Letter from Green Clay to Sally Clay, 8 January 1820

Writing from Mr. Jarrett's on the bank of the Tennessee River where he arrived on the 17th, Clay writes of sending Jeff to Smithland for letters, linen and a bag and tells of his coming home drunk. He started Sunday for the woods to go around the 17,000 acres on Clark's River. He lost his horses on Monday night and after drawing five and a half miles of his lines, it began to rain. He still hadn't finished his first survey. Claims that his provisions are exhausted (he had lost 30-40 pounds), his clothes are in rags and his expenses had been much larger than anticipated. States that the Native Americans are encamped throughout the country but appear to be quite harmless. Tells his wife of some money matters.