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Salem, North Carolina Dec 25th 1836
Dear Sir Your favour of July 29th was duly recd & should have been answered long since, had it not been for circumstances which prevented the necessary researches into the old M.M.S of our Cherokee Mission. The original Journal of the Mission had been packed up, together with all other Books & papers, preparatory to my removal elsewhere, & my time was so fully occupied, that I could not, until a few weeks ago, direct my attention to your inquiries. I have found here copies of the journals of our early Cherokee Missionaries, and have translated, as well as I could, & transcribed, the particulars of the first interview between our Missionaries & the Chiefs in 1799. I have filled two closely written sheets of letter paper with this matter, & only would beg, your direction whether to send them immediately pr Mail, or, await a private opportunity? The voluminous journal of Mrs Gambold, is written in the German language & it is full of anecdote, sometimes even of thrilling interest, particularly those in reference to the celebrated James Vann & his cotemporaries. The notices, the visits of a certain Saml Houston at Spring place, & formed a very favourable opinion of him, being at that time of unapunsing? appearance & Manners. His the same one, whose name is now so conspicuous in the affairs of Texas. It is to be regretted that Mrs Gambold had no biographer, & even astonishing that she was not her own, as she was passionately fond of her pen & wrote about almost every thing, excepting herself. She left a Mass of Manuscript matter, which I fear has been lost to a great extent. The present state of our Mission, like that of the American board, among the Cherokees, is discouraging to a high degree - from causes, with which you are doubtfully familiar. & which are alike mortifying to every sense of justice &equity, as they are disgraceful to a civilized & enlightened government. I shall endeavor to file another sheet of matter, by the time, I receive an answer to this, containing your address &c. and as I shall, Providence permitting, return to the West, early in the Spring. I shall be happy to hear from you soon. I am, very respectfully Your humble servt, H.G. Clauder