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as well as the the Treasury Warrants: I shall be obliged by
taking a List of the Land already appropriated to undertake
to locate myself, not being able to procure the assistance
of anybody here without giving one Half the Land, [struck: and]
those whom I depended on being too much interested [struck: to]
themselves to give me any assistance. I have had an offer
for some of my warrants here but have not yet come
to any agreement, the Terms not being agreeable to me
but as it is just now discovered that warrants of the
first Date are to be first entered, ours will shortly sell
well, I expect. To prevent our running any Risque,
I have written to the Attorney to enter Caveats in your and
my names agst. each other in order to try the validity of
[illegible] Claims, in order that the Land may be
secured at all Events. I have not heard from you since
I left Wmsburg, but am in daily Expectation of a Letter &c
as the Spaniard are in Possession of all the lower Parts
of the Missippi, I propose, after finishing the Business upon
[which] I came out, to make a voyage down the River to
see what sort of navigation we shall have. There is at
present an excellent market for all Kinds of Goods at
the Falls; and there will shortly be a strong Garrison
500 miles below on the River, the supplying of [which] would be
an object worth your attention, especially as it could be done
without bring Boats into the dangerous Part of the River. I
propose to carry down skins & Furs to pay my Expenses
and if you can direct me what to do with them in Case
I should not meet with a market, and also point out
some mode for my maintenance at New Orleans I will
do with them what you direct. It is on yours as well
as my own acct. that I mean to undertake this voyage, as
the value of Land here will much depend on the Convenience