History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

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bluffs which border the narrower valleys; so that when one finds
himself in such positions as to command the grandest views for river
scenery, he may almost always discover that he is standing upon,
or in close proximity to, some one or more of these traces of the
labors of an ancient people.
The Mound-Builder was an early pioneer in Michigan. Hle was
the first miner in tile upper peninsula. How lie worked we do not
know, but he went deep down into the copper ore and dug and
raised vast quantities, and probably transported it, but just how or
where, we cannot say. The ancient mining at Isle Royale, in Lake
Superior, has excited amazement. The pits are from 10 to 20 feet
in diameter, from 20 to 60 feet in depth, and are scattered throughout the island. They follow the richest veins of ore. Quantities
of stone hammers and mauls weighing from 10 to 30 pounds have
HIEROGLYPHICS OF THE MOUND-BUILDERS.
been found, some broken from use and some in good condition.
Copper chisels, knives and arrowheads have been discovered. The
copper tools have been hardened by fire. Working out the ore was
doubtless done by heating and pouring on water,-a very tedious
process; and yet it is said that, although 200 men in their rude way
could not accomplish any more work than two skilled miners at the
present day, yet at one point alone on Isle Royale the labor performed exceeds that of one of the oldest mines on the south shore,
operated by a large force for more than 30 years. Since these
ancient pits were opened, forests have grown up and fallen, and
trees 400 years old stand around them to-day.
Mounds have been discovered on the Detroit river, at the head
of the St. Clair, the Black, the Rouge, on the Grand, at the foot of