1870.] ^*' [rcpper. 



mine from which countless medical workers have extracted precious 

 materials, which they have, in but too many instances, reissued without 

 the stamp of the original and real author. Doubtless many of the theories 

 and views expressed in it will be, ere long, superseded ; many of the 

 facts require I'earrangement or new explanation ; but the work itself will 

 long live and command the admiration of posterity as an enduring monu- 

 ment to the great intellect, sustained ambition, and indomitable energy 

 of James Copland, 



In person he was about the common height, of a I'obust build and 

 striking countenance. In social life he possessed many friends, and was 

 of a most generous and hospitable nature. 



For some years before his death he had retired from the active practice 

 of his profession. He had suffered for a long time from gout, and for 

 some years had had occasional attacks of rheumatism. Ilis death occurred 

 on July 13, 1870, in the 79th year of his age, after a severe illness of about 

 ten days. 



Mr. Dubois made the following written communication 

 respecting Lake Superior Silver Mines. 



Mr. Du Bois asks attention to a specimen of ore from the new silvei- 

 mining region on the northern shore of Lake Superior. The precise 

 location of the mine is on a very small island, about half a mile from the 

 main land near Thunder Cape, to the east of Thunder Bay, and north of 

 Isle Royale. Silver Island only measures a few feet long and broad, out 

 of the water, and it was necessary first to fence it with a coffer dam : it 

 is still necessary to use the pump daily. They are now at work a few feet 

 below the bed of the lake. 



Herewith two specimens are shown ; one is the ore (in two pieces) ; the 

 other is a button of fine silver extracted from precisely the same amount 

 of ore. The comparison will give an idea of its surprising ricliness, and 

 will also show how much may be hidden under an exterior not promising 

 to a casual observer. 



The matrix is a calcareous spar, or carbonate of lime, with granular 

 galena ; the silver occurs in two conditions : mineralized in the galena, 

 and native in small needle-shaped filaments, some of them visible with a 

 glass. The return of this specimen was over $13,000 a ton; but as we 

 are cautious of reporting such ores by such large measure, we gave it as 

 $6.73 a poictid. However, it turns out that they are really getting u^j 

 tons of rich ore, and sending it to be smeked at Newark, New Jersey. 

 Other specimens tried at the Mint yield about half as much as the extra- 

 ordinary piece here shown. 



That Lake Supei'ior should thus offer on its northern shore a bed of 

 silver associated with lead ; and on its southern shore a mixture of silver 

 with copper, as well as copper alone ; is an interesting fact in mineralogy. 

 That it should promise us more silver, at a time when we want it for cur- 

 rency, is equally interesting in another point of view. 



The mine, although in Canada, is ov\ned and worked by a company of 

 our citizens, of Detroit and other places. 



