Original - North Central Michigan College Library

antiThe neighboring lands are good. I distributedseed-maize among the Indians here, which theyplanted accordingly. They did the same thefollowing year, and in both instances had goodcrops. Whether or not they continued thepractice I cannot say. There might be muchdanger of their losing their seed; for their waywas to eat the maize green and save only asmall quantity for sowing.In the following month of August welaunched our sloop and carried the miners to thevein of copper ore on the north side of the lake.Little was done during the winter, but byto be so rich as those on the south"; and CaptainCarver has given the following account of the identicalundertaking above described: "A company of adventurersfrom England began, soon after the conquestof Canada, to bring away some of this metal; but thedistracted situation of affairs in America has obliged themto relinquish their scheme. It might in future times bemade a very advantageous trade; as the metal, "whichcosts nothing on the spot and requires but little expenseto get it on board, could be conveyed in boats or canoesthrough the Falls of Sainte Marie to the Isle of SaintJoseph, which lies at the bottom of the strait, near theentrance into Lake Huron; from thence it might be puton board larger vessels, and in them transported acrossthat lake to the Falls of Niagara; then being carried byland across the portage, it might be conveyed withoutmuch more obstruction to Quebec. The cheapness andease with which any quantity of it may be procured willmake up for the length of way that is necessary totransport it before it reaches the sea coast; and enablethe proprietors to send it to foreign markets on as goodterms as it can be exported from other countries."Three Years' Travels, Etc. Author.225