Indeed the Indian
in token of his surprise at his success in being even able to
construct a canoe, states in his tradition that it is the gift of the
Manitou. Furthermore the mound builder used metal tools, and was
probably a metal worker. It is true the copper implements mentioned,
as having been found were brought to Rainy and Red Rivers. I have,
however, pointed out the intimate connection judging by the line of
transport subsisting between Rainy River and Lake Superior, the mining
locality for copper. To sink a mine in the unyielding Huronian rock of
Lake Superior, with mallet and hammer and wedge and fire, take out the
native copper, work it into the desired tools, and then temper these
requires skill and adaptation unpossessed by the Indians. For
centuries we know that the Lake Superior mine in which are found tools
and timber constructions, have been buried, filled in for ten feet
with debris, and have rank vegetation and trees growing upon them. It
is certain that the Indian races, even when shown the example, cannot
when left alone follow the mining pursuit. Not only then by the
ethnological, and other data cited do we conclude that the mound
builders belong to a different race from the present Indians, but the
tradition of the Indians is to the same effect. Then
WHO WERE THE MOUND BUILDERS?
I would lead you back now to what little we know from the different
sources, of the early history of our continent.
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