[The progress of the work is further explained in the two letters, given below, written by Mr. Smith Hansbrough, one of the workmen on the house, and directed to Gen. Daniel Smith at Knoxville. From archives, Tennessee Historical Society, Box H, Nos. 12 and 13.]

July 20th 1793 Sir: Meeting with an opportunity to write to yo I imbrace it to inform you of affairs on Cumberland, the walls is generally about a foot above the bottom of the windows though they would have been farther on if Mr. Stamps had been at work he now is bad with a fall from a horse he has not laid a stone for five weeks. the first story of fraims is all in and that took all the stuff I have went to the Ceders and got more stuff, I believe we shall not Get much sawing done Before you come home for pain has not sawd any thing but the joists for the Citchen and a stock of lintells and split some stuff for window fraims as for David Smith I have never seen him since you have been gone but I wrote to him agreeable to your Derection and he wrote back to get other sawers and he would pay the Money I have been badly fixt to Get the fraims made my eye has been so bad though I kept out of their way by Geting John to Assist me I think to go to the Ceders next week to Geting shingle stuff and try to Get the L part finisht this fall though I am afraid the wall wont all be up this season, we are apprehensive of Danger from the Indians here for they were at the mouth of Mill Creek the night before last and wounded a man within half a mile of town, samuel hays station is brook up and John Donisons I expect will in a few Days, we are Generally healthy at present, and Remain Yours to Command SMITH HANSBROUGH. September 15th 1793

Sir: I imbrace this opportunity of writing to you by Mr. Roberson to inform you of Matters Concerning Your building it gos on Very slow one side of the L part is Leveled of fit for the joists and I expect the other will next week but the other part of the house is not as high as the windows I have made a Beginning to Get shingles but it seems to be a tedious Job to Get the stuff home for there is more wast in it than any stuff I ever workt, if you have any spedy opportunity to write Ant wants to know where you would chose to have your wheat sowd as it is time now to sow it, we have been Very peaceble here this summer and I dont here of any Mischief been lately done and Ant wants to know when you think you can Get to Come home we are all well at present and hope you are in the same happy ste, and so conclude by being your frend and Humb. servt. SMITH HANSBROUGH.

AN EARLY SURVEY.

[From the archives of the Tennessee Historical Society, Box S., No. 77 S.]

Territory of the U. States So. River Ohio
Sumner County.

By virtue of a warrant from the Commission for selling the Salt Licks and springs pursuant to an Act of the General Assembly of the State of No. Carolina, entitled "An Act for the sale of the Salt Licks and springs with the adjoining land within the District of Mero" passed in the year 1789; I have surveyed for Stockly Donelson, Assignee of Thomas Overton, the original purchaser, agreeable to the said act, six Hundred and Forty Acres of Land, commonly called Drakes Lick. To wit: On Cumberland River, beginning at a small creek, on the said River, above the mouth of the Lick Branch Creek, running thence East four hundred and fifty-two poles to a black Oak, thence, South three hundred and twenty one poles to a Hickory, thence West one hundred and eighty poles, to a black oak on Danl Smiths line, thence along his line North one hundred and seventy two poles to two Dog Woods, thence West along the said Smiths line three hundred and eighteen poles, to a cedar and white oak on the river, thence up the same with its meanders to the beginning, including Drake's Lick. John Donelson

Aug., 1790.

By Danl Smith.

RELATIVE TO INDIANS.

[From the archives of the Tennessee Historical Society, Box S., No. 78 S.] Abingdon, May 24, 1793.

Dear Sir

The meeting of the Cherokees had not a few days ago decided the question whether they would accept the President's invitation or not. 'Tis likely they will not, at least I hear nothing.

like it as yet. They are much agitated with different embassies from the Chickasaws, Creeks and also from the Shawanese.

The Knoxville Gazette which doubtless you get, will give you more particular news of this place and you know 'tis authentic. Major Beard's party on their way out to Cumberland fell in with the rear of that party of Indians on their return home which had just before attacked Greenfield Station. They killed an indian (Creek) and wounded another. This is a fact which has not yet been published.

