j6 The Winning of the West 



APPENDIX F TO CHAPTER IX 



IN the Clay MSS. the letters of Jesse Benton to 

 Col. Hart, of December 4, 1782, and March 22, 

 1783, paint vividly the general distress in the Caro- 

 linas. They are taken up mostly with accounts of 

 bad debts and of endeavors to proceed against vari 

 ous debtors; they also touch on other subjects. 



In the first, of December 4, 1782, Benton writes: 

 "It seems the powers above are combined against us 

 this year. Such a Drouth was never known here 

 [in the upper Carolinas] before; Corn sells from the 

 stack at 4 & 5] p. Bushel, Wheat 6 & 8|, Rye the 

 same, Oats, 3(6 &c &c . . . I have not had Water 

 to keep the Grist Mill Puling Mill and Oyl Mill at 

 Work before this Week. . . . Johny Rice has gone 

 to Kentuck with his goods to buy Furs, but before 

 he went we talked of your debts and he did not like 

 to be concerned, saying he should gain ill will for 

 no profit; However I will immediately enforce the 

 Law to recover your Debts . . . the Lands which 

 You had of me would sell as soon as any but this 

 hard year makes many settlers and few buyers. I 

 have heard nothing more of Major Hay woods de 

 sire of purchasing & all I ever heard upon the sub 

 ject was from his son-in-law who now appears very 

 sick of his late purchase of Elegant Buildings. . . . 

 Your Brother Capt. Nat Hart, our worthy and re 

 spectable Friend, I doubt is cut off by the Savages 

 at the time and in the manner as first represented, to 

 wit, that he went out to hunt his horses in the 



