telligence respecting danger or sign of Indians, to each other. In case of invasion of Indians, both the other parties are instantly to march and relieve the distressed, if possible. Add to this, that our country is so fertile, the growth of grass and herbage so tender and luxuriant, that it is almost impossible for man or dog to travel, without leaving such sign that you might, for many days, gallop a horse on the trail. To be serious, it is impossible for any number of people to pass through the woods without being tracked, and of course discovered, if Indians, for our hunters all go on horseback, and could not be deceived if they were to come on the trace of footmen. From these circumstances, I think myself in a great measure secure against a formidable attack; and a few skulkers could only kill one or two, which would not much affect the interest of the company.

Thus, gentlemen, you have heard both sides of the question, and can pretty well judge of the degree of danger we are in. Let your opinions be as they may on this point, by no means betray the least symptom of doubt to your most intimate friends. If help is ever wanting, it will be long before succour can come from you, and therefore every expense of that kind superfluous and unnecessary. If we can maintain our ground until after harvest, in Virginia, I will undertake forever after to defend the country against every nation of red people in the world, without calling on the company for even a gun-flint.

Here I must beg the favour of your turning back with me to Powell's Valley. Our anxiety at that time is now of very little concern to you; but the impressions still remain on my mind, and indeed I would not wish to get

clear of them in a little time. It learnt me to make an estimate of the probable value of our country; to see the imminent danger of losing it forever, and presented me with a full view of the ridiculous figure we should cut in the world, in case of failure. With respect to the real consequence of such a disappointment, I could not so well judge for the company in general, as for myself, but thought it too serious an affair with respect to us all, to be tamely given up without the fire of a single gun, or something like an attempt to take possession and defend our rights, so long, at least, as we should find our posts tenable.

We

Though the danger Mr. Cocke exposed himself to in rendering this piece of service to the company, dwelt on me for some time, yet having despatched a messenger to Captain Boone was a matter of such consolation, that my burthen from that time was much lightened. soon found, by his letters on the road, that he had a companion, and went on very well (a small stoppage by waters excepted). On Thursday, the 20th April, found him with Captain Boone and his men at the place appointed, where he had related the history of his adventures, and come in for his share of applause; here it was that the whole load, as it were, dropped off my shoulders at once, and I questioned if a happier creature was to be found under the sun. Why do I confine it to myself; it was general; the people in the fort, as well as ourselves, down to an old weather-beaten negro, seemed equally to enjoy it. Indeed it was natural for us, after being one whole month, without intermission, travelling in a barren desert country, most of the way our horses packed beyond their strength; no part of the

road tolerable, most of it either hilly, stony, slippery, miry, or bushy; our people jaded out and dispirited with fatigue, and what was worse, often pinched for victuals. To get clear of all this at once, was as much as we could well bear; and though we had nothing here to refresh ourselves with, but cold water and lean buffalo beef, without bread, it certainly was the most joyous banquet I ever saw. Joy and festivity was in every countenance, and that vile strumpet, envy, I believe, had not found her way into the country.

By this time, gentlemen, I make no doubt but you would be glad that I would change my subject, and enter on something more interesting. You want a description of our country, soil, air, water, range, quantity of good land, disposition of the people here, what probability of keeping possession; and availing ourselves of the purchase, how much money can be immediately raised towards defraying the first purchase, and if any overplus, that will remain on hand for the use of the copartners, &c. &c. &c. These, sirs, are matters of the utmost importance, and many of them deserve your most serious attention. With respect to the country, Mr. Hart, who brings this, will give you ample satisfaction. All that I shall say about it is, that it far exceeds the idea which I had formed of it; and indeed it is not surprising, for it is not in the power any person living to do justice to the fertility of the soil, beauty of the country, or excellence of its range; let it suffice, that we have got a country of good land, with numberless advantages and inducements to a speedy population; that this country is large enough, and surely will be settled immediately on some principles or other: the

of

grand affair on our part, is to manage matters so as to have our rights acknowledged, and continue lords of the soil. Every thing has succeeded to my wish with respect to title. The torrent from Virginia appears to be over, and gentlemen of considerable fortune, from thence, are some of them come, and others coming, with design to purchase under us, as they cannot come within the indulgences to adventurers of this season; and applications are daily making for the next year's price. Many of them are returned home, and would have been much dissatisfied, if I had not promised them, on my word and honour, that the terms should be immediately published in all the Williamsburg papers.

Memorial of the Transylvania Company, commonly called Richard Henderson & Co.

To the Honourable

the Congress of the United States,

The Memorial of Thomas Hart, of the State of Kentucky, John Williams, Leonard Henley Bullock, and James Hogg, of the State of North Carolina, sheweth,

That in the fall of the year 1774, your Memorialists, in company with Richard Henderson, William Johnston, Nathaniel Hart, John Luttrell, and David Hart, all now deceased, entered into bargain with the Overhill Cherokee Indians, for a purchase of some of their lands; and agreeably to preliminaries then agreed to, they in March 1775, met at Watauga with the chiefs of the said Indians,

attended by upwards of twelve hundred of their people; and then and there, in fair and open treaty, after several days' conference, and full discussion of every matter relating to the purchase, in presence of, and assisted by interpreters chosen by the said chiefs, and in consideration of a very large assortment of clothes and other goods, then delivered by the said Company to the said chiefs, and by them divided among their people, they the said Company obtained from the said Indians two several deeds, signed by Okonistoto their king or chief warrior, Atakullakulla and Savonooko or Coronoh, the next in the nation to Okonistoto in rank and consideration, for themselves, and on behalf, and with the warm approbation of the whole nation. These two grants comprehended, besides a great tract of land on the back of Virginia, a vast territory within the chartered limits of North Carolina, lying on the rivers of Holston, Clinch, Powel and Cumberland and their several branches, to the amount of many millions of acres.

This purchase from the aborigines and immemorial possessors of the said lands, being concluded more than a year before the Declaration of Independence, before the very existence of the Americans as states, or their claim to such lands, and not contrary to any then existing law of Great Britain or her Colonies, your memorialists and their copartners with confidence concluded that they had obtained a just, clear and indefeasible title to the said lands; and being then by the said Indians put into the actual possession of the said country, they immediately hired between two and three hundred men, and proceeded across their territory, to the river Kentucky, which with all its branches was comprehended in their purchase;