88 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

to a Mr. Webber, was seen to be in flames. The Fire Com— panies and Engines were promptly on the spot, also a great number of the citizens, who in those days gave a ready hand in assisting, and by their united efforts confined the fire to the one building. Shortly after this on the 20th of March, a barn, containing wheat, oats and farming implements, the property of Benjamin Roper, Esq., Charlottetown Royalty, was burnt to the ground. A heavy rain storm on the 28th August, accompanied by thunder and lightning, struck the house‘of Alexander MacGillvery, of Tracadia, instantly killing his daughter, and greatly injuring the dwelling. A destructive fire occurred on the morning of September Ist, when a property, situated on Queen Street, known as Stamper’s Corner, consisting of a dwelling-house and three dry good stores, were burnt down. At Crapaud the properties of Cornelius Harrington and W. Tamblin, were consumed by fire during September; in the latter dwelling a child lay in its cradle where it perished in the flames. The burning of a barn on the 6th October, at Cascumpec, now Alberton, was supposed to be the act of an incendiary, and a reward of £200 was offered by the Government for the discovery of the offenders. During the autumn, attempts were made to destroy by fire the Jail and Court House at Georgetown and also at St. Eleanor’s.

In 1846, during a violent snow storm, on the night of the 22nd January, a barn belonging to John Ferguson, of Lot 48, containing 70 bushels of wheat, besides oats and barley, was destroyed by fire; fortunately there were no live stock in the building. But an event of a very different kind occurred in the neighborhood of Tryon River; at this period of our writing a young man by the name of Thompson was engaged trapping foxes, when one morning, to his surprise, he discovered a very large wolf ensnared in his iron trap, which was instantly killed; though by what means or why the ferocious animal came to the Island remainsa mystery; it was supposed however that being in search of food he scented the mail carriers whom he followed from Cape Tormentine to Cape Traverse, with the expectation, no doubt, of having a much nearer acquaintance.

On the morning of the 4th of March, the citizens were again disturbed from their peaceful slumbers by the terrifying cry of