MILITARY AND CIVIL. 37

Montgomery, Stewart and Richardson, in this year as settlers for their estates. Under Governor Patterson’s administration, the following inhabitants were first to receive the appointment of Justice of the Peace, namely :—Thomas DesBrisay, Philip Callbeck, Thomas Wright, and George Burns.

For the favor of the following interesting letter—the first of Governor Patterson’s official documents from here to the Colonial Office, and which found its way to the Island press one hundred and twenty years subsequentmwe are indebted to the forethought of A. B. Warburton, Esq. That gentleman when in England a few years since, made a copy of it with several others in the Record Office at London, some of which were published in the Weekly Patriot in 1890 :—

[GOVERNOR PATTERSON TO THE EARL 0F HILLSBOROUGH.]

CHARLOTTETOWN, 21st October, 1770.

MY LORD,—-I arrived here on the 30th of last August, since which time I have been so much employed in furnishing one of the houses, built here by order of Mr. Franklin, in such a manner as I hope will keep out a little the approaching cold and in sending to different parts of the Continent for provisions to maintain my family during the winter; added to this the com- munications to the different parts of the Island being very bad. I will be able to furnish your Lordship, at present, with but a very imperfect description of it.

So far as I have been able, under the above circumstances, to see of the Island, the soil appears to be very good and easily cultivated. It is of reddish color, mixed with sand, and in most places free from’stones. From this account of it your Lordship, whom I know to be a perfect judge of land, will not believe it to be so good as it really is, but I never saw finer grass in my life than grows every place where it is clear of woods. It will produce every kind of grain and vegetables common in England, with little or no trouble, and such as I have seen of the latter are much better of their kind than those at home, though raised in a very slovenly manner.

The woods in this part of the Island are of very little use except for firing, and a great part of them not even good for that. They are prmcxpally beech, maple, black and white birch, spruce and several other sorts .of small firs. In other parts of the Island there are some oaks and large pine trees In plenty.

The bays and rivers abound with wild fowl, such as geese, brant, ducks and as good of their kinds as I ever met with, both in the autumn and spring.

The woods are pretty well stocked with partridge, and at some times of the year with pidgeons.

0n the sides of the rivers and marshes there are curlews, snipe and some other birds of small sort.