184 



APPENDIX. 



Prospect," published in 1634, (p. 90,) distinctly 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, idetitical with those discovered at Fall River, together 

 with a knife of the English mamfacture of two hundred years 

 ago. Fig. 71 is a full-sized engraving of the arrow-point in 

 question, which is now in the possession of the author. 



It has already been suggested that the shore of Lake Superior is 

 the probable locality whence the copper used by the aborigines 

 of, at least, the Eastern and Middle States was obtained. This 

 Fig 71. suggestion is rendered more than probable by the fact that 



abundant 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 excavating these, ample proofs of their 

 artificial origin are discovered, consisting of broken implements of various kinds, 

 stone axes, hammers, etc. Traces of fire are also frequent. Some of the excava- 

 tions are found to have extended to the depth of thirty feet. In the mine of the 

 particular company above named, covered 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 the rock had been 

 removed. It had been supported by skids, and was surrounded by traces of the 

 fire which had probably been used to disengage the rock. Here, too, were found 

 various rude implements of copper. 



At the Copper Falls and Eagle River, as at the Vulcan and other mines, the 

 ancient shafts are frequently discovered. Professor W. W. Mather, the eminent 

 geologist, in a private letter, referring to the two mines first named, says : " On a 

 hill, south of the Copper Falls Mine, is an excavation, several feet in depth and 

 several rods in length, extending along the course of the river. Fragments of rock, 

 etc., thrown out of the excavation, are piled up along its sides, the whole covered 

 with soil, and overgrown with bushes and trees. On removing the accumulations 

 from the excavation, stone axes of large size, made of green-stone, and shaped to 

 receive withe handles, are found. Some large round green-stone masses, that had 

 apparently been used for sledges, were also found. They had round holes bored in 

 them to the depth of several inches, which seemed to have been designed for 

 wooden plugs, to which withe handles might be attached, so that several men could 

 swing them with sufficient force to break the rock and the projecting masses of 



