the moravians in georgia-第38章

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　soldier　cut　off　a　young　girl's　hand。　　〃The　Lord　was　our　defense　and　shield；　and　we　were　among　them　like　Daniel　in　the　midst　of　the　lions；〃　wrote　Boehler；　for　the　quiet；　Bible…reading　Moravians　found　little　to　like　in　their　rough　associates；　who　cared　for　them　just　as　little；　and　wished　they　could　be　thrown　overboard。

The　ships　put　to　sea　July　16th　and　reached　the　Madeiras　on　the　29th；　where　they　were　detained　until　the　8th　of　August。　　Boehler　and　Schulius　went　on　shore　a　number　of　times；　were　courteously　treated　by　the　most　prominent　Catholic　priest　there；　climbed　a　mountain　for　the　exercise；　and　particularly　enjoyed　their　escape　from　turmoil　and　confusion。　　The　captain；　who　had　taken　a　dislike　to　them；　tried　to　prevent　their　leaving　the　ship；　but　Oglethorpe　stood　their　friend；　and　ordered　that　they　should　have　entire　liberty。　　For　Boehler；　as　for　many　who　had　preceded　him；　Georgia　and　Carolina　were　to　be　a　school　where　great　life　lessons　would　be　learned。　　Fresh　from　the　University　halls　of　Jena；　he　had　met　the　students　of　Oxford　on　equal　footing；　quickly　winning　their　respect　and　admiration；　but　these　soldiers　and　sailors；　restless；　eager　for　excitement；　rude　and　unlettered；　were　a　new　thing　to　him；　a　book　written　in　a　language　to　which　he　had　no　key。　　Later　he　would　learn　to　find　some　point　of　contact　with　the　unlearned　as　well　as　the　learned；　with　the　negro　slave　and　the　Yorkshire　collier　as　well　as　the　student　of　theology；　but　just　now　his　impulse　was　to　hold　himself　aloof　and　let　their　wild　spirits　dash　against　him　like　waves　about　the　base　of　a　lighthouse　which　sends　a　clear；　strong　beam　across　the　deep；　but　has　few　rays　for　the　tossing　billows　just　beneath。

On　the　18th　of　September　land　was　sighted；　and　on　the　29th　the　fleet　anchored　in　the　harbor　of　St。　Simon's　Island；　and　with　grateful　hearts　the　Moravians　watched　the　landing　of　the　soldiers。　On　the　4th　of　October　they　transferred　their　baggage　to　a　sloop　bound　for　Savannah；　which　sailed　the　6th；　but　on　account　of　head　winds　did　not　reach　Savannah　until　the　16th。　The　Moravians　still　at　Savannah　came　in　a　boat　to　welcome　them；　and　take　them　to　their　house；　but　Boehler　was　anxious　to　see　the　scene　of　his　future　labors；　and　stayed　in　town　only　a　few　days；　leaving　on　the　21st　for　a　tour　through　Carolina。　　Schulius　accompanied　him　all　the　way；　and　several　others　as　far　as　the　Indian　town　where　Rose　was　living　with　his　wife　and　child。　　Here　they　talked　of　many　things　regarding　the　Savannah　Congregation；　but　on　the　following　afternoon　the　missionaries　went　on　their　way；　Zeisberger；　Haberland；　Boehner　and　Regnier　accompanying　them　to　Purisburg。

There　Boehler　and　Schulius　lodged　with　one　of　the　Swiss　who　had　come　to　Georgia　with　Spangenberg　and　the　first　company。　His　wife　expressed　the　wish　that　the　Moravians　in　Savannah　would　take　her　thirteen…year…old　daughter　the　following　winter；　and　give　her　instruction；　for　which　she　would　gladly　pay。　Boehler　took　occasion　to　speak　to　the　couple　about　salvation　and　the　Saviour；　and　they　appeared　to　be　moved。　　Indeed　this　was　the　main　theme　of　all　his　conversations。　　To　the　owners　of　the　plantations　visited；　he　spoke　of　their　personal　needs；　and　their　responsibility　for　the　souls　of　their　slaves；　while　to　the　slaves　he　told　the　love　of　God；　filling　them　with　wonder；　for　most　of　them　were　newly　imported　from　the　wilds　of　Africa；　and　suspicious　even　of　kindness。　Many　knew　little　of　the　English　tongue；　and　the　few　who　could　understand　his　words　had　not　yet　learned　that　there　was　a　God　who　cared　how　they　lived　or　what　became　of　them。　　Their　masters；　as　a　rule；　thought　the　missionaries　were　attempting　an　almost　hopeless　task　in　trying　to　lift　these　negroes　above　the　brute　creation；　but　were　quite　willing　to　give　permission　and　an　opportunity　to　reach　them；　and　on　this　tour　Boehler　found　only　one　land…owner　who　refused　his　consent。

