ancient people who had mined for copper there some
time now far past. The general conclusion is that these old miners were
Mound Builders, but here the evidence of their presence is not found
in the existence of mounds and earthworks, but of pits and excavations,
which, by the slow accumulation of years, had become filled to near the
surface with _debris_ of various kinds. Many had noticed these little
pits and depressions without suspecting they had aught to do with the
presence of man. The hollows made by large trees, overturned by the
wind, frequently left as well marked depressions as these excavations.

We have abundant proof that these old miners were practical workmen.
They evidently did not neglect the most trifling indication of metals.
They made thorough research and discovered the principal lodes. Our
present day miners have long since learned to regard the presence of
these ancient pits as excellent guides in this matter. With modern
appliances they penetrate far beyond the power of the old workmen.
At the Waterbury mine there is in the face of the vertical bluff an
artificial opening, which is twenty-five feet wide, fifteen feet
high, and twelve feet deep. The materials thrown out in digging had
accumulated in front, and on this forest trees common to that region
were growing of full size. Some of the blocks of stone which were
removed from this recess would probably weigh two or three tons, and
must have required the use of levers to move them. Beneath the surface
rubbish was discovered the remains of a cedar trough, by which the water
from the mines was conducted away. Wooden bowls were found, which were
probably used to dip the water from the mine into this trough.

Near the bottom of the pit, shovels, made of cedar, were found, shaped
much like a canoe paddle, but showing by their wear that they were used
as shovels. Although they appeared solid while in water, yet, on drying,
they shrunk up, and were with difficulty preserved. A birch tree,
two feet in diameter, was observed growing directly over one of these
shovels. No marks of metallic tools were observed anywhere about this
large pit.

Illustration of Ancient Mine, Michigan.-----------

In this case they constructed a sort of a cave, but in many cases they
mined open to the air, that is, they simply dug trenches or pits. A row
of these ancient pits, now slight depressions, indicate a vein. What
they seem to have especially sought after was l