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57
Halifax May 6 1842

My dear Sir

In reference to your letter of the 26th January and to our conversation of a more recent date, I now take the liberty to ask your assistance in carrying out [among?] the Indians in your neighbourhood, [to?] [the?] [spirit?] of the Act of last Session. I was in hopes that I should have been able to get to Pictou in all this month, but as I may be disappointed, would be much obliged by your [representing?] me, and doing with the Pictou Indians whatever your own judgment dictates, confining your attention within the scope of the Act, and bearing in mind that the permanent settlement and education of these people, [not?] [more?] [mere?] [illegible] relief, are the primary objects.
Your first [care? ] will be, to ascertain the nature of the tittle of the lands of which you spoke to me, and to respond the best [means?] of perfecting the tittle, should their possession not be, as I suspect it is, a sufficient bar to the claims of others.
If any of them had made or are disposed to make clearings, please supply them with picks and hoes and , when their ground is