We arrived and landed our troops here between three & four this morning immediately our boats were covered with green boughs & our men [   ] in a neghbouring wood many things combined to cause a [failure] of [landg] as first proposed Majr Darby miss under stood Majr Bayley re[sp]ecting the place the Boats were to be [carried] which prevented his finding them this caus[e]d a delay of one hour after we had to contend with the evils of over loaded & leaky boats poor oars men & wind & tide part of the time against us.

Early in the morning I set off with Colo. scamel for Fort Lee—on my arriving near it I found my self in full view of the [   ] encampments.

They have encamped so far as we could discover and [ illegible lately see the shady] [line illegible ] to compleat [   ] regiments in the [Howland] north of Fort Trion—They have one regiment [in tirely] just by Fort St George the [   ] have been represented to join [   ] This State of matters alone [being] so different from what was expected would have induced me to give up the thought of attempting what was first proposed—But did none of these [   ] the [   ] of the ship (which is [oppte] to the incampment I first mentioned & near the middle of the river) would with the [   ] age of the moon & state of the tide would have been sufficient to have rendered abortive a plan which under other circumst[ancs] would have had the highest [   ] of success for if we go down with the Ebb so as to make little use of our oars then it would be at a time when the moon would give so much Light as would give an oppertunity of [   ] a [boat] near two mils If we wait untill the moon setts we must so [   ] contend with the flood tide as [   ] not withstandg [the precautions] to prevent it will be [   ] at a long distance [Colo. Scamel illegible with me in opinion]

If I hear nothing to the contrary from your Exclly I shall endeavour fully to carry into [   ] object. I am &c.