170

and that gas has escaped from some of the holes; but these in themselves are not sufficient indications that workable bodies of oil exist to warrant drilling. These instances of small quantities of oil and gas being found in a fossiliferous series of sediments is quite in keeping with other well known occurrences, and does not necessarily indicate large reservoirs of petroleum at depth. Nearly all sedimentary rocks contain bituminous matter in some degree! and it is to be expected that it will occasionally manifest itself as oil or gas. A slight flow of gas is not unusual from bore- holes drilled in sediments and, taken alone, scarcely warrants further prospecting.

Fire damp in dangerous amounts is found in the tunnel of the British Pacific Coal Company near Slatechuck creek, where it collects after exuding from the shales and coal seam. It is here no more an indication of petroleum than the fire damp so commonly found in coal mines.

The occurrence of liquid oil in the amygdaloidal dyke of the Etheline formation remains the only instance in which this substance has been found on Graham island. It is hardly neces- sary to say, however, that oil pools are not to be looked for in connexion with dykes and sills of igneous rocks.

In the Masset formation the necessary condition, viz., the presence of liquid oil, is not fulfilled; and while the other three may be present to some extent, it has not been so ascer- tained in any instance as yet. If liquid oil did occur, there are tufis and agglomerates among the basalts that might readily form a porous container, and impervious cappings might be found as well. The fact, however, that no oil nor real indications of oil (the tar and paraffin cannot be considered such) have been found negatives the hope of finding workable bodies of petroleum in this formation.

CONCLUSIONS.

In view of the facts and their interpretation as given above, it seems unnecessary to add that the possibility of workable bodies of petroleum being found is regarded as extremely remote.

1 Orton, E., Geol. Surv. Ohio, First Ann. Rept. 1890, p. 87.