34 TRANSACTIONS. 1906-7. 



a rule though there are apparently considerable tracts of fairly 

 good soil. 



At a distance of 120 miles below Athabaska Landing we reach 

 Pelican Rapids. At this point the Dominion Government in 

 boring for oil a few years ago struck such a strong flow of gas that 

 it interfered with further operations. The noise caused by the 

 flow of gas which was on fire could be heard for upwards of a half 

 mile distant. When first struck it could be heard a mile or more. 

 This gas proceeds from a deposit of tar in the sand. The sands 

 overlie the limestone and as we proceed down the river they are 

 visible at the surface. The area of the country where these are 

 found is of very large extent, embracing several hundreds or even 

 thousands of square miles, and are most observable along the banks 

 of the Athabaska in the neighbourhood of Fort McMurray. 



According to a report made by Mr. R. G. McConnell of the 

 Geological Survey, they are also seen on the Slave and Peace 

 rivers as well as the Athabaska and through other sections of the 

 MacKenzie River basin. In the same report an analysis by Mr. 

 Hoffmann of a specimen collected some years ago by Dr. Bell gave 

 by weight : — • 



Bitumen 12 .42% 



Water. . 5.85 



Siliceous Sand 81 . 73 



and a cubic foot of this bituminous sand rock would give 41 . 59 

 lbs. of bitumen. This report estimates the area covered by this 

 tar sand at 1000 square miles, and the above analysis would give 

 a bulk of 6 . 50 cubic miles of bitumen, and the amount of petroleum 

 which must have issued from the underlying limestone would 

 produce by weight 4,700,000,000, tons of bitumen. 



This report also states that this tar sand evidences an up- 

 welling of petroleum to the surface unequalled elsewhere in the 

 world. 



At the time of my visit a well was being put down near Fort 

 McMurray with a hope of obtaining petroleum. It would seem 

 very probable that this region will yet be an oil field of very large 

 extent. 



From Pelican Rapids our steamer had great difficulty in 

 navigating the river for the next 45 miles to Grand Rapids. And 

 from the latter point for a distance of 87 miles to Fort McMurray, 

 the journey had to be made in small boats or scows. These were 



