1^4 Ht/iorkal Journal of 



On its Borders, in fome Places, and about certain Iflands, they 

 ^ find great Pieces of Copper, which are alfo 



i^opper mines. Oh]tet of the fuperftitious Worftiip of the 



Savages ; they look upon them with Veneration, as a Prefent of 

 the Gods who live under theWaters ; they gather the fmalleft Bits 

 of it, and preferve them with Care, but make no Ufe of them. 

 They fay, that formerly there was a great Rock that flood high 

 above the Water all of the fame Matter ; and as it does not appear 

 at prefent, they fay that the Gods have carried it to another Place 5 

 but it is very probable, that in Length of Time the Waves of the 

 Lake have covered it with Sand and Mud ; and it is certain, that 

 there has been difcovered in many Places, a pretty large Quantity 

 of this Metal, without being obliged to dig deep for it. At my 

 firft Journey into this Country, I knew one of our Brethren, who 

 was a Goldfmith by Trade, and who, whilfthe was in the MilTion 

 of St, Mary^s Fall, went thither to find Copper, and had made 

 Gandlefticksj CrofTes, and Cenfers of it ; for this Copper is often 

 almoft entirely pure. 



The Savages add, that when Mkhalou made the Upper Lake^ 

 Se uelofthe Tra dwelt at Mkhillimakifiacy where he was 



diti ns of the Sa ' Name is properly that of a little 



/ ions 0/ K a- jfi^nd, almoU round, and very high, fituate at 

 the Extremity of Lake Huroriy and by Cuf. 

 torn it has given its Name to all the neighbouring Country. The 

 Ifland may be about three or four Miles round, and one may fee it 

 at the Diltance of twelve Leagues. There are two Iflands to the 

 South of it, the farthefl of which is five or fix Leagues long, the 

 other is very fmall, and quite round. They are both well wood- 

 ed, and the Lands are good ; whereas that of Mkhillimakinac is 

 only a barren Rock, and fcarcely covered with a little Mofs and 

 Herbs. It is neverthelefs one of the moil celebrated Places of 

 Canada^ and was a long Time, according to the antient Tradi- 

 tion of the Savages, the chief Abode of a Nation of the fame 

 Name, and of which they reckoned thirty Villages in the En- 

 virons of the Ifland. They fay, that the Iroquois deilroyed them, 

 but they do not fay at what Time, ncr on what Occafion. This 

 is certain, that there are no Marks of tbem remaining* I have 

 fomewhere read, that our old Miffionaries have feen fome Remains 

 of thefe People (aj. 

 The Michtllimahnacs lived almoil only by Fiihing, and there is 

 FÎ t f F'fh P^^^-^P^ Place in the World where there is 

 in thef^ Farts Plenty of Fifh. The moil common 



in J ar s. three Lakes, and in the Rivers that 



flow into them, are the Herring, the Carp, the Gilt Fiih, the 



f a) The Word Mkhillimaiiinac fignifies a great Number of Tortolfes ; 

 feut I never heard they find more here at prefent than in other Places, 



Pike, 



