Swartout. Nov 2d 1840

To Hon
Abner L. Lipscomb

Sir
I have had the honor
to receive some months since from the Honorable
David G. Burnet then acting Secratary of State
at Austin, certain instructions dated Jany. 1840
in relation to my commission as Indian Agent
for the Coushatta and the Alabama Tribes of
Indians, for a particular account thereof I refer
you to a copy of the said instructions, I presume
on file in your department -- on the subject
of my Agency I have to say, that in persuance
of my instructions in the early part of the season
I selected the lands intended for the Indians
and partly completed the surveys for the
Coushattas, but owing to the high waters at the
time, we could then procede no farther and
since owing to sickness and partly to negligence
on the part of Mr. Jewell the Surveyor, I