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Los diagrammos suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART .ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No, 2i 1.0 I.I m 1^ I 50 M 4.0 1.4 2.5 2.2 2£ 1.8 !.6 ^ r^PPUEDjM^GE^Inc ~r. '6'ii tost Main Street ~-= Rochester. New York 14609 nsa :-= ^"f) 482 -0300 -Phone ^ = ( ' I '') 288 - 5989 - Fr REPORT OK ruE TRUSTEES OF THE II KIT I SH AND CANAOIAN UlNlNfi COMPANY OF LAKE MIPERIOK. MONTREAL, 2nd JANUARY, 1847. PRINTED AT THE CANADA GAZETTE OFFICE. 1847. PubUf At ^. Archives Gcm<ad0 ; I jues Conodr^ e^lH'^o I I." !•; I'O K 'I' I'V THE I !M s I !.!:s t>i rm; tuniisn amj Canadian .MiNiN<i {OMI'AW Oy LAKE SI I'EKIOH. Montreal, 2d .laiiiuivy, 18 17. I'll IIIK SloCKIim.DEliS OV TKK IJrHiali and CtuKuiuiu Mini nil- Vompitnij of Luke Snpivivr. Thi; Trustees have llie honor to report, That in order to i'arrv out the views of the Association, the services of E. II. Thomson, Esquire, as Superintendent, and of J. T. Ilod^re, Esqnii-e, as Geoloiiist and mineral explorer, were secured. I\ti. Iloth'.e is a ifentlenian well Unown in thf scientific world, ar.d was strongly recommended as a person of undoubted knowledge and talent, and in whom every confidence could be placed ; Mr. Thomson's energy and crnacity rendered him in every way qualified for the trust r!;]v)sed in him. 'J he expedition, at the head of which \vere lliest! gentlemen, after visiting several parts of Lake Superior, seh;cted as a location for this Company, the island named J'rinee Albert's Island and the land in rear of the same, with a front of two miles on the lake by five miles in depth, for a full (lescrl|)lion of which the Trustees refer to ihe several reports of JMr. Hodge and of Mr. Thomson, and lo tlu> map hereunto appended. No progress has been made in mining beyond that of testing the veins, but sulliciently to induce 'iie employment iif a party of miners as early as the navigal on will admit (heir reaching the i:>land, in onler more fully to test the veins, and if found of the expected value, forthwith to commence mining operations ; but the trustees do not advise any expenditure in machinery, until such time as it will have been fully proved that the ores are there found in sullicient quantities to warrant its purchase. I ,,„l.i„. Iron, .!,.■ t,n.l,.,.y «i«l"'= '»■'«■'-'-" 'I"' >■■•";■ : lau. vi-inUy, «n S,,.r Ulan., wl,l,l, .^ plcascl will, 11.0 lo«..ion ..lericJ, a« oa,!... o .l" 1-1" |,,„l,„„ilar i,ulica.io„« will Prince -"■■';"„';; :• „„, ■n.c UT,ns ,n,„tea hy ll,e G.,v,-n,n,.,>tal C" ."1.' I » „u,cl.m. of tf,esu .niaeral lan.ls, nmsl be co„s,.lo,v,l h.gl.K : X l.ing a .1.10 in fee »inu>^^^ .,cre will out any reHervalion wha..ucver, pyal.le . liv. ■; .ly L.al„>eL wi.U i„.e,c,, and will cva.e ..onraU.„ce „ loS.<,.*h..Ule,. beiag ce,-.ai„ .l.at wha.ey,. .ucees, 1 a..eu.l the en.e,T.i.c, .hey will .lot he ,nlerle,e.l w,.h. ■He Lhnent 'allea in hy .he articles of a..oe,at,e„ „e in a great n.ea.nre expeoJed, it will he neee..a,-y o a „ a fuKher in..ahne„t ol one >lolU„- per s are ea,ly the en.u„g.pring,.o.neo,.h= expense, of the ..nnme,., "■ Th'o StooUhoUlers tnay rely .hot the ,,eate., pr-ulence an, touon,y will he exo,ci.e,l, and , hey n,n.t no he .- lnn»e.l if thev find the hrlghl vi»,ons they ha.l at h >. : :: ot fnllv reahsea. in a new eount,-y hl<e . e te of LaUe"Snperio,, whore own- th.ng ha. o h , iTo e.-e,l, great .imict.lties have to he .tn-.noun e,l n t m le ro|:rcs. can he ma.le, the ntore espeo.a y when 10 owel o the earth have to he opened lor the trea.n-es ^0^ M Patience and per.cveranee,nn.t he excrc.ed 1 y 'miner, these with prodence and econon.y w o - cotnc all oh..aeles, and the Trustee, have no douhl, wdl .-oalise .ho visions of the most sanguine mnids. There is no cause for discouragement, and ,f appearances .,,.0 not decentive, there is a fair field presented to the tmnor ".here his outerin-.se and exertions will he rewarded In- complete success a. no distant pern.d. Kc.pccuu) , (.p^oRGE DESHARATS, Prisidott, B, ct C. M. <-'.>. L. S. i- Ilepoit ol E. 11. TllOinSOlV, KM|iiiro. Montreal, Dvamlur \2th, 181(). To GEOUCJK DlvSllARATS, JOHN M. TOBIN, and TflOMAS A.. STAYNHU, Ksquir.M, ■I'liistOL'.sot ilu! Biiiisli iiii.l (.'iiiuuliuM MiiuH- Cmpaiiy. In compliance with an enfin^rcment mado lo you in my LoUiM-, (iate.l October 1st, 181(), I l)Og U'ave to comtnu- nicate the following description of the veins and <reiieral features of the country, as embraced in the mineral locaticm claimed under a certain Letter of License granted l)y His F.Ncellency the Rii^ht Honorable Charles Theophilus, r.an.n Metcalfe, of Fernhill, then Governor General of the Province of Canada, bearing date the first day of October, one thousand eight hundred and forty-five, to George Desbarats, Escpiire. " Prince Albert Island" is situated about half way be- tween Fort William, a trading post of the Hon. Hudson Bay Company, and Pigeon River, on the north coast of Lake Superior. The island is nearly three miles long and one quarter of a mile in width. Upon a careful examination it was found that two miles in length would embrace all that was valuable, leaving the residue of territory under the Gov- ernment orders of May 9th, iSiG, to be chosen and selected from the main land ; this was accordingly done, and the direction taken was that which would best conform to the course of the veins on the island. In giving a description of the veins discovered upon Prince iV>: -rt Island, my views will be confined entirely to iheir surface apptnuunce, and with a view of preventing any confusion as to what otherwise might be deemed a repe- tition and similarity, I have munbercd the veins from west to east, commencing at the south side of the Island and at the uorth-wcst corner. 1. Vmn N". 1 Vein n.nnluM ou. m:A<c. Ms MpiM'iu.n.v .,,.uu .lu- .nosi .voster.MMul ofll.r islnn.l, unh. ,ni....H,r nu.rsH.rr.n... ,..st a,ul uv.t, .1 .s lunn.l in n uro.n.tn.u. imp son.o <v, hi „M-hos w-ul., well r.lUM with culciuvons sp.r, a.ul -s mvu to ,lip 10 Iho south 8.') iloiirccP. Vk.in N<». ;i. Win numhrr two is fonn-l in :. r-^npltous HilVol por phyriti.- trap, from six to ei.ht inc!,os wi.!., un.l d.^.ppp"- ;„ ,lH- diivli.h a hruin. of nortl, -D .l.-.vc. west, p.trhni. uvstuanl ai an an.lo of GO .legroos ; the vein .. con.posr.l of calcnroous spar. Win nnmhrrtl^roc ha. a width of six in.