114 HISTORY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. only required the cordial co-operation of the tenantry to secure an amount of advantage to themselves which no degree of agitation could obtain. The island had contri¬ buted two thousand pounds to the Patriotic Fund, which had "ibeen instituted to relieve the widows and children of soldiers who fell in the Crimean war ; and the governor expressed Her Majesty's satisfaction with the generous sympathy thus evinced by the people and their representatives. In the mouth of March, 1855, a distressing occurrence Ttook place. The ice-boat from to the island, with Mr. James Henry Haszard , Mr. Johnson , son of Dr. Johnson , medical students, and an old gentleman— Mr. Joseph Weir , of Bangor —as passengers, had proceeded safely to within half a mile of the island shore, when a •severe snow-storm was encountered. The boat, utterly un¬ able to make headway, was put about, drawn on the ice, and turned up to protect the men from the cold and fury of .the storm. Thus they were drifted helplessly in (he strait during Friday night, Saturday, and Saturday night. On 'Sunday morning they began to drag the boat towards the mainland, and, exhausted,—not having tasted food for three <lays,—they were about ceasing all further efforts, when "they resolved to kill a spaniel which Mr. Weir had with him, and the poor fellows drank the blood and eat the raw flesh of the animal. They now felt a little revived, and lightened the boat by throwing out trunks and baggage. Mr. Haszard was put into the boat, being unable to walk ; and thus they moved towards the shore, from which they -were four or five miles distant. On Monday evening Mr. .Ilaszard died from exhaustion. They toiled on, however, ■-and ou Tuesday morning reached the shore, near Wallace, Nova Scotia , but, unfortunately, at a point two miles from .the nearest dwelling. Two of the boatmen succeeded in