Original - North Central Michigan College Library

&lejtanberwound which he received from an old woman,who stabbed him with an. awl. She was atwork, making shoes for the family, when hebroke into the lodge, near the entrance of whichshe sat. Some of the old men of my crewremembered at this place to have seen bones.On the lake we fell in with Indians, of whomI purchased provisions. One party agreed toaccompany me, to hunt for me, on condition ofbeing supplied with necessaries on credit.On the nineteenth of August we reached themouth of the river Ontonagan, one of theAt thelargest on the south side of the lake.mouth was an Indian village; and at threeleagues above, a fall, at the foot of whichsturgeon were at this season so abundant thata month's subsistence for a regiment couldhave been taken in a few hours.But I found this river chiefly remarkable forthe abundance of virgin copper which is onits banks and in its neighborhood, and of whichthe reputation is at present more generallyspread than it was at the time of this my firstvisit. The attempts which were shortly aftermade to work the mines of Lake Superior toadvantage will very soon claim a place amongthe facts which I am to describe.The copper presented itself to the eye inmasses of various weight. The Indians showedme one of twenty pounds. They were used tomanufacture this metal into spoons and braceletsfor themselves. In the perfect state in1 86