-hosa.ul a ronrsr „o,th r,0 we.t ; it is composed prit.cipally of calcareous spar and the sulphate of barytes. Vkin No. 4. Vein number four is about two feci and a half wi.lo, w.th a .-.ourse north 25 decrees west, and like vein nn.uber three . con.posed of calcareous spar and sulphate o b.ryte. Wins rluirked on the map of the island and numbered bve six, seven, and ei.ht, present the same appearance, and may V)e classed as vein number four. Vein number nmc is found in a greenstone trap and pre- sents a width of three feet. It is seen in a clilTsome twenty, nve feet high and increases in thick,>ess as it descends Iron, the top of the clilV, exposing a width of six inches greater at the base than at the top-the surrounding rock presents a peculiar appearance from the great abundance o .ron which enters largely into its cou^position, a.ul iS so h.gl h impregnated with this mineral that upon exposure to the ..e'ther it has become oxidized, .i ving the rock tor a d.stanco of nearly a hundred feet upon each side of the vc-m a dull red colom. The vein preserves a uniform course tor seve- ral hundred feet into the lake, and loses itself in deep water. Vkin No. 10. Vein number te.,, or Cave vein, makes its appearance upon ,hc west side of a small indentation in the coast, separated r < « i.v .,lM>ui lorn ImiHlro.l IImM iVoru vnn uumiK-i tunc-~ii ii- ,a,„. a rcMniuk.Mo ...nlorm uidll. Mt ll.o ^^urfiiro ol ibr wMirr orOMniPon frcn ofsolMl sp.u ; ii rntcrs tho .slnn.l Mor.r- Ivi.t riirlH an-ilrs with Uu- ronst upon a l.tuM'!«''al''"l ^^"'' vein niimlHM- tlin-o, or north HO dotirccB west. Tho vein is prin.-ipnllv rouM'oscl of cnlc. npnr and n yslnh- /.oa cp.nrt/, nn.l afUM- hlastins a day or Uvo u-a. found to I.- ,„,tar.forous and yioldinir the .rey and yellow nnlphurot o« copper. Upon esnmin.tion, this vein wns tra.rd over h 1,1,' IV ,n.o hundred feet high, uhenit disappeared beneath a n.nss of inunenso blocks of detnrhe.l roek, but by cnlinu- ,„. u,,on its line of be.rinu it n^nn makes its appearance ... ,he chtr, and p.-ese.-ves its width. At the base ot the cli 1 the veinstone seems to have decayed and fallen nway in such a manner as to have formed a cave, having nt its mouth a width of f.fteen feet, and extending into the l.dl tw.ce that .li.tancc, with the floor of the cave dippin;r downward at a moderate angle. Wid.in the «;ave a number oi .■amihe.l veins make their n-ppearance, nn.l horn two ol the veins specimens of amethystine (juart/ were taken. It may not bo in.p."cner to add that this ramilyinu or .plitlmg of veins should not, ac.'ording to Dr. Houghton, the lal- eminent Gcolo-ist of the State of Michigan, be taken as an unlavonr- :,hle a'ppcarance, for mctalife.-ous vei.is which have been extensively or profitably worked in other mineral districts have not been found to continue uninte.ruptedly any certain KMV'lh, or well defined width. This rantification appears to destroy the principal vein, bui upon pursuing it, U was found again to unite, leaving the ve.n as fully developed and a.s uell defined as at first. To the ri-dit and left of the principal ve.n and near the water^s edge, tvvo veins of less magnitude occur, and both observed to n.sume a course deflecting from a parallel with the principal vein, at such an angle, that if their continuity of diivctions were extended, they would be fi.und to constitute feeders and intersect the principal vein at or near the cave. T regard this occurrence of considerable i.iiporta.icc, as .>,pprience has shown it. all mining countries that whe.-ever mineral veins arc ascertained to mlersect either at ngh*- oi ,,„, .n.^os, ll.oy have mvanal.ly Invu tou.uh.. be nu.sl ; L.^atornearthcinuncUon. Tlu> rod. . .na.le u, i;;conM.act.-ccnstoneiu 11,0 Clin; l.utinuno.luacynp^^^^ the coast the adjoining rode presents .he 3an.e eha.acKr peculiar to vein numljcr nine- Vkin ±'0. 11. V,.i., „„n,l«r eleven is n smnll irre-ulnv vein, :uul Im. the same an'oaranee oll.eing a feedM lo the eave vcu,. Vein nu,nher twelve 'isa sn'.'aM vein n,nnin|. an ea*t ami .vc< eonrse nn.lef water, and at tl,e |„.H,t el en ern.g tl,e Wa„U was reutal to eon.ain Ute yellow .nlpltu.et ol eopper. Vein nnmlKr titirteen! tte 'vein twelve, is a s:nall vein ,Vom ten to twelve inei.es wi.le, fonn.l attUe loot ot a p.a- liitvfitic Jyke in a greenstone trap. Vein nun,l,er fonrleen iias a cotn-se north-west an.l sonth- ,.,J, "lippie- t.ortherlv a. an angle of SO degrees, ,t ,s ;i\,.-;aUareo,,s%par,s,dpUa.eofhary,esa„,p,a. witl a width of seven feet hetweon the wall .oeK , e„ , „ee,ed with it are a n,n,d,er of s.nall ranr.lytng ve.ns n,e- i:,;! crossing the principal vein, and having a w.d.h fron, len to twelve inches. , The ntain vein ntaRes its appearance in a perpend.e, ,.all of ereensto.,e trap, and reaches to the .unnn, 1 „V, .h,,, l,y rollowing it a short distance a loses ,tse, ,,ainn.al<esi.sappearance on the opposite sale 01 the ,Jand and with a walth e.ptal to that tnsl tnent.oneJ. Vkins Nos. 15, IG, n. Veins nnnthered lifleen, sixteen and sevcttteen are s,na veins (bund in Ker Cove in a pyritiferous slate for,nat,on containing quartz. r i ^ Veinn„nd,er cghte.M.t hai'.ds.'n.ely dehned and rises nearlvverticallv e,.t..rthe water Iron, seven >-o a h-ed tee. io.l. the rock npon the wests, e. assntnes a p,.,phynt,e eha,ae.er, la,.e crystals ol hUl.p.n occasionally appearii,g. ♦.) Tlie voiii is seen to cut ihe clilT .Vmsionally will, a h(>Mn..o of nortii :i5 .legrcos we.t, ana hoUlly travoi-sii.