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Brainerd Jan 30 1838

Very dear Sir,

 Your kind favour of the 5th Inst: came by the last mail. No apology was necessary on

your part, but I must beg leave, in the commencement of my reply to ask your forgiveness for proposing such a question as I did in my last. After you have? fully expressed your wish that I would not send abroad? into the world the information I had collected for yourself, the occasion of this was as follows viz. In conversation with a certain gentleman from the state of New York, now in the service of the U. States as a physician, I mentioned some interesting customs and traditions of the Indians. He requested me to furnish him with some information to communicate to his friends. I told him the obligation I was under to yourself, and could not make any communication to others at present.