[Copy near Nashville 21 may 1797] Beloved Chickasaws, I am now here for the purpose of ascertaining and marking the boundary line between the Indian Nations and the United States. I shall find the Cherokees and Creeks have first and then gone, and after that I shall visit your nation. You have heard of an attempt of [strikethrough: Colonels Com—] and C^l to settle the land of Tumpse, he came on to Knoxville while I was at Tellico & you had applied to me for permission to come and trade among you, but as he stated his object fully, and as I was informed that Indians were not willing he should be among them, as they looked on him as the precursor of those who are represented as grasping after their lands, that he was to make the first attempt to get possession and the rest were to follow with the train of ills so alarming to the Indians. I have not consented to indulge Mr Cox with the permission he applied for. I have seen a letter from Romingo to General Robertson he complains that the Creeks are stealing horses from the Chickasaws. I know the Chickasaws to be a brave and honest people and I hope they are wise. It is very easy to ask them for their own good not to be drawn into a war with any of their neighbours. I wish you to keep an account of your losses by the Creeks and inform me of it. I wish call upon the Creeks to do you justice, and if they refuse, I will inform you of it, and then I will inform you what to do. George Colbert has applied to me about his claim against the Cherokees, he says he has applied to his* nation and is informed in a letter from one of them, that the nation have agreed to pay him for his negroes, he asked me to pay him out of the annual [undecipherable] made the nation. If the nation are willing to pay this claim, they must get together and write to me to have it paid. If they do this, they must get together pass the order, it must be signed by the interpreters from of the head [undecipherable] men, and by two white men if there are any in the nation. Accept of my sincere wishes for the prosperity of the Chickasaws. The Chief headmen and Warriors of the Chickasaw nation.