[Outside address leaf. [seal] Archival stamp: Received from State Dep^t. Nov. 24, '30^a. F.O.80180. (40)] [Address, upper right:] [undecipherable] [Lower right:] [undecipherable] New Orleans February 17^th 1799— Dear Sir You would have had a Return of the Business & Expenditures for the Year 1798— But there was So many Small Parties Sent on different directions Some for Correcting the [undecipherable] Sum for one thing & Sum for another — and myself Scarcely an Hours Leasure night or Day that it has been Impossible for to make a Satisfactory return — Mr Elliott has Informs me that he Expects to have a delay of Six weeks At Pensicola — which will enable me to Tender an act— and I flatter myself with Satisfaction as to Correctness — But not Cost — for Prices are Exorbitant — Had I known that the Business had been So Critical and farteaguing — & the Charge So great I would not Embarked in it for $1000— P annum— the Postigue & Labour that I Charge that I have, is more than Surveyor & Chainbearer — Superintendants all Put together — therefore I hope you will Not forget me from the Commencement of my Services, the Clothing — Where I Under the Necessity of Procuring at the Prices of this Country Would ten up to more than my Salary — But Sir I Suppose I must tamely Submit to my fate — I Shall Ever hold myself Under obligations to you for your friendship to me in Bringing me forward to the Present Situation of Life that I am Now in — and perhaps you Can find a Country without Injuring yourself — Procuring a Place for me my return to Philad^a. Should that be the Case I Shall be under greater Obligations — We are Now over Elliott's Calculation sixty miles due South from the Boundary Line — we expect to Set out for the Line in four or five Days — for Mobile there is a party Left Between the 8^th [undecipherable] last and it is Expected they are at Mobile by this time Mr Elliott gave Direction for the Purchase of Small Schooner Birten about 100 barrels — first Cost and the necessary Repairs with Rigging amt — to about [undecipherable] — to you may have a Just Idea of our Expenditures for almost Every article is acquivelant But had had thing I Rec'd full Power to act in the different of my mission from Government I Convinced I Could have Saved to the States Sum Thousands of dollars But things was Conducted at times in Curious manner — [undecipherable] But Shall be able to give detail when I arrive — you Will Please to not Disclose any thing that might have a tendency to Injure me — I am with due Respect your most Humble Servant [undecipherable] [signature: undecipherable] [Copy] N.B. I was going to this But had not not time for the Vessel intend to Sail Early in the morning Noting I have Rec'd no order from Mr Elliott during my Business but had to act according to the Best of my Judgment — &c —