Fort Fidius 1^st march 1797 [undecipherable] my letter N^o 2 of 6 of July. I sent to this [undecipherable] to be forwarded to you by Col.Gaither. I [rem]ained among the Indians towns and [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] the 20 of [undecipherable] and set out and [arr]ived here on the 25 of that month. Here I received your letter of the 22 of Oct. [accom]panied with some from the society of Quakers. and yesterday I received [undecipherable] dispatches of the 3^rd of July. They were sent to the commanding officer here by [undecipherable] from Louisville. I received a letter from M^r Price since his arrival, the goods he informs me are much damaged, the stationary from report unfit for use. I hope he has had the damage ascertained and reported to you. I shall not give [undecipherable: probable reading "receipt"] for the Creek annuity [undecipherable] a numbering of the [undecipherable] and consult them upon the decision. The things I shall order up for the objects contemplated in my mission as soon as I can obtain packhorses, and the path [undecipherable] passable. There has been a [undecipherable: probable reading "wilful attempt"] to prevail on the Indians to thwart [undecipherable] measures of the government. But they more wise than the [undecipherable] of it, have [undecipherable] their cooperation. I expect you will have received some information from the agent for the War department on the subject. What I enclose authorises the [undecipherable]tion I have made. I have persevered in endeavour[ing] to be usefull. I have addressed myself gen[erally] to all clases within my agency that I [undecipherable] visit, and the result is favourable. I have received assurances from the Lower [Cre]eks, that they are deserving of [undecipherable] and that they will take measures [to] [undecipherable]ate with me to carry the views of the government into effect. The Chief tells me that probably some of their youngmen might bring [undecipherable] horses from his settlements when they returned from their winter hunts. But that I might rely on their efforts to restore them immediately. The promptness with which they have fulfilled this promise does them much credit, they have sent me [undecipherable] horses and I have restored [undecipherable] of them to their owners free of expence which has given entire satisfaction. The Indians in this part com[plain] of the non-execution of the promises made to them, and charge their [undecipherable] [neigh]bours with trespassing on their rights [undecipherable] driving their hogs, horses and cattle to range on their lands, going about in [hun]ting parties making pens for their cattle and hogs and salt troughs for their stock. Surveying their land and cultivating some of them. That this is a source of vexation to the whole and keeps their youngmen uneasy. They have given me [undecipherable] proof of this having [undecipherable] five Indians and one whiteman for murders of white people. this gives a hope that the right of revenge may be trans[ferred] from private hands to a pub[lic] jurisdiction. I applied very grav[ely] the [undecipherable] day to some influential Ch[iefs] to inform me who governed in this [undecipherable] they or their boys, that I might know [undecipherable] to address myself for a violation of [undecipherable]. They replied we understand you, you [undecipherable] help us, we mean well but our peo[ple] have been sadly corrupted in their intercourse with the whites. I hav[e] judg[e]d prop[er] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] line till we [undecipherable] the Chero[kee] [undecipherable] that [undecipherable] proper and their does not [undecipherable] them are most likely to be apprehended and to such an extent as to give much embarrassment to the government. I shall execute this trust strictly in con[formity] with the wishes of the government and I hope I shall be able to remove in [undecipherable] with my collegues every diffi[culty] that may occur with the Indians [undecipherable] for any other reason; judged proper to [undecipherable] the Creek line. The people who [undecipherable] stock cannot support them, if they are compelled to drive them back, but there is grass in the woods. and [undecipherable] indulgences can be given them, without [ex]pense, untill the line is closed. It [undecipherable] be a measure too, so conciliatory in its operation as that which it produces the good we aim at, [undecipherable] off the [od]ium which would attach itself to a rigid execution of our trust. — The [undecipherable] traders in the Creek Country are most[ly] there without a licence, this trade [undecipherable] hitherto been carried on by M^r Panton at Pensacola. Some of them claim right[s] to trade without a licence and urge that they are British Subjects. I do not admit their claim. I have [undecipherable] them to conform to our regulatio[n] [undecipherable] they should not prejudice their [undecipherable] thereby. It will require that you should make some additional regulation[s] [undecipherable] head, either to send me an auth[ority] to licence the resident traders. or to [undecipherable] person to whom they can apply in [undecipherable] absence of the agent for the War [Depart]ment. The Negroes who live in the [undecipherable] district pass through the Creek[s] to [undecipherable] several of them have called on [undecipherable] [undecipherable] their way, and have obtained when they were suitable [undecipherable] — papers to this post. The report of a war between Spain and England has been circulated through the [undecipherable] for some time before I heard of its being proclaimed and some mischief makers have reported that Col. Brown the last British agent was soon to arrive from [underline: [undecipherable]] to call on the Indians to take part with them. I have explained to the Indians that we were bound by treaty to protect their rights, and to prevent their doing any injury to Spain. That they must be at peace and let the Europeans fight their own battles. — I shall send a young interpreter with the [neces]sary orders to the Cherokees, and [undecipherable] mation to Gov^t Pickens and I shall follow him on the 10^th. I have the honor to be with your respect The Secretary of War [undecipherable]