Having been unexpectedly called to this place to visit a sick Friend has prevented me from acknowledging the Receipt of your Favor of last Month. I will willingly act as your Attorney at the Meeting of the Proprietors of the Dismal Swamp Company to be held at Suffolk on the first Thursday in May next, or in any other manner I can serve you.

Since my last to you, I have made particular Inquiry of the Agent, a most intelligent Gentleman, respecting the Soil of the Dismal S. Company's Land, & the propriety of appropriating one or two thousands Dollars annually from our present large Dividends to be laid out in the purchase of negro Boys & Lads to have a sufficient force in readiness to cultivate the land by the time the Juniper Timber is exhausted. He highly approves of the appropriation, and assures me from the experiment he has made that the land can be easily drained, & will produce from ten Blls of Indian Corn to a greater Quantity per acre. He purchased two years ago some Swamp adjoining the Company's land, which he cleared & cultivated in a Slovenly manner last year from the want of proper force, & he made from 8 to 10 Blls of Corn per acre

A more formal power of Attorney than your last letter to me will be necessary to enable me to vote for you at the Meeting.You may also authorize me to receive your Dividend, which shall be deposited in the Branch of the Virga Bank at Norfolk, & the Cashier's Receipt forwarded to you.  I remain with esteem  Your obt Servt