10 Lron Implements in an Ancient Mine in N. C. [January, 
within it, at distances varying from thirty-five to fifty feet below 
the surface, were found the iron implements figured in the accom- 
panying plate. At the depth of forty feet an adit or tunnel was 
found opening on the mountain side, and at the bottom of the 
shaft (fifty feet), resting upon quartz, the charred remains of wood. 
It is thought that fire was here used for the purpose of breaking 
up the quartz; that after the rock was heated, water was poured 
upon it causing it to split into fragments. Now as to the imple- ~ 
ments. They are of wrought iron, and of such shapes and 
weights as to be easily carried. That they had been worn out 
and thrown away is not improbable. The axe (Fig. 1) is rather 
small, and has been considerably distorted by hard usage, as will 
be seen in Fig. 2. The eye is quite large, and the head is cracked 
completely through (Figs. 2 and 3). There is alsoa rupture near 
the blade as if the strain on the handle had been so great as to 
almost break away the side. On the blade is a brand (Fig. 1) 
which has been so effaced by erosion as to be no longer intelligi- 
ble. The shape of this axe and its light weight are in contrast 
with those in use—being of an old pattern which is now rarely 
met with. The blade and head are each about three and three- 
quarter inches in width, while between them the width diminishes 
to two and three-quarter inches. 
The implements represented in Figs. 4 and 5 are evidently a 
pair of gudgeons—parts of a windlass. They are pointed at their 
extremities that they may be driven into a wooden roller or axis: 
The lower part of the shank is squared so as to prevent its turn- 
ing in the wood, while the upper part is cylindrical, forming an 
axle for the support of the roller. Into their bifurcated heads 
were undoubtedly inserted levers for turning a windlass. As 
these irons have a length of but sixteen or seventeen inches, they 
could be easily carried from place to place, and the machine of 
which they form a part, could be readily extemporized from the j 
trunk and branches of a small tree. Fig. 6 is theoretical, showing 
their probable use. 
A wedge three and three-quarter inches long and one oan : 
a-half inches wide, was also found (Fig. 7). Its head was some- | 
what battered. 
The inference to be drawn from the discovery of these iron rel- 4 
ics, is, that some of the “old diggings” are the work of Euro- — 
peans, as the use of iron was unknown to the native American — 
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