THE CANADIAN JOURNAL. 



NEW SERIES. 



No. III. — MAY, 1856. 



THE ANCIENT MINERS OE LAKE SUPEEIOE. 



BY DANIEL "WILSON, LL. D., 



PBOEESSOE OF HISTOEY AND ENGLISH LITEKATUEE, TTNIVEESITY COLLEGE, TOBONTO. 



Mead before the Canadian Institute, January 2Qth, 1856. 



During the past summer of 1855, it was my good fortune to accom- 

 plish a long desired visit to the ancient copper country of Lake 

 Superior, where, more perhaps than on any other spot of this conti- 

 nent, may be witnessed the incipient traces of aboriginal arts and 

 civilization. On tbat occasion I had an opportunity of exploring part 

 of the rich copper-bearing region of Keweenaw Point and the adjacent 

 country, and witnessing for myself evidences of ancient mining 

 operations, which prove the existence, at some remote period, of the 

 rudiments of native metallurgic arts. 



The Keweenaw Peninsula is traversed obliquely by a range of trap 

 rock, rising in some places into magnificent cliffs of several hundred 

 feet in height ; and in this igneous rock, which passes in a south- 

 western direction across the Keweenaw Lake into the inland country, 

 are found the rich copper veins which have already conferred such 

 great commercial value on that district of Michigan. In their pre- 

 sent state, it is difficult to realize the conception that these copper 

 regions were ever ransacked for their mineral treasures, or explored 

 by any other but the stray hunter of the forest, until the commence- 

 ment of regular mining operations in very recent years. 



Landing at Eagle Eiver, I made my way some miles into tho 

 country, through dense forest, over a road, in some parts of rough 

 corduroy, and in others traversing the forest in its gradual ascent, 



