[No/] 12^d April Sir/ On the 9^th inst I was at Tellico for to pay my respects to the honorable M^r Hawkins and General Pickens the two Commissioners for running) the line between the Indian tribes and the States. General Winchester is not yet joined them, but on finding they are determined to proceed without him. I have no doubt, he will be advised to hasten on. I received a letter from M^r Hawkins the [undecipherable] the Commissioners were exploring [strikethrough: letter to] the Country, and was treated well by all they met. I inclose you a Paper by which you will see an advertisement of mine that was inserted by advice of the Commissioners, to find [undecipherable] a general astonishment — to find out if one [undecipherable: Cock] and his party was really making Preparations to take possession of the Muscle Shoals, as is reported [or] generally believed and to stop their progress, till government might be apprised of their Designs. It is said he has enlisted about one hundred and fifty men, building Boats and determined to take possession. I wrote you the 14 March the difficulty attending the getting a trusty Person to go among the people over the line, the reasons on that few are to be trusted there characters are so prone to falsehood, and do generally interested in the speculation of those lands; But I have [undecipherable] to Cumberland and got a Person that [undecipherable] I have some confidence in altho he told me he was concerned with [undecipherable: Cock] and his party. It is a M^r Gordon and he will set off tomorrow, on his return will give you a true narrative of those people M^r [undecipherable: Tillis] is with me and I have delivered over to him my papers and Books to forward my accounts for settlements. I must say in his favor that altho Spirituous liquor has been constantly [undecipherable] to him, his temperance has been equal to any mans; and tho he has been [undecipherable: imprudent] I believe the reports [undecipherable: Against] him have been [undecipherable: magnified] exaggerated. He is of great service to me and I hope he will continue for sometime in my office to forward my business, as I feel a concern in being so backward in my accounts