6 REPORT OF THE 



tended by Alexander Henry, near the forks of the Ontonagon 

 river, in 1171. 



The exj lorations of Alexander McKenzie, commenced in 

 1789, extended over a portion of the shores of Lake Superior, 

 and thence north-west, over the country whose waters flow 

 into the Arctic ocean. In the account of his travels he speaks 

 of the occurrence of " virgin copper" ton the south shore of the 

 lake. 



In the year 1800, during the presidency of the elder Adams, 

 Congress passed a resolution,* providing for the employment 

 of an agent for the purpose of collecting information relative 

 to the "Copper Mines" on the south shore of Lake Superior ; 

 but it does not appear that this resolution was ever put in 

 execution. 



In 1819, General Cass, under the authority of the Secretary 

 of War, directed an exploring expedition which passed along 

 the Southern shore of Lake Superior,*)" and crossed over to the 

 Mississippi. This expedition had among its principal objects, 

 that of investigating the north-western copper mines ; and was 

 accompanied by Mr. H. R. Schoolcraft in the capacity of mineral- 

 ogist and geologist. His observations are recorded in his " Nar- 

 rative Journal of Travels from Detroit, north-west," &c, pub- 

 lished in 1821. 



In the spring of 3 823, Major Long, acting under the orders 

 of the War Department, and accompanied by several scientific 

 gentlemen, started on an expedition, the object of which was 

 to explore the river St. Peters a^id the country situated on 

 the northern boundary of the United States, between the Red 

 River of Hudson's Bay, and Lake Superior. In returning, they 

 coasted along the north shore of this Lake. 



In 1831 an expedition was sent out by the United States gov- 

 ernment, under the command of Mr. Schoolcraft, for the purpose 

 of ascertaining the sources of the Mississippi river. Dr. Doug- 

 las Houghton was attached to this party, and he subsequently 



*Laws of the United States, Vol. III., p. 403. 

 f Journal of the Expedition of General Cass. 



