504 
AMERICAN A A THR 0P0L 0 GIST 
[N. s., 5, 1903 
great number of these implements made it certain that extensive 
operations had been carried on by the ancients, but the exact nature 
of the work was not readily determinable. The first impression was 
that the compact masses of hematite were sought for the purpose of 
manufacturing implements such as were employed by the mound¬ 
building tribes in many parts of the Mississippi valley; but exami¬ 
nation revealed few traces of the shaping of this material, save that 
it had been used in making the rude sledge-heads or hammers 
found in the mine. In breaking up the ore the white miners en¬ 
countered small irregular seams and masses of flint, but these were 
too limited in extent and too brittle in texture to have been em¬ 
ployed successfully in the manufacture of implements. Some work¬ 
able flint was observed in the vicinity of the ore-body, and flakes 
and rejectage of blade-making, as well as a number of well-finished 
spearheads, arrowpoints, and leaf-shaped blades were intermingled 
in the filling of some of the superficial pits; but this flint-shaping 
appears to have been an incident only of the work on the site. 
The evidences of this shaping work are not sufficient to warrant the 
conclusion that the extensive tunneling was carried on for the pur¬ 
pose of obtaining material for that purpose. Besides, this flint is 
found in large bodies in many sections of the general region, and 
could readily be obtained in quantity. 
It was observed, in approaching the mine, that the exposed sur¬ 
faces of the ore and the ground about were everywhere a brilliant 
red. The workmen were red from head to foot, and anyone ven¬ 
turing to handle the ore soon found his hands smeared with red 
oxide, repeated washing being required to remove it. The preva¬ 
lence of the red color suggested at once the idea that the site had 
been an aboriginal paint mine, and that the red and yellow oxides 
were mined and carried away to be used as paint — an article of 
utmost importance in the aboriginal economy. 
As the charges of dynamite used by the miners broke down 
the walls of the mine, it was observed that the deposits were of irreg¬ 
ular hardness, that certain portions of the ore were very compact 
and flinty, containing much quartz, and of dark bluish'or purplish 
hue, while the larger portion was so highly oxidized as to be easily 
broken up. Extending through the ore body in all directions were 
