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