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[illegible - left side very faded] [illegible] His Excellency Lieutenant General Sir James Kempt
[illegible - left side very faded] [illegible] [illegible] of the most Honourable Military Order of
[illegible - left side very faded] [illegible] [illegible] Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief
[illegible - left side very faded] the province of Nova Scotia &c &c &c

[This] [petition] of [Migels] Toma, Christmas Toma
[illegible - left side very faded] [illegible] [illegible] for themselves, and on behalf of
[illegible - left side very faded] [Indians] [illegible] [illegible] [?now] [?residing] in the Island
[of] Cape [Breton]

Humbly [?Shers]

[That] they are now residing on the Island of Cape Breton,
[Eighty Six] [families] of Indians, containing on an average nearly
[?five] in each family. that their means of subsistence are
becoming gradually more and more [limited], from the increase in
the population of the Island, and the consequent scarcity of
game, so that it is now with extreme difficulty they can procure
even a small quantity of Fur, which article, formerly [was] the
[means] of [providing] them with many of the necessaries of life, that at
[present] [illegible] their utmost [exertions] they cannot prevent themselves and
[illegible - left side very faded] [from] suffering many and severe privations, more especially
[illegible - left side very faded] [illegible] [illegible] _ that there are amongst them some who
[illegible - left side very faded] [illegible] and others who [from] extreme old age, are unable
[illegible - left side very faded] [illegible] [illegible] in the [illegible] degree [illegible] their own supports
[illegible - left side very faded] [illegible] [illegible] they have [suffered] [much] from sickness and
[[illegible - left side very faded] [yet] [prevails] in [Land] of their [families]-

Your Excellency [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [I] recommend the
[illegible - left side very faded] [illegible] favorable consideration of Your Excellency and
[illegible - left side very faded] [illegible] [illegible] that Your Excellency has a [Fund] for the
[illegible - left side very faded] Indians in this Province, they humbly pray that