river by two adventurers of 

 the name of Henry and Bostwick, and, together with a lump 

 of silver ore of eight pounds weight of a blue colour and 

 semi-transparent, transported to Montreal, and from thence 

 shipped to England, where the latter was deposited in the 

 British museum after an analysis of a portion of it, by 

 which it was determined to contain 60 per cent of silver. (2) 

 These individuals were connected with a company which 

 had been formed in England for the purpose of working 

 the copper mines of lake Superior, among whom were the 

 Duke of Gloucester, Sir William Johnstone, and several 

 other gentlemen of rank. They built a small vessel at 

 Point aux Pins, six miles above the Sault de St. Marie, to 

 facilitate their operations upon the lake, and a considerable 

 sum of money was expended, first, — in exploring the north- 

 ern shore of the lake, and the island of Maripeaux, and af- 

 terwards, — in the mining operations which W€re authorized 

 upon the banks of the Ontonagon. These transactions will 

 be best illustrated by a quotation from the narrative account 

 which Henry has himself published. After returning from 

 the Canadian shore of the lake, and passing Point Iroquois, 

 where the silver ore was found, he observes, — " Hence we 

 coasted westward, but found nothing till we reached the 

 Ontonagon, where, besides the detached masses of copper 

 formerly mentioned, Ave saw much of the same metal im- 

 bedded in stone. Proposing to ourselves to make a trial on 

 the hill, till we were better able to go to work upon the sol- 

 id rock, we built a house and sent to the Sault de St. Marie 

 for provisions. At the spot pitched upon for the com- 

 mencement of our preparations, a green coloured water 

 which tinges iron of a copper colour, issued from the hill, 

 and this the miners called a leader. In digging they found 

 frequent masses of copper, some of which were of three 

 pounds weight. Having arranged every thing for the ac- 

 commodation of the miners, during the winter, we return- 

 ed to the Sault. 



(1) Carver's Travels p. 67. (2) Henry's Travels, p. - 30. 



