Box 4, Folder 5: Miscellaneous Typewritten Letters

1851.

-870-

pottery is found throughout the state. It is always in fragments no entire vessels having been found to my knowledge. We are therefore ignorant of their original form and dimensions. One, we found in a mound at Waukesha, had probably contained the provisions intended for use on the journey from the Spirit land."

Arrow points in great numbers are found, made of flint of various kinds and in a variety of forms.

At Kenosha we had the good fortune to discover the place where they were manufactured. To be convinced of this, one has only to examine the fragments or chips of flint, half formed arrows points and the broken and irregular pieces of flint profusely scattered about the sandy grounds at that place. We could find no indications of the tools or instruments by which these regular, symmetrical forms were produced.

Axes and chisels of stone are very often found in Wisconsin as elsewhere in the west. The axes usually have a depression near the middle around which a handle was undoubtedly fastened in the manner of a scythe. They are made of the hardest and toughest stone and are usually worn quite smooth about the edge or cutting end, indicating that they were much used.

The occurrence of these axes or hammers and chisels of stone and the remains of ancient diggings, among the copper mines of Lake Superior has recently been announced by Dr. Chas. T. Jackson

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*Since the above was written I have received a note from Dr. P. R. Hoy of Racine, announcing the discovery of two vases near [the] that place. They are of this shape (Sketch) ornamented at the top. The largest is seven inches in diameter at the top and eleven and a half inches high, it would hold about five quarts. The other is about half the size.

Letter Jan'y 10th, 1951.

1851.

-871-

the U.S. Geologist, and proves that the mound-builders there obtained the supply of copper so often found connected with their mounds. Ancient excavations along some of the veins are found 6 feet deep and at one place it is stated a cart load of these rude mining instruments have been found. But time will not allow me to go into further details on this highly interesting subject.

Should any of my hearers catch the spirit and enthusiasm of the antiquarian and undertake to examine these works for themselves, I must caution them against mistakes. At the commencement of my labors this season I waded through the deep mud and mire of the "Big Marsh" in Brookfield, to examine and survey some ridges representing snakes or massasaugas as they were supposed to be. This serpentine form and attenuated extremities gave much probability to the suggestion. The arrangement in a uniform direction with the spaces between them often protected by another, behind, as in the works of defense, gave additional evidence of their artificial origin (Sketch). But further observation and reflection convinced me that these massasaugas were formed by the expansion and contraction of ice.

At another time I examined very carefully a mound or ridge, that was traced across a small run ar the outlier of a marsh or pond and proved to be a beaver dam.

And especially I must caution you (in conclusion) while opening mounds, not to commit the error of a certain down-easter who penetrated the far west in search of adventure as far even as Buffalo: He was industriously and eagerly engaged in opening an artificial mound when he was hailed by a farmer, who resided near by, to know "What he was doing there, on his potato hill":

-o