{r ihc i^lainl outrmppinf^ upou the nortl., and cs^o^u^ an .solatoci urass „r the vein prujoctin^r .vvnal leel l.eyona the lace ol the dilV The vein upon the south side of the island at the top ul- tlie cliir has a width of ^cven feet and increases at the water's edize to ten feet. Tl»e vein stone is composed oi calcareous^spar ; several portions of the vein were d.st.nctly marked with the jireen coppe. tinge communicated hy the carbonate of copper. At this vein several days were spent ui blasting, and which resulted in producing some very pro- n.ising specimens of l)oth the grey and yellow sulphuret ol copper. , ^ , The wall rock for nearly thirty feet upon the west and seventy or eighty upon the cast side of the ven,, is hlled with smaller veins, varying from six to ten inches in width and appearing to constitute feeders to the mam vein. Vr.tx No. lii. Vein number nineteen consists of several smaller veins, making their appearance in the water a.ul uniting into one vein at a distance of about one hundred and hlty leet from the water and containing a width of ten feet; the vein stone is . .mcipally made of calcareous spar and unartz, the former predominating, and found in a precipi- tous clilT of porphyritic t.ap over one hundred and thirty feet high. Vkinr Nos. 20, 21. Veins numbers twenty and twenty-one present a small appearance on the south-east side of the island, and loose themselves in entering the clilV, but by p.eserv.ng the course of the vein several depressions may be traced, and bv followinir them leads on to the nonh side of the island ,0 a vein twelve feet wide of calcareous spar. Several davs were engaged here in mining, the lode of the vein was found to be highly impregnated with the yellow sulphu- rates of copper and iron ; in some portions of the vein it was found to exist to that extent, that the least fracture would seldom fail to produce specimens of tiie ore. lu \|'.1N No ■-"- J 1 .. M cmir-^o noailv cast auil : , -.V -u-iv..y u.o,.U,UI,„„ any oU.o,- von, up« , . , , .,,,.1 J .v.nvl to s-av 'A'itii lu. success; alter bink ;:;:':;:;;a:i:/;t,,.y.o..,.u,.i.n„u..^.^ .uhAuiel of 110,,, it .vas r,.,ally al.an.lonoJ. I am >'1'""»I5 ^ ,„„o., I,a> .l,e »l,ua sl,o„ld 1. con.„,«ea sumc l„.y le'-t decc,-, witi, U,e ..u,.o .ha, it will prove a cu,,- '"ir:f:^ r.-i.,oe A,..o,-t Ula„a," a. fa,- as present di. ,„;,: have OM-Muled, to culnace >vi,h„, ,t» h,„,.. tt f- ; : , ■ ,„„„he,. or those which ,„ay ^'^ ^"^^^^^^ ;;,,e veins than a„y other loeatio., w,ll„„ th, l.a.t.cuU ill. Tali.,.. expe,-ie„eo as a guide, it ,„ay be roga, Jed t: •„,.•, tl,;t s„l,ih,r veins ,n d,e sa.ne n.ineral d,str,c s a o..nn-i g t„,Jer the sun.e geological ,v.lat,„ns, u, 1 „ , < , le-,d to the san.e results, and no g,-eater analogy r; s ■iVl::. tit- does in .hot occur hetjveente L ,. ' >. pa.^t s „n,ner upon tins Island, under 0,3 agency ■ C .? 1 K,uzie, lor John Prince, Es,, M. V. i .h,s .sand I ".ee miles west of Trince Albcr., and upon w.„-U,ng .,« ascertained to he exceedingly rich in hod, s.lv ,Vr ores. Upon con,paring the snrfaco specnnens ; ; ; , J ".1, - ith one or two oC th. veins opened upon :\:;.„,io,,,sodoseisd.esin,ila,.i.yU,ata,,expen^ ove, l-a..,iliar with the Jillaentnunerals, would lail to d u t ui' early spccin.ens IVo.n each of these lsla„as pron.,scu«u>ly '"Tw" Alhe,t Island when seen fron, .he wa.ers presents .s barren ana as nnfo.-bidden appearance as „,ay well b^ . , ," ved-it is .uade up ,n.,s.ly of conical ,-ochy Knobs ,„„,„ ,r„Vs of greens.o„e rising to a heigut .,ry,„g . iru d.ree hu„a,eJ ana fifty feet; d,e so,l .s barely sulh- ' , o conceal .he u„acrbyi„g .-octs, a„a ,be narrow „.- al of land between Ih. aillbrent nplihs sus.a.ns an .n- \ I 11 \ i f ierior arovvth of birch, aspen ami spruce, sufTicient however to alTord all the fuel that will be required for domestic purposes. It has two good harbours, and one at the west end of the island affording a sufficient quantity of water to admit of the entrance of any vessel navigating the lake, and en«v of access. Lcrnna the island and crossing over to the main shore, a b.> low land, some three quarters of a mile in length, male,, its appearance, in the rear of which is situated « Sturgeon Bay."' Crossing the bay, the country assumes a very interesting appearance ; it is made up of high knobs and mural cliffs of columnar greenstone trap, attaining an altitude from six to seven hundred feet. The principal cliff, the base of which is washed by the waters of Sturgeon Bay, has its otherwise uniform course broken upon, by being made the outlet of a small lake lying in the interior from a quarter to a half mile. This lake has a width of a quarter of a mile and is nearly a mile long ; it is elevated at least two hundred and fifty H'et above the waters of Lake Su- perior, and is situated three quarters of a mile north-west from the head of Siu.geon Bay-the stream is sufficient to carry any ordinary machiner)-, and will dotd)tless hereafter be found of great practical importance. Leaving this lake and continuing in the same direction a half mile, lies still another lake, elevated some fifty feet higher ; a communica- tion exists between the two, and over a great portion of the way the water may be seen leaping and foaming over beds of immense erratic boulders of granite and other reck which has fallen from the adjoining cliffs. The prevailing rock is Greenstone, and which is peculiar for its exceedingly compact base, and for the sharp ringing sounds it gives out under a blow from the hammer ; it is tra- versed vertically by large fissures and cut into immense tabu- lar masses by horizontal seams. The short time that was allotted to an examination of the main shore led to the discovery of several well appearing veins. The most remarkable one will be found near the western termination of the cliff and which has its nearest approach lo the lake. It was tir.st discovered near the base of the 2 ]2 clitT in a veinstone of liiglily cryslalized quartz, and \A'as sul)sequently traced to the summit of the ciilT which has an elevation of seven hundred feet. In hlasting it was founii to contain particle;] of galena and the yellow and grey sul- phuret of copper ; hy following the vein a short distance it was seen to traverse the slate ami trap with a bearing of north ()0 degrees west, and present a width upon the very top of the clilT of nearly eight feet. Several other veins were found in various parts of the cliil'to the east of Sturgeon Bay, and in the interior several promising veins were also discovered, varying from one foot to three in width. As I have hetbre observed, but a limited time was appro- priated for the exploration of tlie main shore, suflicient however was given to determine the principal oljject of our search, viz. the existence of copper. The examination was more diflTicult than upon the Island, and the position of the veins less easily determined — the principal guide being the depressions in the surl'ace which is often identilied witji the existence of tiie vein — or in climbing the rugged rlill' anil ledges of rocks which was not unattended with extreme hazard and ditliculty. It may not be inappropriate to remark in drawing this