However, it wasn't until 1787 that fur trader and explorer Alexander MacKenzie saw the Athabasca oil sands and said, "At about 24 miles from the fork (of the Athabasca and Clearwater Rivers) are some bituminous fountains into which a pole of 20 feet long may be inserted without the least resistance.
haʊˈɛvɚ, ɪt wˈʌzn̩t ʌntˈɪl wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi sˈɛvən ðæt fˈɜː tɹˈeɪdɚ ænd ɛksplˈoːɹɚɹ ˌælɪɡzˈændɚ mˈæk kˈɛnzi sˈɔː ðɪ ˈæθɐbˌæskə ˈɔɪl sˈændz ænd sˈɛd, "æɾ ɐbˌaʊt twˈɛnti fˈoːɹ mˈaɪlz fɹʌmðə fˈɔːɹk ʌvðɪ ˈæθɐbˌæskə ænd klˈɪɹwɔːɾɚ ɹˈɪvɚz ɑːɹ sˌʌm baɪtˈuːmɪnəs fˈaʊntɪnz ˌɪntʊ wˌɪtʃ ɐ pˈoʊl ʌv twˈɛnti fˈiːt lˈɔŋ mˈeɪ biː ɪnsˈɜːɾᵻd wɪðˌaʊt ðə lˈiːst ɹᵻsˈɪstəns.