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New Bern 24. Octor. 1757.

Sir,

I had your Excellency's favour of the 15th. of Septr. and am very much pleased to hear that the Report from your Province about the Boundary Line is at last sent over, for by my Letters from the Board of Trade they only waited it's being sent by you to have it laid before His Majesty to have an equitable Boundary, and when it arrived they wou'd lose no Time in getting his Majesty to fix it⁠—I shou'd have answered your Letter sooner but had nothing to communicate having neither had Letters from England nor from the North by the Irregularity of our post. I stop'd the Imbarkation of our Companies after having agreed for Vessels upon yours and Colo. Bouquet's Letters, and have sent them to the forts on our Sea Coast to be ready if demanded. 

Mr. Brown came down from the Catawbas Fort last Sunday having dismissed the Workmen as I ordered him but brought me two Letters from Hagler and all the Sachems desiring me to go on with the fort, Copies of which I send to you and refer you to them, and also a Copy of a Purchase he made of 640 Acres for the Use of the fort. However I told him that I wou'd not go on with the Fort as I promised you I wou'd not until I acquainted you with these Letters, and had your Thoughts upon it⁠—Hagler denied that he had applied to you against the fort, but the other Sachems taxed him with it, and said that as he took a short trip into the Southern province, the Inhabitants there had prevailed upon him to write to you without consulting the Sachems⁠—I therefore desire your Thoughts how I shall act, for if I refuse I expect they will all come down in a Body to desire it, which will be attended with a considerable Expence. I see no more Signs of Mr. Atkins coming here from Virginia, than when he went first there, He is wrangling with that Government about his Right and obstructing the Indians acting for Virginia, unless they do it by his Commission, upon which they are generally all returned. 

This Province has been extremely sickly, occasioned by the long excessive Rains we had in the latter Summer; I had my Share, but the Fever was not severe, nor my Ague fit twenty Minutes, and thank God I am now well recovered. 

I am with great Truth and Regard

Sir

your Excellency's

most obedient

 humble Servt.

Arthur Dobbs