report to a conclusion, that I have examined during the past season the greater part of the north coast of Lake Superior, and visited personally many of the locations made by the various minuig companies, and in no single instance have I seen a location which under all circumstances held out so many inducements for mining, and to prosecute with vigor at an early day the opening of the veins particularly distin- guished and numbered on the map as 10, 14, 18,21 and 22. That tiiey ure highly metaliferous I entertain no doubt, and that they will be found to compare with any of tjie veins opened in the Country by judicious and economical manngeiuent I equally believe. In this report i have stu- diously desired to make no pretensions to observations of a scientific nature — mine is a simple detail of impressions made upon ray own mind from experience and from the ever varied scenes and circumstances with which I was daily surrounded — I iiave endeavoured to relate in a plain iPt 13 1 iinJ unvarnislieil ^statement no fact in connexion with the location secured by the letter of license and granted to Mr. Desbarats, but which upon further examination will be authenticated atid supported by suflicient testinnony ; be- ieving it to be the only prudent and useful method by which at no distant day the aid of British and other capital- ists may be safely directed with confident hopes of its proving bolli a safe and /.rofitable investment. I shoulil be doing injustice to my own feelings If I closed this report without adverting to the valuable services of Mr. T. W. Bristol who acted as my assistant during the past season, ami from w-hose perseverance and industry as an explorer and minute observations I have derived much assistance. My grateful acknowledgments are also due to the respec- tive agents of the Hon. Hudson Bay and American Fur Company, and also to Col. J. H. Kinzie for the many acts of hospitality and kindness which have been extended to me by these gentlemen. 1 have the honor to be, Gentlemen, Your Obedient Servant, E. H. THOMSON. Report of JAinES T. HODGE, Esquire. To GEORGE DESBA RATS, Esquire, JOfIN M. TOBIN, Esquire, ami THOMAS A. STAYNER, Esquire, Trustees of t!.o British ami Canadian Mining Company. (i'f.ntlemjcn, In my letter of August Ikh, I believe I covered nearly the wliole ground that I can expect to occupy in this report. Excepting nnore minute details and further accounts of the specimens I iiave subsequently examined, there will be little to add to that letter. 2* 11 The tract selecteil l)y your Agent Mr. Thomson, on \he north shore of Tinke Superior, lies about twenty miles south from Fort William. It CNtemls in its lonjzest direction near- ly north-west and south-e:ist, at rifiht angles with the line of the coast, and includt^s at its south-eastern extremity an Island somewhat longer than the two miles allowed for the width of the tract, and nearly one quarter of a mile broad. The other four miles and three quarters of depth is made up by running the lines into the interior back from the coast. The Government Agent allows this mode of measurement, reckoning as nothing the portion of the lake separating the parts o** the tract. In this wild and ruggod country there is as yet little in- ducement to explore and take possession of those tracts lying back from the coast ; the shores oiTer the greatest facilities both for the discovery of mineral veins, and their !,ul)sequent developement. The back country is not only extremely dilHcult to penetrate by reason of its great rough- ness, but its mineral character lies hidden much more than that of the rocky shores beneath the deep moss and other vegetable covering. On the six miles or so of coast on both sides of the Island tiie veins for the most part washed bare by the action of the water, stand prominently out when of har- der material than the including rocks ; or when the contrary is the case, their position is revealed by the depressions receding between the parallel walls of rock. From the number desijrnatcd on the map accompanying this report, it is seen that few of them can escape notice. Their while color too, (Contrasting so strongly with the dark hue of the trap rock at their sides, betrays their existence in the bed of the lake ; and their course is followed out and some of their characters ascertained in floating over tiiem upon the still water. All these groups of Islands and the whole coast against them are character-zed by their bold outline, their precipi- tous walls and deep indentations ; every Island furnishes harbors, and the main shore the greatest choice of them in its well sheltered bays. This uniform exterior is indicative of the same internal structure, and trap rock in its several 15 varieties is the prevailing formation. It rises in high cliffs ol folumnar structure forming stupendous palisades, as at Pie TslaniJ and on the main land opposite ; or it skirts the sho/e in dano;erous reefs of compact green stone-trap, traversed by veins of calcareous spar and sulphate of harytes ; or runs in long straight dykes of reddish porphyritic trap extending from Island to Island, and sometimes standing above tiie water like an artificial wall. Narrow piles of a metamorphic slate in thin strata, nearly horizontal, are frequently seen lying high up against the steep cliffs of trap, as if they were the remnant of a once extensive but now nearly obliterated rock-formation. It is interesting to meet this slate formation so common along the shore, and to see how it has been al- tered and destroyed by the trap ; but whether or no it has any relation upon the productiveness of the metallic veins, is a matter that cannot yet be determined. The trap rock is their true repository, and the porphyritic character of a por- tion of it is believed to be highly favorable for their ilevelo- pement. Among the granite rocks of Cornwall the por- phyry dykes partake more of a granitic character ; in the traps of Lake Superior their distinctive peculiarity is more trappean ; whatever practical importance may be attached lothefict ofthi analogies in the Geological structure of the two countries, the Cornish miner will here recognize with great interest the counterpart of the granite in the trap, that of the" elvan " in the porphyry, and of the " klllas " in the slates. The veins of calcareous spar and sulpl.atc of Barytes referred to above, are those which contain the metallic ores. Scuh veins are the common repositories of copper ores in other parts of the world ; and from this fact they give an assurance of the permanence of the lodes which the more novel veins of quartz containing copper in a metallic state alone, do not so generally inspire. The>e veins from mere threads to large belts of j?