the moravians in georgia-第6章

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　of　the　law　against　slavery；　for　the　Count　intended　nothing　of　that　kind；　but　their　character　and　wild　habits　rendered　them　incapable　of　becoming　good　farmers；　as　the　American　Nation　has　learned　through　many　years　of　effort　and　failure。　　（9）　Whether　the　ten　or　fifteen　men；　reinforced　by　those　who　followed　them；　would　have　been　able　to　make　a　home　in　the　heart　of　the　forest；　will　never　be　known；　for　from　various　reasons　the　town　on　the　five　hundred　acre　tract　was　never　begun。　　In　short；　while　the　Moravians　were　risking　much　personal　discomfort；　there　was　nothing　in　their　plan　which　could　possibly　injure　others；　and　the　cavil　and　abuse　of　their　opposers　was　as　uncalled　for　as　is　many　a　〃private　opinion　publicly　expressed〃　to…day。

Hearing　of　the　many　obstacles　which　were　being　thrown　in　their　way；　Mr。　Coram；　who　was　a　man　of　wide　charities；　and　interested　in　other　colonies　besides　Georgia；　suggested　to　Spangenberg　that　his　company　should　go　to　Nova　Scotia；　where　the　climate　was　milder；　and　offered　them　free　transportation　and　aid　in　settling　there；　but　this　proposal　Spangenberg　at　once　rejected；　and　pinned　his　faith　on　the　kindness　of　Gen。　Oglethorpe；　whose　return　from　Georgia　the　preceding　July；　explained　the　more　favorable　tone　of　the　Trustees'　letters　after　that　date。　Oglethorpe　asked　him　numberless　questions　about　the　doctrine　and　practice　of　the　Moravians；　and　their　reasons　for　wishing　to　go　to　Georgia；　and　promised　to　lay　the　matter　before　the　Trustees；　using　all　his　influence　to　further　their　designs。


　　The　〃First　Company〃。

On　the　14th　of　January；　1735；　the　first　company　of　Moravian　colonists　arrived　in　London。　　At　their　head　was　David　Nitschmann；　　variously　called　〃the　III〃；　〃the　weaver〃；　〃the　Syndic〃；　and　Count　Zinzendorf's　〃Hausmeister〃；　who　was　to　stay　with　them　until　they　left　England；　and　then　return　to　Germany；　resigning　the　leadership　of　the　party　to　Spangenberg；　who　was　instructed　to　take　them　to　Georgia　and　establish　them　there；　and　then　go　to　Pennsylvania　to　the　Schwenkfelders。　　The　other　nine　were　　　　　　John　Toeltschig；　Zinzendorf's　flower…gardener。　　　Peter　Rose；　a　gamekeeper。　　　Gotthard　Demuth；　a　joiner。　　　Gottfried　Haberecht；　weaver　of　woolen　goods。　　　Anton　Seifert；　a　linen　weaver。　　　George　Waschke；　carpenter。　　　Michael　Haberland；　carpenter。　　　George　Haberland；　mason。　　　Friedrich　Riedel；　mason。

They　were　〃good　and　true　sons　of　God；　and　at　the　same　time　skillful　workmen；〃　with　such　a　variety　of　handicrafts　as　to　render　them　largely　independent　of　outside　assistance　in　the　settlement　which　they　proposed　to　make；　and　all　but　Haberecht　were　religious　refugees　from　Moravia　and　adjacent　parts　of　Bohemia。

Nitschmann　and　Toeltschig　were　two　of　the　five　young　men　in　Zauchenthal；　Moravia；　who　had　set　their　hearts　on　the　revival　of　the　ancient　Unitas　Fratrum。　　Toeltschig's　father；　the　village　burgess；　had　summoned　the　five　comrades　before　him；　and　strictly　forbidden　their　holding　religious　services；　warning　them　that　any　attempt　at　emigration　would　be　severely　punished；　and　advising　them　to　act　as　became　their　youth；　frequent　the　taverns　and　take　part　in　dances　and　other　amusements。　They　were　sons　of　well…to…do　parents；　and　little　more　than　boys　in　years；　（Nitschmann　was　only　twenty）；　but　their　faith　and　purpose　were　dearer　to　them　than　anything　else　on　earth；　so　they　had　left　all　and　come　away；　commending　their　homes　and　kindred　to　the　mercy　of　God；　and　singing　the　exile　hymn　of　the　ancient　Unitas　Fratrum；　sacred　through　its　association　with　those　brave　hearts　who　had　known　the　bitterness　and　the　joy　of　exile　a　hundred　years　before。

　　〃Blessed　the　day　when　I　must　go　　　My　fatherland　no　more　to　know；　　　　My　lot　the　exile's　loneliness；

