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88.
John Lynch and Henry Brown Black Refugees located upon lands of Rufus Fairbanks Esq near Porters Lake say that they with their families have lived upon the said Lands for about 15 Months last past. That when they agreed with Mr. Fairbanks he promised to give them [illegible] shillings per Cord for cutting wood and furnish them with provisions. That they have often endeavoured to obtain a Settlement with him but were unable, that he informed them he had charged them with their Provisions and that John Lynch was indebted to him £18 and Henry Brown £5. in December last. That in September last He informed them that he would give them six Acres of Land each for themselves and families forever and that Government would supply them with provisions and that they might occupy their present places this Winter. That they agreed to such proposal and have received Provisions, that Mr Fairbanks in January last [illegible] the Lots which he said he had given them a Deed of. That there was no road leading to it, and it lay about 2 Miles back, That it was low swampy ground with small scrubby bushes unfit for fuel or building. That the Land is too sunken for cultivation and they think that they could not have walked over it