Dear Sir
On my arrival here last Thursday I found the Cutter in the River, about 10 miles below this Place; we are much Plaged with the People that brought her round from Havre, the Men Say they wont go, that they were Shiped to go in her as A Packet to America, as Such they will go, & no other ways, the French Capt first told me he wou'd be very glad to go in her, if we wou'd make up his wages to him, that he Shiped at, wch is 100 livres pr Month, So we Proposed giving him the Masters birth, wch we thought woud Please him, & render him very useful to us, as he Speaks very good English, however Mr Clark who is first Lieut, is Just come up from the Vessel, Says he wont go out in her at any rate, for we Sent Some guns on board of her this Day, wch has frighted him So much, that he says he wont go in an Arm'd Vessell agst the English, I Shall go down in the Morning, & if that is the case, discharge him imediately, with his People; I have got a Second Mate (of Discharged American ship,) & Six hand, all Americans Signed Articles with me, have Promised the Second Mate the 2d Lieutts birth, So that You will be Pleased to furnish us with two Lieutts Commissions, wch Capt Wickes Says we are obliged to have, You have forgot to Send us the Register of the Vessel, Capt Clark & the Doctr Seem well satisfyed with their Ship; She is a very fine, Stout, little Vessel, I shall make her look very Wicked; am afraid She will cost You A deal too much money; however Shall do nothing to her but what is absolutely Necessary, that is all I can Say; & You may depend all I can do; shall be done; to make her Pay for herself the first Cruize, You have made A Mistake in dateing my Commission, it is dated 10th Deer 77, Suppose You Meant 76, with Your leave I will alter it, I should have wrote You Sooner but the day the Post left this was down the river, I shall be better able in 3 Days to give You Some Particular Acct of our being Maned; My Dear Sir You will Accept my hearty Acknowledgements for the Many Obligations I am under to You, & You may depend I shall never be Satisfyed till I have rendered myself deserveing of them. I am Dr Sir with my best respects to Doctr Franklin & Mr Lee [&c.]
P .S. my Complts to Mr Carmichael & Doctr Bancroft
