CALLBECK MADE PRISONER. 23

object for which it was voted. The power for the recovery of the quitrents, with which the governor was thus invested, was not speedily exercised, as he was anxious not to offend the proprietors, through whose influence the payment of the civil establishment of the island was placed on a more satisfactory footing.

During the governor’s absence in England the Hon. Mr. Callbeck, being the senior member of the council, was sworn in as administrator. In November of that year, a ship from London, having on board a number of settlers, and loaded with a 'aluable cargo, was unfortunately wrecked on the north side of the island. All on board were saved, but the ~argo was either lost, or destroyed to such an extent

as to be of little value, an accident which involved no small

hardship to the inhabitants.

In this year too a memorable incident occurred. ‘Vhilst the good people of Charlottetown were living in apparent security from hostile aggression, two American armed vessels which had been sent to cruise in the Gulfof Saint Lawrence, in order to intercept English ordnance store-ships, supposed to be on the way to Quebec, entered the harbor, and a landng was effected without any opposition, when the administrator, 1\Ir. Callback, 1\Ir. \V right, the surveyor general, and other

.oflicers of the government were made prisoners, and put with such valuable booty as the Americans could lay hands on, 011 board ship, and conveyed to New England. On arriving at the head-quarters of the American army, then at Cambridge, General \Vashington disapproved of the hostile act, dismissing the principal oll‘icers from their commands, telling them that “they had done these things which they ought not to have done, and left undone those things which it was their duty to have done.” At the same time he dis-

charged the prisoners with expressions of regret, and re- turned all the property.