Historical Sketch 
     
    
   
   
    
     0F 
     
    
   
   
    
     Prince Edward Island, 
     
     Military and Civil. 
     
    
   
   
    
     CHAPTER I. 
     
    
   
   
    
     HE HISTORY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND may be 
     
     regarded as embracing two important periods, that is, from 
     
     its discovery by Europeans till its cession to the British Crown 
     
     in 1763, thence to the present time. At a remote period the 
     
     Island became a part of the Dominion of New France, the 
     
     foundation or subject of which is the first to claim our attention; 
     
     and which as a new nation, a deep interest in the conquest of 
     
     the wilderness by civilization was always attached, as well as to 
     
     the early critical years of its development. Accordingly in the 
     
     following pages an effort is made to give a brief chronological 
     
     narrative of the chief events and incidents that have character- 
     
     ized its north—east settlements from the earliest times down to 
     
     the latter days of its existence. The theme of our story, there- 
     
     fore, date from the discovery of North America by John Cabot, 
     
     five years subsequent to finding a New World, as it were, by 
     
     Christopher Columbus, in 1492, which then opened a new field 
     
     for the ambitious, enterprising adventurer, and mankind in 
     
     general. On receiving the cheerful tidings of a New World, 
     
     Europe was thrown into a state of great ferment over the 
     
     achievement. The chances of obtaining gold, wealth and 
     
     power, stimulated all alike; even monarchs recognized in it 
     
     an easy mode of extending their domain and bettering their 
     
     fortunes. 
     
    
   
   
    
     There resided in England, during the reign of Henry the 
     
     Seventh, a most skilful and daring navigator named John Cabot,