THE ANCIENT MINEES OP LAKE SrPEEIOE. 



233 



through all its vast unoccupied wildernesses, as to preclude the possi- 

 bility that there yet may be discovered among the recesses of its 

 forests, grave mounds of the ancient Brachyeephalic race, whose 

 physical characteristics seem clearly to prove that the race of the 

 mound-builders of America and the red Indian tribes that succeeded 

 to the forests are distinct. 



The numerous ancient implements and weapons of copper already 

 found in the mining regions of Lake Superior, entirely correspond 

 with the other evidences of combined operation protracted over long 

 periods of time, disclosed by the ancient Ontonagon mines ; and 

 concerning which no traditions of the present native tribes of the 

 country indicate the slightest knowledge. At the Bigelow House at 

 Ontonagon, I had an opportunity of examining an interesting collec- 

 tion of copper relics found, a few months before in the neighborhood. 

 These consisted of three copper spear-heads, one about fourteen 

 inches, and the others about twelve inches in length ; and two singu- 

 larily shaped copper gouges (?) about fourteen inches long, and two 

 wide, the precise use of which it would be difficult to determine. It 

 was my good fortune to make the acquaintance, while at Ontonagon, 

 of Captain Peek, whose knowledge of the native languages, and 

 residence for years among the red Indians, have given him good 

 opportunities of judging of their habits and arts ; and his idea of the 

 copper gouges was that they were designed for cutting holes in the 

 ice for fishing, according to a method still pursued by the Indians for 

 obtaining their winter supply of Lake fish. A different and more 

 probable opinion, however, was advanced by a practical miner, who 

 stated that he had been among the first who opened some of the 

 ancient diggings found at the Minnesota mine, and the copper gouges 

 seemed exactly adapted to produce the singular tool-marks which 

 had then excited his curiosity. Subjoined is a representation of one 

 of the spear-heads, sketched from the original. Its form is singular, 



the blade being three-sided like that of a bayonet. The socket ha3 

 been formed by hammering out the lower part flat, and then turning 

 it over partially at each side. Precisely such a mode of fitting tho 