//y feet in thickness, traverse the trap and slate, one set of ihem running north north-west and south south-east, and another not so numerous nearly east and west. Besides these two minerals they also con- tain fragments of the wall rocks which have fallen from k; above, while tlio veins were in lU'uiH-ss of fiHiiig, and bands too of trap rock also alternate with ilu; olli<'r materials above named and also with (junrtz nt' milk-white and ametliysiine colors ; sometimes these are seen systeniatieal- ly arranged as in the accompanyiiiir tigure, (see map) which represents the structure ol'one ol' the veins on the tract occu- pied by Mr. Gratiot lor James Bell Forsyth, Escpiire. The central part of the vein is calcareous spar 20 inches thick : On each side of it are small seams ol" quartz one quarter of an inch thick : outside of these are layers of trap rot;k, eacii six inches thick :thcn calcareous spar again, each layer three inches thick. The only sulphate of barytes seen, is in the extreme upper corner to the right* where a very thin seam of it comes in between the trap wall rock and the outer layer of calcareous spar. In some of the veins wrought near Freyburg in Saxony, this peculiar struc- ture has particularly been noticed and described, and ibis example is given here to prove the resemblance in the ge- neral character of the veins of Lake Superior with tliat of other veins in the oldest mining districts. The ores which are the yellow and grey sulphurets of cop- per, the sulpliuret of Iron or mundic^ liie sulphuret of lead or galena, occur dilVuscd in greater or less proportion through these vein stones or gangues. On the suriace where they can iiave been exposed to the decomposing cHects of the atmosphere, they have lor the most part long ago disappeared, so that frequently not a trace is left of their existence. This may extend to a much greater depth than we would suppose any atmospheric agencies could penetrrJe through what appears solid rock. Yet it is not unusual to sink even thirty feet without arriving at any reliable conclu- sion as to the real metalliferous character of the lode : much deeper indeed, veins are subject to great irregularities of composition which always give lliem an tuicertain charac- ter ; but in proving a vein in a inetallilbrous district, which at the surface bare a general resemblance to othcir veins, one would rarely be warranted in abandoning; the work un- til he had reached a greater depth than that I have named. Sometimes after the removal of the sulphureous ores by dc- \ 17 " composition, there remains behind a green stain of carbonate of copper upon the suface of the vein. This was the case with the lar^ro spar vein belon2;ing to the British North American Company. The abundance of it oncouraaed the hope of finding rich ores near the surface, and in this they have not been disappointed. As this vein is the best deve- loped in the country, it is proper to know the details con- ctM-nintr it, that we may die better judge of those whose features are more obscure. The position of this vein is about dirce miles souUi-west from Prince Albert's Island on the extremity of another Island much like it. The vein stones are calcareous spar and sulphate of barytes widi some quartz. The color of the whole mass, which is about sixteen feet Uiick, is quite while, so that seen at a distance of a couple of miles out on the lake, the vein hr.s the appearance of a sail by the shore, or a tent upon the land. The first time I passed it, I was myself, and those with me too, were in dout)t which it was. It cuts across the narrow neck of land at the south-west end of the Island and continues its course nordi 30 degrees west to south 30 degrees east in the rock at the bed of the lake. Ill sinking upon the vein, grey sulphuretof copper was soon found, and tlie quantity rapidly increased with the depth. The ore is argentiferous, which may somewhat increase its value. Trap rock forms the wall of the vein, and portions of it are of porphyritic character. Mr. Logan, die geologist for the government has traced out a very interesting por- phyry dike, which runs across the line of this vein near the point where it is wrought. It passes along the so»uh-east shore of the Island directly towards the same coast of Prince Albert's Island, and may be continuous there. At various other points in the same vicinity the yellow sulphurcts of iron and copper are seen in veins in the trap rock. Too litUe work has been done upon them to ascer- tain their value. Some of them, as near the mouth of Pigeon river, run a dilTerent course from that of the vein on Spar Island, and from most of the veins on the soudi shore of the lake lying east north-east, west south-west, which cer- tainly is not a favorable indication. They establish however IS the fact of iliL' goiionil dilViision of fopjjcr ores Ihroiiglioiit the trnj) rork of iho coiinlry ; Jiiwl the Spar Islaiul vt'iii <mi- roiira^a's us to piirsui) small surface iiiilicntioriH in the h()|)e that they will loail to large bodies of ore below. None of the islands in this vicinity are more remarkable for the nundier and promisiM<r appearance of the veins upon them than Prince Albert's Island. More than twenty have been enumerated, as may be seen on the map, and these do not include a large rannbcr of small veins not con- sidered of suflicient dimensions to warrant exploration. Hni all those designated on the map are worthy of attention. In their general characters they are nmch alike. The vein stories are similar to those of the veins already spoken of, and tlieir course for the most part varies little from north- west and south-ea;it. Some however instead of crossintf the island at nearly right angles to its line of length, run longitu- dinally with it ; agreeing in this with the east and west system of veins I have already alluded to. The rock of the Tsland is principally trap rock, the only exception being the