142 FOREST COMMISSIONERS REPORT. 



over the correspondence of that time on this subject that a legal 

 opinion on the construction of this grant was furnished the Land 

 Office by Hon. Albert W. Paine, of Bangor, whidh I think it will 

 be of value to quote here. 



"I have carefully examined the language of the resolve in 

 favor of John Calderwood et als making a grant of the Fox 

 Islands ; also the maps of the premises at my command, including 

 one of an old date and from these and the language of the resolve 

 I have no doubt of the true conclusion to be drawn. The grant 

 is doubly described, viz : First by the general name of "Fox 

 Islands" and secondly by a definite boundary. If any doubt 

 exists under the first designation, the particular bounds would 

 seem to conclude the matter. Their bounds or limits are the 

 Penobscot Bay on the one side — the Fox Island Bay (or Isle au 

 Haut Bay) — and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. What the 

 Fox Island Bay means is defined to be the bay which separates 

 the Fox Islands from the Isle au Haut or Deer Island. As a 

 matter of fact it is known that there is a broad bay between the 

 two clusters, leaving no doubt as to the meaning. All islands 

 between the one bay named and the other are included in the 

 grant, although not named in the list or reckoned in the number 

 of acres named. The reason for not naming the islands is very 

 clearly shown by the Resolve, wherein they are said to be 'one- 

 half of no value.' 



"At all events I regard the conclusion as very clear as above 

 stated. The whole cluster of the "Fox Islands" between the 

 Penobscot Bay and Fox Island or Isle of Haut Bay is granted." 



I have accordingly entered on my card index of these islands, 

 some eighty-five in number— |-"Granted to John Calderwood et 

 als by Resolve of March 13, 1786." None of these islands appear 

 on the index at the Land Office of Islands Granted as ever hav- 

 ing been conveyed. 



Deer Island. 



Hosmers' Sketch of Deer Isle says : 



"When the settlers first came here it was not altogether certain 

 to whom the territory belonged. The first grant made of it 

 was by James I as it was included in its description. It was in 

 1620. to the Plymouth Company, in England, and that embraced 