On the 19th instant there was information at Knoxville (via Cherokees) that Mr. Seagrove had made a demand of the Creek nation of those indians who had been committing depredations in Georgia particularly on his brother's store, and that the Indians had agreed to give up about six of the perpetrators. I suppose this is not strictly true, for this reason-Mr. Seagrove I understand to be agent for the Creek nation-would he then make a partial demand for only aggressions committed on the State of Georgia, and take no notice of the many enormities committed on the Territory S. of Ohio?

I am D. Sir

Your most obedient humble serv't

David Allison Esq.

ESCORT DUTY.

Dan Smith.

[From the archives of the Tennessee Historical Society, Box S., No. 88-S.]

This Certifies that Underhill Ellis a substitute for George Suggs has served 45 days on the gard to conduct families from the lower end of Clynch mountain to the settlement of cumberland it being his tower of duty and is now discharged from the same given under my hand this 23 day of Octo 1788

Thos Smith Capt
Micah Kirkpatrick agt.

Davidson county.

EDUCATIONAL.

[The following letter from David Allison to Gen. Daniel Smith, throws some light on the condition of the schools of the period. The reader may judge whether the cowhide was to be used for educational purposes. The letter is filed in Tennessee Historical Society, Box A, No. 2.]

Dear Sir:

Knoxville November 28th 1793

I reed your favour by Colonel Winchester enclosing receipts for the Sumner Rangers for which I have to thank you for your friendly attention-I found Norris's power where you left it and have paid the money

I have some Greek and Latin Books at the Judges which he writes me are wanting for your academy if so they are at your service, I do not know the price at present but they shall not be over the standard for similar things.—

If the Trustees will dispose of the Terry ground and the small field belonging thereto I will purchase, and furnish such articles as they may want from Philada. at a moderate advance

Write me on this head

I am sir with respect

Your obt serv

DAVID ALLISON.

I send your Cowhide by Capt Blackmore.

GENERAL JAMES ROBERTSON AND THE SPANIARDS-A FRAGMENT OF UNSIGNED HISTORY.

[The following fragment is filed with the archives of the Tennessee Historical Society, Box R2, No. 117. It is without date or signature. It is in the handwriting of the historian, A. W. Putnam. He is mistaken as to the date of Miro's letter. Instead of 20th April, 1783, the letter was dated 20th April, 1789, and may be found with facsimile of the date, page 87, volume 1, No. 1, of this magazine.]

It is certain that the idea of capturing New Orleans, had not been limited to the small and anomalous State of Franklin, nor to a few individuals on the Cumberland or in Kentucky-though it has never been ascertained that any organized plan or conspiracy for such a purpose had been formed: The general government was somewhat alarmed by the presentation of a private letter in Septr. 1787 at Charleston S. C. by John Sullivan to a distinguished artillery officer of Maryland-in which he says "there will be work cut out for you in the Tennessee country. I want you much. Take my word for it, we shall be speedily in possession of New Orleans."

This induced the War Department to send Genl Harmar to make enquiries & if he discovered such movements, to suppress them; he discovered no act which he could report as hostile.

Judge Haywood in his History of Tennessee makes the following remarks: "As the affairs of the Cumberland settlers seemed to brighten, the Spaniards became sullen. They began to intimate that their territorial limits towards Georgia included the greater part of the Creek nation, and that the boundary of their territory was several degrees north of latitude thirty one. Whilst these States were in the childhood of independence, the conduct of the Spaniards towards them implied that they had not yet acquired any knowledge of international law, or were too weak to resent the infraction of its rules. It is an obvious law among nations, that one sovereignty shall not treat with inhabitants residing upon the territories of another, nor take them under protection, much less receive from them a stipulation, that its governmental orders or municipal laws shall be obeyed by them. Yet now such was the conduct of Spain towards the State of Georgia. On the 1st June 1784,