Mr. McConnell states in his report that “Gypsum is deposited in small quantities by the mineral springs at La Saline, and it also occurs on Peace river between Bouillé rapid and Peace point, where beds ten to fifteen feet in thickness are said to exist. Blocks of gypsum several feet in diameter were found on Peace river above its confluence with Loon river, and on Red river a few miles above its mouth. They have probably been derived from the Peace point exposures, and carried up the valley of Peace river by ice during the Glacial period.” Mr. Alfred von Hamerstein gave evidence to the same effect before the Senate committee of 1907. He stated that there “are large deposits of gypsum on the southern bank of Peace river, near Peace point, which is situated somewhere near the mouth of Peace river. Very large deposits of the same economic mineral are in the neighbourhood of Salt river.” SALT MINES. Harmon, writing in his journal at Chipewyan as long ago as 1808, wrote:—“About sixty miles from this, down Slave river, there are several places where almost any quantity of excellent, clean, white salt may be taken, with as much ease as sand along the sea shore. From these places, the greater part of the North West is supplied with this valuable article.” Before the Senate committee of 1907, Mr. von Hamerstein stated that at Salt river, salt was found right on the surface. There is a spring which comes out of the ground, and the water is so salty that it cannot take up any more. Right at McMurray one hundred and fifty feet of rock salt was found. The traders and Hudson’s Bay Company’s people come down and take it with shovels, and they sell all the salt that is used along there. It is taken from Salt river. Witness did not know what they got for it. In his report of 1888, Mr. McConnell writes:—“At La Saline, on the Athabaska, twenty-eight miles below the Forks, and about two miles above the mouth of Red Earth creek, several mineral springs occur about half a mile east of the river on the edge of the valley there, sixty feet deep. The deposits from the springs, consisting principally of calcareous tufa, cover the face of the escarpment and have also built up a cone on the top of the bank ten to fifteen feet high and about two hundred feet wide. The water is strongly saline, holding a considerable percentage of sodic-chloride. Sulphuretted hydrogen gas escapes from the bank in several places and taints the air for some distance from the springs. Besides the calcareous tufa the cone contains small deposits of common salt, gypsum and native sulphur, while pure tar, derived from the tar sands beneath, issues from the bank in two places. The springs feed a shallow lake which is situated at the foot of the escarpment, and is surrounded by a clay flat partly bare and partly covered with coarse grasses.” SULPHUR BEDS AND SPRINGS.