The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-08-09
:.-r1E COPPER REGION.

CORES soondeu: Of TIE Buffalo Express
writing under date Of Junc ID, :''o" on'oua-
gon. Lake Superior, saws:
Mfr. Knapp. ofthe Vulcan Mining Com
pany, has lately made some very sIngulS'
discoveries here in working of the veins.
which he lately found. He worked into an
old cave which has been excava'ed ccnlu-
lies ago. This led them to look tor other
works of the same sort, and they have 'ouEd
a number Of sinks in the earth which they
have traced long distance. by digging
into those sinks, they find them to have been
made by the hand of man. 1t appears that
the ancient miners worked on a different
principle from what they du al the present
time. The greatest depth yet found in these
floles is thirty feet-aier getting down to
certain depth. they drifted along the VEN,
making an open cut
These cuts have been nearly filled 10 a
level bv the accumulation of sill, and we
fiatlsrees of the largest growth standing IN
this gutter; and also find that trees OF very
large growth have grown up and died, and
decayed many years since; IN the same place
there are now standing trees at over three
t,anded years growth. Last week hey dug
down into a new place. and about twelve
feet below The surface found mass ot cup
per tha, will weigh from eigh, 10 Ten tons.
This mass was buried n ashes, and II aP-
pears that they could no, handle it. and had
no means Of cutting it; and probably bull
fire to melt or seperaie the rock form 1t.
which might be doEe by heating and then
dashins on cold water. This piece of cop
per is as pure and clean as new cent; the
nppcr surface has bcen p"uRded clear ana
smooth.
1t appears thai this mass OF copper, was
taken from the bottom of shaft. al the depth
Of about thirty feet. In sinking this shalt
frnm where the mass now lies. they ioiow-
ed The course of,he vein. which pitches con-
siderablv. This enabled them to raise 1t as
lar as the hole came up with slant. AT
the bolton of the shaft they found sk'ds oi
bIack oak, from eight TO ,wcvle inches IN
diameier-these sticks were charred through
as if burnt; they found large wooden wedges
IN The same situation In this shalt they
found a miners gad and narrow chIsse
made of copper d" no, know whe'her
these copper tools are tempered or nn'' oul
their make displays CORD workmanship.
They have taken out more than ton OF
cnbblcstone, which have been used as mallets'
These stones were nearly rnund, with score
cut around the centre, and look as 1t Tins
score was cut for the purpose OF putting
wihe round for a handle. The Chippewa
Indians all saw that this work was never done
by Indians. This discovery will lead to a
new method of finding veins in this country
and NAV be of great benefit To some. !
suppose they will keep finding new wonders
for. some time vet, as it is but short time
since they frs, found the old mine. There
is copper here in abundance. and think
people will begin 10 dig in few years.
Mr.. Knapp has found considerable silver
during the past winter. d.
tPERIoprcA Al RISE AND FALL OF LAKE ST.
pER1nR.-The gradual rise and fall II the
level Of the water in the great lake through
series of wears, has long been noticed. It's
cause is doubtless due to a greater quantity
of rain and snow or of a lower mean o
temperature and diminished evaporation du
ring the period Of rise. and the reverse du
ring the period ofEalI of 1889, the waters
were higher than they had been before to'
at least two centuries. This is demonstra
led by the large tracts of land that were IN
undated, which are covered with torres
frees, many ofthem the growth OF ages
These trees were DESTROYED By this overflow
around Lake Erie and Huron. and of tn
st. Mary's river. between Point Detour ant
the Sault ST.. Marie.
We have no accounts of Lake Superb
at that time, and | have seen no sIm'la
tracts of destroyed timber on the shores
that lake, although have coastcd along mos
nf the shore. These are facts however
iI,a, indicate a marked variation within
few years.
sInls45 a rock in the middle of the en-
trance Of Eagle Harbor showed itself on
in the trough of the waves: and the narr'V
inlet between the west end of Porters ISLAM
and The main land at Copper Harbor. was q
such depth that loaded Mack'naw boat
could enter Copper Harbor without touch
the rocks. In the SUMMER OF lS46 IN
rock at the mouth o! Eagle Harbor wa
a foot and half above water; boats cou'
not get into Copper Harbor through the il
let above mentionei, and skiffs and canoe
rarely attempted TO enter through that pa
sage. in June, lS47, the rock above mel