CHAPTER III. 



RUNNING THE RAPIDS. 



BEFORE leaving the Grand Rapid several good photo- 

 graphs of it were obtained, and then on the morning of 

 the 7th of June, bidding adieu to Inspector Howard, and 

 leaving our supplies in the freighters' hands, we started 

 down the river for Fort McMurray. The first object of 

 special interest passed was a natural gas flow, occurring 

 on the left bank about fifteen miles below the Rapid. 

 At this place a considerable volume of gas is continually 

 discharging, and may be seen bubbling up through the 

 water over a considerable area, as well as escaping from 

 rifts in the bank. The gas burns with a hot pale blue 

 flame, and is said to be used at times by boatmen for 

 cooking purposes. Eight or ten miles farther down 

 stream came the Brule Rapids, the first of the long 

 series, and though they might easily have been run, we 

 did not try it, as my brother wished to remain on shore 

 for some time to collect fossils. Meanwhile our stufT 

 was portaged, and without difficulty the empty canoes 

 run down to the foot of the rapids, where camp was 

 made. Just at this place commence the wonderful tar 

 sand-beds of the Athabasca, extending over an enormous 

 area. These certainly present a very striking appear- 

 ance. During warm weather, in many places, the faces- 