inetamor[)hic slate, which is occasionally seen along the shore ; nmch of the trap rock is iiighly pori)hyritic,the crys- tals of feldspar being larger than T have seen it any other place in the country. The trap frequently rises directly from the water in precipitous walls of a hundred feet in height, and sinks beneath the surface almost as abruptly. In the interior ol the Inland, the highc'^t elevation of the rocks is about three hundred feet ; they here present an extremely rough surface covered with deep moss and a thin growth of small birches, poplars and evergreens. (lood harbors, though small, are found, one at each end of the Island, and a third at the south-east side. The numbering of the veins conunences on the snnth- we^tern extremity, and is continued along the southern side. On the north side a less nundier of veins are seen, and those winch do appear are reckoned as continuations of some of those on the south side. Several have been traced directlv across over the surface of the Island. The first nine veins are not among the most promising numbers four and nine liowever are larger than the rest, I«» ' l' mrasuiiiig ahniil two nnd n-liulf O-et onrli ; nrul if tlii'io woro no others still more proiniiK'nl, would (•♦'ilninly «lriPP»>il silttMitlori. NiinilK.'r seven too, ihoiu'h not lnr«;;e, is » v.-iii that apjuNirs well, as it is seen cNposed froni the water's edge >ip the elilV in a de<*p «'!ett. Vnm the sinicture of th • vein, one is much encouraged to look for me'allif rous ma'- lers in it ; hut \uitil some minini,' is don'>, its tni,^ nntoro cannot he known ; nmnher lour, runs fthout imrth Co degrees west, and the others pursuo a parallel eoun^e ; tlu'v lio° nearly or quite vertically. In the vicinity (f mmiiers eight ami nine the trap rock is li'i?h!y color-d hy the red peroxide of iron ; Us whole surface Is -taiiied I'V ilu' t-rru- ginons rust derived iVom the decomposition of the sulph'>ret of* iron, with which it must be charged. Near hy is vein nu.n!)erten ; this is one of the five mo-=t cncoiu-ngipg veiuP. The others are num!)ers fourteen, eighteen, twenty-one and twenty-two. Nuni')3r ten is remarkable for its great seize, its promising contents and fme exposure, vvl»ich renders it e>:(;eediiigly convenient to open and uiine. It shows itsrlf at the hase of a steep rocky dilV by the etige ol the lake. It is traced oat under th.» water on one side, ami up the clitY over one hundred feet in height on the other, and thence across the island through whicli it cuts and again appears on the north ride of it much reibiced in ai/e. It is composed of calca- reous spar principally, l)iit mixed with sulphate of barytes and amethystine quartz ; the whole thickness on the land of the main vein is about fourteen feet ; hut under the water where it presents an extraonlinary number of ramifications, b'-anchiiig out in the most complicated network, it occupies a thickness of full twenty feet. At the base of the steepest part oftheclilV, there is an old cave in the vein, which being extended by mining, hr.s brought to light specimens of vein stone containing grey sulphuret of copper, though no ore could be found previously to blasting. The specks of the grey copper are extremely minute and it is diflicult to procure even enough for examination. I can only say that 1 was satisfied of the existence of the ore in the vein, and from its resemblance to the ore on Spar Island and from the JiO similurity in the general cliaiaiterH of ilie \\\v \clns, I cor- sider this well worthy <>f farther exariiiiiiitions. Should the result ht! lavornlile, the position alVords grrat faeility in niin- •»L', lor the workini! heini^ run in horizontally I'roui the har-e '" ih iiti, ifie water instead oraecuniuIatiMtr, as it tloes in 'l*v^, .,iialls, flow- out to the i^urlaei! with no expense ( f draiim.'p* Thia in «iost minos is a very serious ilcni ol" eost ; luit in all the veins uloi'g Uic sliore, where the land rises high in the interior, adits lad out iVoni the shore will drain all that portion lying sdiovc their level. The course oCthiw vein is about north .'0 degrees west and its exposure fttfif Mie north side oi' the Lilu 'ul shows a thickness ot" about tw(> feet. Nu;ul)jr elcV')u is a siudlv^'ia b.;l<)n<iiii:z to another set of veins ; it cro-iscs number ten, and at the jjoint where they cross each oliier the fjreatc.;; ileveIopeinet;t of ore is more likelv to be found ; though a vein of no consecpience in itseH' it assum-'ssomc itujiortauee when considered in this relation. The same may be saiil df lounbcr twelve, which is an east and west vein, and is traced under the w iter as it runs parallel with the shore. At otu^ point where the land pro- jects out so as to cross its track, the vein is ex]»osed to view aiul to examination — it is from six to ten inches thick at the s:u'facc and ctinlains the yellow sulpliuret of copper. Both t!iis and eleven necessarily crossing nundier ten, and two ol' these veins being found metalliferous, the promisee of ten proving to be an imjxjrtant vein is greatly increased ; and then the proximity of the porphyritic traj), wliich is finely exposed within a fi.'\v rods of these veins, i^alsoa favorable indication. Number thirteen Is a small vein in the midst of the por- phorilic trap on one side and the green stone trap on the other. Number fourteen crosses the island — on the north-west hide it is divided into two small veins which lie close toge- ther. This is the only place in which I have seen ii, hut it is ilescrlbed to me by .Messrs. Thomson and iJnstoi as being much larger where it is seen on the south-ea.st side, s""eirmg out to some seven feet in thickness, and this not if. 'uding the feeders or branches at its sides. 21 S( NiiiuhiT fifu't-n iiicliidos scvornl smnll veins vvhirli lio « i()«c lo^otlier in the pyritiloro.is shitos on the ^'h^IV of the iKMhouA^ulled I'ier Cove-they evil thm.iRh the outer po'rt of this harhour and aiH- veins of rather strikin-^ appearance. 