90 THE MIRA GRANT, CAPE BRETON CO., N. S. — GILPIN. 



hundred lo3^alists who had petitioned for a grant on the shores 

 of this beautiful sheet of water. It was then settled by a few 

 tishermen, living near its mouth, and by a few families living 

 higher up the river on the site of a small French settlement. 



The boundaries of the grant were as follows : — 



" Beginning at the north-eastern head of a cove on the north- 

 western shore of Mira Bay, running north five degrees east 

 three hundred and forty chains ; thence south eighty-five degrees 

 west one thousand seven hundred and sixty chains ; thence 

 south fifteen degrees west eight hundred and eighty chains ; 

 thence easterly until it strikes the head of the southernmost 

 branch which empties itself into Milward Lake ; thence through 

 the middle of the lake northward until it bears west from the 

 north westernmost angle boundary of a reservation for the Crown 

 (a naval reserve) ; thence south seventy-one degrees and thirty 

 minutes east four hundred chains along the north-western boun- 

 dary of such reservation ; thence north eighty -five degrees east 

 nine hundred and eighty chains, until it strikes on the south- 

 western shore of said Mira Ba^^ at a pile of stones distant one 

 mile easterly from the entrance of Fielding's, alias Catalogne, 

 Lake ; thence westerly and northerly following the roundings 

 of the shore around the head of said Mira Bay across the 

 entrance of Mira River, continuing thence easterly until it meets 

 the first mentioned boundary, containing in all 100,000 acres, 

 more or less, with allowance for roads, glebe, schools, etc." 



The grant included als3 " mines and minerals," reserving, 

 however, " all mines of gold, silver, lead, copper and coal." 



After providing for quit rent, among other conditions of 

 settlement necessary to prevent forfeiture of the grant was the 

 following: that the grantee should, " within three years, begin 

 to employ thereon and continue to work for the three years then 

 next ensuing in digging any stone quarry or mine, one good and 

 able hand for every fifty acres." 



It appears that few of the original grantees efi^ected a per- 

 manent settlement on their allotments, and that gradually 