Purisburg　had　been　named　as　the　location　of　the　negro　school；　but　Boehler　found　there　were　very　few　negroes　in　the　town；　which　had　been　largely　settled　by　Swiss；　who　had　not　prospered　greatly　and　had　bought　few　slaves。　　The　nearest　plantation　employing　negroes　was　five　miles　distant；　and　only　seven　lived　there；　so　the　outlook　was　far　from　encouraging　at　that　point。

Boehler　and　Schulius　then　made　their　way　from　one　plantation　to　another；　until　they　reached　Charlestown。　　The　Rev。　Mr。　Garden；　to　whom　they　had　a　letter　of　introduction；　advised　that　the　school　should　be　begun　in　Charlestown；　where　there　was　a　large　negro　population；　perhaps　a　thousand　souls。　　This　was　more　than　could　be　found　on　any　single　plantation　in　Carolina；　and　as　the　slaves　were　strictly　forbidden　to　go　from　one　plantation　to　another　it　would　hardly　be　possible　to　find　another　place　where　so　many　could　be　reached　at　the　same　time。　　Boehler　and　Schulius　were　much　impressed　with　the　advantages　offered；　especially　as　Mr。　Garden　promised　all　the　assistance　he　could　give；　and　they　debated　whether　Schulius　should　not　stay　and　begin　at　once；　while　Boehler　returned　to　report　to　Oglethorpe。　　The　lot　was　finally　tried；　and　the　direction　received　that　they　should　carefully　study　the　situation　but　wait　until　later　to　commence　work。　　Therefore　on　the　1st　of　November　the　two　companions　set　out　for　Savannah；　which　they　reached　in　eight　days。

The　following　weeks　were　a　sore　trial　for　the　missionaries。　With　a　promising　field　in　sight；　and　eager　to　commence　work　in　it；　they　were　obliged　to　wait　for　Oglethorpe's　permission；　and　Oglethorpe　was　very　busy　on　the　frontier　establishing　the　outposts　for　which　his　regiment　had　been　brought　over。　　When　he　did　return　to　Savannah；　it　was　only　for　a　few　hours；　and　he　was　in　no　frame　of　mind　for　a　long　argument　of　pros　and　cons。　　He　told　Boehler　rather　testily　that　they　should　not　go　to　Charlestown　with　his　consent；　that　if　they　were　not　willing　to　follow　the　plan　for　Purisburg　he　would　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　them；　and　that　if　they　wanted　to　talk　further　they　must　wait　till　he　came　again。

Boehler　and　Schulius　wished　themselves　free　to　proceed　without　his　consent；　wished　they　had　not　entered　into　an　agreement　with　〃the　associates　of　the　late　Dr。　Bray〃；　but　under　the　circumstances　felt　themselves　bound　to　give　the　work　at　Purisburg　a　fair　trial。　　In　December；　Schulius　went　to　Purisburg　to　look　over　the　field；　and　make　acquaintance　with　the　people；　while　Boehler　waited　at　Savannah　for　Oglethorpe；　and　finally；　when　his　patience　was　quite　exhausted；　followed　the　General　to　St。　Simons。　Oglethorpe　persisted　in　his　intention　to　have　the　school　at　Purisburg；　and　when　he　learned　that　his　wishes　would　be　obeyed　he　gave　instructions　for　the　renting　of　a　large　house　and　two　acres　of　ground；　and　for　supplies　to　be　furnished　from　the　store　at　Savannah。

In　February；　1739；　therefore；　Boehler　and　Schulius　settled　in　Purisburg。　Young　Harper　seems　to　have　been　with　them　in　Purisburg　on　some　of　their　earlier　visits；　but　was　sent　temporarily　to　Savannah；　and　as　he　does　not　reappear　in　the　records；　he　probably　went　back　to　his　English　home。　　David　Zeisberger；　Jr。；　joined　Boehler　and　was　his　willing　helper　in　many　ways。

At　first　the　outlook　was　rather　more　promising　than　they　expected。　There　were　very　few　colored　children　for　the　school；　but　〃daily　more　were　bought　and　born；〃　there　was　some　interest　aroused　among　the　older　negroes；　and　the　owners　were　disposed　to　be　friendly；　and　allow　the　missionaries　free　access　to　their　slaves。　The　German　and　Swiss　settlers　were　unaffectedly　glad　to　have　the　Moravians　in　their　midst；　and　begged　for　religious　services；　and　instruction　for　their　children；　so　Boehler　and　Schulius　agreed　on　a　division　of　labor；　the　latter　to　devote　himself　to　the　white　residents　and　their　little　ones；　while　Boehler　spent　most　of　his　time　visiting　adjoining　plantations。

But　when　the　warm　weather　came　Boehler　was　taken　with　fever；　and　from　June　to　October　he　suffered　severely。　　From　time　to　time　he　was　able　to　be　up；　and　even　to　visit　Savannah；　but　he　was　so　weak　and　his　feet　were　so　badly　swollen　that　walking　was　very　difficult；　and　of　course　missionary　tours　were　impossible。

On　the　4th　of　August；　George　Schulius　died；　after　an　illness　of　eighteen　days'　duration。　　Boehler　was　in　Savannah　when　he　was　taken