318 THE PETROLEUM SPRINGS OF WESTERN CANADA. 
In other parts of the township, as at Kelly’s wells, ten miles north 
of Mr. Williams’, the conditions and mode of occurrence of the oil 
are quite different. Here it occurs in a bed of gravel and boulders, 
at a depth of about 47 feet from the surface, associated with such an 
amount of water as to render the wells exceedingly difficult in working, 
although the quantity of oil here is evidently very great. Whether 
these variations in the physical structure of the region have any con- 
nection with the origin of the deposits, it is in the present state of 
our knowledge of the subject, impossible with any degree of confidence 
to determine. Recently oil has been obtained by drilling into the 
rock, and in such cases it is said to be of a superior quality to that 
derived from the clay or superficial deposits. 
The advantage which we possess in Canada over our neighbours in 
Pennsylvania and Ohio is, that the oil-bearing rocks lie much nearer 
the surface. On the other hand, the most of the oils obtained south 
of Lake Erie are lighter, and bear a less per centage of loss in manu- 
facture ; they are also much more easily deodorized, or rather have 
comparatively little unpleasant odor even in the crude state. But the 
chief drawback to the commercial value of the Canadian oil is its 
thick and tarry consistence; causing it to foam in an uncontrolable 
manner, in the ordinary retorts used for rectifying earth and coal oils, 
and to yield too large a proportion of heavy products. In view of 
these circumstances, it will obviously be expedient to prepare the ma- 
terial for the market in Canada, and with apparatus expressly adapted 
for the purpose. 
I have hitherto purposely confined myself to what may be called a 
popular account of the oil springs, detailing only such facts as might 
attract the attention of a cursory observer. I shall now direct atten- 
tion to what I proposed as the primary object of this inquiry, namely, 
an attempt to discover the source, and account for the origin of these 
extraordinary deposits. And here I must premise that whatever 
theory I might have to advance is only to be received as a guess at 
the truth. When so much uncertainty and difference of opinion still 
exist among scientific men with regard to the origin of coal, notwith- 
standing the amount of ability and learning that have been brought 
to bear upon the subject, it would be unreasonable to expect that this 
comparatively unexplored region of research should be opened up all at 
once. 
The first step in our inquiry will naturally be to investigate and 