'I'licir eourse i- p'HMit north- north-west mid j<oulh-Hoiith.e»st, and the vein M... in the s'aie is qrurt/ The slntea near tlie veins are hi^'dy pyri'iteroiu-. Numhers ml.en and >^even teen are small veins of ral- rareous spar .n .1 sulph.ie of bpryk-. on the north-enst .nle uf Pier Cove. They are seen in the high vcrt.caUvall ol trap rock, which forms this ^hore. Niiniher e-ghteen is a lar-er vein in tli- . ame position, and ontainin-the same vein stones, also am^thystiiH- cp.art/. It is al.out ten fe.t thick at the base of the .leep clilT. and is .,H>n well e::rosed up and down the precipitous wall, which isalH.ut one hundred feet high. Some e.saminatious have heen made on the top of the clilT, and also at its base by the ed<'C of the water. Little satisfaction can be expected m openin'. into tlie veins on the highest summits ; nothins^ n.ore can there be ascertained than the genera! structure and direction of the veins. It is only at their lowest points ol exposure that any developen.ent of oi-es can be looked lor, and no great show of these will often be fcund at these place, unlil the miner has penetrated beyond the rea. h ol all atmospheric agencies. Over the surface t e vem was traced 'y exposures here and there across the island, and the work laid out upon it exposed its mil oral struc- ture. Fine specimens of amethy.^l, of the calc-.neous spar and heavy spar, were found, but no ores. But, d the bot- tom of the clilV, a single blast threw out masses o the vein Blone containing regular scams of grey Kill buret d copper ; the yellow sulphuret of copper also and sulphiirc -^ of lead and iron svere found in them. These appearance < at the surface are verv encouraging and warrant the undertaking of mining operations as soon as possible. The po^.tion of the vein, though no fooling can be had at presc ', may readily be made very convenient and advantr.geous, mdtlie harbour of Pier Cove clo.e by will atVord prolccuon (or vessels and boats. 22 On t,lii^ nnrtti-\v<^st s'lAe of tfio is^Int d l!iis vein projects out into tlio wator hoyoii.l tlu^ wnll of traj> roi k. It s^taiiils in an ollip-'oidal mass oii its; edtro nt»ar!y veiticallv, risiiii; to thi^ lioiglil of about twenty feet, its slit^ht inclination is soutli-west, that is its top leans to the iioith-east. Its thif-!;npss aiul course vny at (I'll 'rent |)(>ints, the statidins; mass in th(^ water pointin<i \vest somli-west aiui east north- east, an<i bein<^ about eiulil feel through ; anil tiic vein on the hill runtiinsr about north 5;') degrees \\;"st. Numbers twenty and twenty-one on the south-east side are small veins, but what appears to be their continu- ation on north-west side is a large vein twelve feet thick. The composition oftliis is like thu of tiie other veins, oxce[)t that the sulohate oi' baryies and amethystine (juartz in ij arc more highly crystallized. It af.brds the yellow sul- phjrels of copjjer and iron in considerable (piaiitity, so that the promise is very irooil of lis proving to be an important vein. 1 have seen no grey sulj)huiel (/f copper; still this luorj valuable ore may possibly be loui.d after further ex- amination ; il'^o. 1 should consider this the most imiortant point I have seen on tlu' trrut. 'J'lie exposure of the \e;n is in the lace ol' the slet'p cliil", and the workinus may I e luii ill kori/A)ntaliy from a jjoinl a little above the lake. It will be rather an inconvenient spot for carrying on mining, because there is n.) j)lacc near by ibr dischargiig the ores unless they are hoisted to the top of the cliir. To fill out a sutliciently liioh plaiiorm to be out of the reach of the waves, and large enough to give the necessary room, vvouKi be a work of no small expense. The vein however, should first be proved, as it may easily be, near the lake, ami then such arrangements made as the result will warrant. Number twenty-two is at the extreme iiorlh-west corner of the island ; it is a large vein occupying with its branches or feeders a thicknes J of full thirty feet. More work has been done upon it than upon all the veins together. A shaft has been sunk about twenty feel on the vein, and fully exposed its metallil'erous c haracter. Tlit^ prevailing ore is suiphuretol iron, it is seeji in very small quantities, near the surface, and gradually increases towards t!ie bottom of the 23 snan. I .le veinstone is cnlcarooiis spar c'ui'lly. with some Piilphate of harvte*' anii a bluish roloird qwMi',, in which iho ore is principally found. On siihmittins tlie suiphnrt't of iron to a llioroiitr'i roastinu and cluMnical examination. 1 find that the yellow sulphuret of copper is associated with it, and in such quantity tint the prosnect is very ?ood. that at a greater depih it may become a valuable lode of this ore, the most common commercial ore of copper. From the direction of the vein which is nearly east and west, I do not think it likely that tho lt-'v sulphuret will be found ; and therefore have not so h:si!i an opinion of ihe vein as 1 should if its direction were the same with that of the vein? which are known to contain this ore. Still a good lode of the double sulphurets of iron and copper is a valuable ac- quisition, and the examination of the specimens has made m3 think much more favourably of it than when I left the country. An exact quanlitive analysis I have not made, because from the very nature of the specimens taken from so near the surface, no satisfactory result would have been obtained of the character of the vein. It is enough to know that it is a cupriferous vein ; anil that the lode is growing richer the deeper it is opened. The top of the shaft is about twenty feet above the lake antl a rod or two back from it. It is conveniently situated for working, but the facilities for drainage are not like those of the veins in the clilVs. The water here will be troublesome, and at any considerable depth will require horse power or a steam en-iineto raise it to the surface ; but if the ore should im- prove as it has done h-om the surface down, this difticulty would be no very serious matter. A good harbor is close by, and a road can easily be made to the head of it. These are the veins upon the island ; several others are known to exist in the mountains on the mainland, but from their position and outward appearance they do not demand the same attention. The ridges here rise to a much greater height than upon the island ; in many places they are abso- lutely inaccessible by reason of their steep precipices, and their structure at the base is concealed by the huge piles of loose rock and earth which have fallen from above. The 2[ veins like tlioso on tin' islninl. cut vertically tlinnigh the rocks, nml mnv he trnced up ;)>iil down their steep face. Hut on llio very ei'tre of the prcn-ipice* is almost the only iioiiit whero lliey cim ho oNnmined. Such an examination i-( of a verv iinsntisfactory chnractcr, hecaiise it is only at their lowest points the veins in this conntry prove to he of value. Whatever ore therefore is found in such places may wiMI he considered an indication of much more of the sa:ne existinsr helow. The onlv one of these veins which it is worth while to (!escril)e, is one I examined on the high clilf ahout a mile uor'h from the outlet of Stnrtreon Bay. The upper portion (^f the hill, which rises to the heitrht of ahout seven hun- dred feet ahove the lake, is trreenstorie trap ; the lower portion the altered arsiillnceon^ slate. I have hefore referred to, which is pi'ed hiirh up atrainst the trap, and dips gently into the hill. The vein is exposed in the trap rock, ami l>y very dauLierous climhing is followed to the summit of the rockv clitV, about one hmulred and fifty feet helow tho highest part of the mountain, ft is a vein of (piartz divideil at the surface into several parallel strings which are com- prized within a width of from two to six feet. Sometimes the two wall rocks appear to he twelve feet a])art. The course of the vein is south (iO degrees east, north (iO degrees west, which if continued would cut the lower end of Prince All)ert'*s Island. Scattered through the quartz in very small particle.^ occur galena (the sulphuret of lead) and the yellow and grey sulphurets of co])per. These are en- com-aginrr ami would authorize fm-ther investigations, were it not for the unfavorahle position of the vein, and the greater advantages otfercd hy the veins on the island. The fine Jmrhor of Sturgeon Bay in this part of the tract may he consitlered of some importance sliould it he judge 1 expedient at any time to commence mining oj)erations here. If it he fully proved, as I helieve it is, that this Lake Superior region is a higlily metalliferous country, there are nevertheless many matters beyond the mere contents of the veins, which liave an important hearing u])on their value, and should receive careful consideration from those propo- f V. f ^ sii'.srio eiijf'iirn in lh(^ mining bnsinpss. Both the lacilitii-s and (hriinihies altandin^r tho manngeiuent of operations in the region arc so pn.niiaeni ami simple in their nature, that they will require hut few remarks, until the attaiti aent of fim'.uM- (l.Hails shall furnish data for exact estimates and calculations. The remoteness of the country and its being in fact shut out bv the olVcots of its climat.^ from the rest of the world six months at least of the year, arc very serious ob- jections. Thev involve the necessity of laying in full sup- plies for the winter every fall, of receiving no returns from the produce of the mines during this season ; of always providing the most trustworthy agents at whatever cost; and ill case of accident, to men or machinery, the impos- sibility of sending aid cxce])t when the lake is open. Thus, though it is a iireat thin- to havo s) many fine harbors as there are on the north shore, it must also be ivmemhered that these are closed by ice more than six months of the year; and again, if there are a considerable number ol vessels upon the lake, they puist in the short season ol their work be paid likewise .or the long period of inactivity of the winter. If each company as soon as their business will warrant, have their own vessels, much of the expenses of transportation, which is to be the -roat item of expense, will be lessened in no small degree. As the country from the barrenness of its soil can furnish no agricultural products of any account, all of these that are consumed, must come from bjlow. So, for some time, of bricks, lime and even- tually of timber and fuel ; for the growth upon these lands is of the poorer sorts of trees, and these are generally of small size ; while the consumption about mining establish- ments is alwavs great for timbering shafts and galleries and constructing houses, and in so high a latitude, this must be largely increased by the quantities required for fuel. The principal growth is of small poplars, spruce, fir, cedar and hemlock ; tiie only hard wood is birch, and this is of small size. Another trouble resulting from the climate is the obstruc- tion the snow and ice will occasion to much of the surface ?() work that must bo continually firoiniron about copper mines, sv.rh as (he clearlntr and wasliinsT of oro.s. J^iit wbilt^ tho rompanipfj will siMTtT from some of Ihese (li^ailvantatrps, they wi'l he at htlle oxponse for one item, ivhicb is nsiially one of ihe most considernblo attending min- ing enterprisers. Ttiis is the making of roads and keeping up ol" teams of horses and cattle lor the transportation cf their ores over land. I[ere, where the mines will be almost always on the borders of the lake, the ores may be delivered imme- diately into boats, and there will be no occasion of making expensive roads, and a very few horses will answer all the purposes of the mines. This very great advantage, and the facihties in the position of many of the veins for drainage already referred to, the abundance of excellent fish also taken in nets olf the islands at very little expense, will go far to counterI)alance many of tlie objections from the situ- ati«n\ and climate of the conntrv. As to the disposition of the ores after they are got out, the only advisable course at present is to send them to the Atlanric coast for sale. There will soon be provided a market for them in the country when a large proportion of the amount paid for freight might be saved. At present the expense per ton for shipment to Boston or New York is about fifteen dollars. Asthia on ores yielding less than forty or fifty per cent, is a large proportion of their value, it is made more essential than ever to send from the mine no ore but what ha.> been brouglit to the highest per centage possi- ble by cleaning. This is a point on which miners univer- sally are very neglectful, and it is a fact that much ore already received in Poston from the West Indies as well as from Lake Superior, had there to be cleaned before smelting. All which is very respectfully submitted by Your obedient servant, &,c. JAiMES T. HODGE. AVir York, Ikr. IS, 184G. <}l^. 1 <^5 675 /5''/7/^5^'-^'^