　　〃For　God　will　my　protector　be；　　　And　angels　ministrant　for　me　　　　The　path　with　joys　divine　will　bless。

　　〃And　God　to　some　small　place　will　guide　　　Where　I　may　well　content　abide　　　　And　where　this　soul　of　mine　may　rest。

　　〃As　thirsty　harts　for　water　burn；　　　For　Thee；　my　Lord　and　God；　I　yearn；　　　　If　Thou　are　mine　my　life　is　blest。〃

Though　holding　positions　as　Count　Zinzendorf's　hausmeister　and　gardener；　both　Nitschmann　and　Toeltschig　were　actively　employed　in　the　affairs　of　the　renewed　Unitas　Fratrum；　and　had　been　to　England　in　1728　to　try　to　establish　relations　with　the　Society　for　the　Propagation　of　Christian　Knowledge；　though　without　success。　　They　were　the　better　fitted；　therefore；　to　conduct　the　party　to　England；　and　to　share　in　the　negotiations　already　begun　by　Spangenberg。

This　〃first　company〃　left　Herrnhut　on　the　21st　of　November；　1734；　traveling　by　Ebersdorf　（where　Henry　XXIX；　Count　Reuss；　Countess　Zinzendorf's　brother；　gave　them　a　letter　of　recommendation　to　any　whom　they　might　meet　on　their　way）；　to　Holland；　whence　they　had　a　stormy　and　dangerous　voyage　to　England。

The　day　after　they　reached　London　they　called　on　Gen。　Oglethorpe　and　having　gained　admittance　with　some　difficulty　they　were　very　well　received　by　him；　carrying　on　a　conversation　in　a　mixture　of　English　and　German；　but　understanding　each　other　fairly　well。　　Spangenberg　coming　in　most　opportunely；　the　Moravian　affairs　were　fully　discussed；　and　the　new…comers　learned　that　their　arrival　had　been　fortunately　timed；　for　the　Georgia　Trustees　were　to　hold　one　of　their　semi…annual　meetings　two　days　later；　when　Oglethorpe　could　press　their　matter；　and　a　ship　was　to　sail　for　Georgia　the　latter　part　of　the　month。　Oglethorpe　was　disturbed　to　find　that　the　colonists　had　failed　to　raise　any　money　toward　their　expenses；　but　promised　to　try　and　assist　them　in　that　also。

On　the　18th　the　colonists　were　formally　presented　to　the　Trustees；　heard　the　lively　argument　for　and　against　their　cause；　and　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　the　vote　cast　in　their　favor。　It　was　contrary　to　the　custom　of　the　Trustees　to　grant　lands　to　any　who　did　not　come　in　person　to　apply　for　them　and　declare　their　intention　of　going　to　Georgia　to　settle；　but　Oglethorpe's　argument　that　the　high　rank　of　Count　Zinzendorf　was　entitled　to　consideration　was　accepted　and　five　hundred　acres　of　land　were　granted　to　the　Count　and　his　male　heirs。

The　Indenture　bore　date　of　Jan。　10；　1734；　Old　Style；　（Jan。　21；　1735；）*　and　the　five　hundred　acres　were　〃to　be　set　out　limited　and　bounded　in　Such　Manner　and　in　Such　Part　or　Parts　of　the　said　Province　as　shall　be　thought　most　convenient　by　such　Person　or　Persons　as　shall　by　the　said　Common　Council　be　for　that　Purpose　authorized　and　appointed；〃　there　being　a　verbal　agreement　that　the　tract　should　be　in　the　hilly　country　some　distance　from　the　coast；　which；　though　less　accessible　and　less　easily　cultivated；　lay　near　the　territory　occupied　by　the　Indians。　　Five　pounds　per　annum　was　named　as　the　quit　rent；　payment　to　begin　eight　years　later；　and　such　part　of　the　tract　as　was　not　cleared　and　improved　during　the　next　eighteen　years　was　to　revert　to　the　Trustees。　The　Trustees　also　agreed　that　they　would　reserve　two　hundred　acres　near　the　larger　tract；　and　whenever　formally　requested　by　Count　Zinzendorf；　would　grant　twenty　acres　each　〃to　such　able　bodied　Young　Men　Servants　as　should　arrive　and　settle　with　him　in　the　said　Province　of　Georgia。〃

　*　This　IS　written　correctly。　　See　the　author's　explanation　of　the　calendar　in　Chapter　IV。　　　A。　L。；　1996。　

In　addition　to　the　five　hundred　acres　granted　to　Zinzendorf；　fifty　acres　were　given　to　Spangenberg；　and　fifty　acres　to　Nitschmann；　although　as　the　latter　was　not　going　to　Georgia；　and　the　former　did　not　intend　to　stay；　this　alone　was　a　departure　from　the　custom　of　the　Trustees。　　Each　of　the　fifty　acre　grants　was　in　three　parts；　a　lot　in　the　town　of　Savannah；　a　five　acre　garden；　and　a　forty…five　acre　farm；　and　while　their　acquisition　had　not　been　a　part　of　the　Herrnhut　plan　the　colonists　readily　yielded　to　the　advice　of　their　English　friends；　who　pointed　out　the　necessity　of　having　a　place　to　stay　when　they　reached　Savannah；　and　land　that　they　could　at　once　begin　to　cultivate；　without　waiting　for　the　selection　and　survey　of　the　larger　tract。　　In　fact；　though　they　knew　it　not；　these　two　grants；　which　lay　side　by　side；　were　destined　to　be　the　scene　of　all　their　experiences　in　the　Province　of　Georgia。

The　Trustees　seem　to　have　been　pleased　with　the　appearance　of　their　new　settlers；　and　approved　of　their　taking　passage　in　the　ship　that　was　to　sail　the　latter　part　of　the　month。　　Since　the　vessel　had　been　chartered　by　the　Trustees；　they　promised　to　make　no　charge　for　such　baggage　as　the　Moravians　wished　to　take　with　them；　arranged　that　they　should　have　a　portion　of　the　ship　for　themselves　instead　of　being　quartered　with　the　other　passengers；　and　offered　Spangenberg　a　berth　in　the　Captain's　cabin。　　This　he　declined；　preferring　to　share　equally　with　his　Brethren　in　the　hardships　of　the　voyage。　Medicine　was　put　into　his　hands　to　be　dispensed　to　those　who　might　need　it；　and　he　was　requested　to　take　charge　of　about　forty　Swiss　emigrants　who　wished　to　go　in　the　same　vessel　on　their　way　to　Purisburg　in　South　Carolina；　where　they　sought　better　material　conditions　than　they　had　left　at　home。

Land　having　been　secured；　Gen。　Oglethorpe　arranged　that　the　Trustees　should　lend　the　〃First　Company〃　60　Pounds；　payable　in　five　years；　with　the　understanding　that　if　repaid　within　that　time　the　interest　should　be　remitted；　otherwise　to　be　charged　at　ten　per　cent。；　the　usual　rate　in　South　Carolina。　　Of　this　10　Pounds　was　spent　in　London　for　supplies；　and　50　Pounds　paid　their　passage　across　the　Atlantic。　The　ten　men　（Spangenberg　taking　Nitschmann's　place）　pledged　themselves　jointly　and　severally　to　the　payment　of　the　debt；　the　bond　being　signed　on　Jan。　22nd；　（Jan。　11th；　O。　S。）　the　day　after　the　grant　of　the　land。

In　addition　to　this　Oglethorpe　collected　26　Pounds　5　Shillings；　as　a　gift　for　the　Moravians；　10　Pounds　being　presented　to　them　in　cash　in　London；　and　the　rest　forwarded　to　Savannah　with　instructions　that　they　should　be　supplied　with　cattle；　hogs　and　poultry　to　that　amount。　Oglethorpe　further　instructed　Messrs。　Toojesiys　and　Baker；　of　Charlestown；　to　honor　Spangenberg's　drafts　on　him　to　the　amount　of　20　Pounds；　so　securing　the　settlers　against　possible　need　in　their　new　home。

The　next　day　Gen。　Oglethorpe　presented　Spangenberg　to　the　Bishop　of　London；　who　received　him　very　kindly。　　Oglethorpe's　idea　was　that　the　Moravians　might　ally　themselves　closely　with　the　Church　of　England；　and　that　the　Bishop　might；　if　they　wished；　ordain　one　of　their　members　from　Herrnhut。　　Spangenberg　and　Nitschmann　were　not　authorized　to　enter　into　any　such　agreement；　but　both　welcomed　the　opportunity　to　establish　pleasant　relations　with　the　English　clergy；　and　several　interviews　were　had　which　served　as　a　good　opening　for　intercourse　in　later　years。

Until　their　vessel　sailed；　the　Moravians　found　plenty　to　interest　them　in　the　〃terribly　great　city〃；　where　they　were　regarded　with　much　interest；　and　where　they　were　greatly　touched　by　the　unexpected　kindness　they　received。

They　had　interviews　with　the　Trustees；　with　Mr。　Vernon；　and　with　Gen。　Oglethorpe；　who　gave　them　much　information　as　to　what　to　expect　in　their　new　home；　and　many　suggestions　as　to　the　best　way　of　beginning　their　settlement。　　Spangenberg　was　presented　to　the　〃Society　for　the　Propagation　of　Christian　Knowledge〃；　was　courteously　received；　of