A LIVING HISTORY BLOG.

18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA.

Friday 19 April 2013

Voyage To Georgia. Part 6.




The Trustees examined at their Office such Persons as applied to them for the Benefit of the Charity, and out of them chose those who had the best Characters, and were the truest Objects of Compassion. 
            They acquainted those that they had chosen, that they must expect to go through great Hardships in the Beginning, and use great Industry and Labour in order to acquire afterwards a comfortable


Begun the 15th of October, 1735.

Subsistence for themselves and Families; that they gave them Lands, and a Year’s Provisions, but that those Lands were uninhabited Woods; that they must lye without Cover till they could build Houses for themselves, live upon salt Meat,  drink Water, work hard, keep Guard for Fear of Enemies, clear and plant Ground before they could reap any Harvest; that the Country was hot inSummer, and that there were Flies in Abundance, and that Thunder-storms were frequent in that Season; that Sicknesses were dangerous to those who drank distilled Liquors, and that Temperance was not only necessary to preserve their Substance, but their Health also; that if they put their Trust in God, and were temperate and industrious, they might establish themselves and Families in a comfortable Way upon Lands of their own; but if they thought they should not be able to go through those Difficulties, they advised them by no means to undertake the Voyage.
            Several were dishearten’d, which discovere’d that they had pleaded Necessity without Reason, and that they were able to live in England.  The Places of those who were deter’d from going, were fill’d up with others; for there were a great many more petition’d to go than there was room for.  Besides the English, there were a Number of persecuted German Protestants, under the Conduct  of Mr. VonReck and Capt. Hermsdorf.  The whole Embarkation, English and Foreigners, together with the Missionaries to the Indians, amounted to 227 Heads, making 202 People upon the Trust’s Account, besides Mr. Oglethorpe, the Gentlemen with him, and his Servants, whose Passages he himself paid.
            There were two Ships freighted, the Symond, of 220 Ton, Capt. Joseph Cornish, and the London Merchant, about the same Burden, Capt. John Thomas.

  
A Voyage to Georgia;

There was a sufficient Quantity of Provisions for some Months put on board, likewise Arms, Cannon, Ammunition, and all kinds of Tools for Husbandry, and Necessaries for Families.
            One of his Majesty’s Sloops, under the Command of Capt. James Gascoigne, was ordered to assist the Colony, and to carry over Mr. Oglethorpe, who intended to inspect the Settlement; but he chose rather to go on board one of the Ships, tho; crowded with the Colony, that he might be able to take care of the People in their Passage.
1735-October.
            On the 14th of October I set out from Parliament-stairs; about Four in the Afternoon I arrive’d at Poorfleet, where I dined, and staid during the Flood; after which I reach’d Gravesend about Midnight.  There I lay, and the next Day went on board the Symond, Capt. Joseph Cornish, where the Passengers upon the Trust’s Account had been for some Days.  I immediately took an Account of the Stores.
            On the 19th a Boy, as he was playing, fell overboard: A Man being near him, and seeing him fall, throw’d him a Rope, and he got in again.  We waited for the coming down of the London Merchant.
            On the 20th the London Merchant, Capt. John Thomas, with Part of the Colony on board, join’d us at Gravesend.  I went and took an Account of her Cargo.  The same Day Mr. Oglethorpe, with Mr. Johnson, Son to the late Governor of South Carolina, and several other Gentlemen, who intended to accompany him in the Voyage, came on board.  In the Afternoon we weigh’d, and went down to the Hope.
            On the 21st we sail’d from the Hope, and got within three Miles of the Buoy of the Nore.       


Begun the 15th of October, 1735.

1735-October.          
On the 23d a thick Fog came upon us: We made shift to get to the Buoy of the Nore, and anchor’d on the Kentish Flats, being not able to proceed farther.
            On the 25th it blew fresh against us, and we got but little forwards.
            On the 26th, early in the Morning, we arrived at the Horse-shoe Hole, where we anchor’d for some time, and then setting sail we got to Margate-Road.
            On the 27th we arrived at Deal, and were forced to come to an Anchor in the Downs.  We set on shore a Servant belonging to one of the Colony, it being discover’d that he had the Itch.
            On the 28th it blew hard against us.  The same Day died a Child of eight Months old, being Daughter to one of the Colony, She was dangerous ill before she came on board.
            On the 30th the Wind continued to blow hard; but Mr. Oglethorpe insisting with the Captains to sail, we venture’d out, and found the Wind less, and more favourable at Sea.
November.
            On the 1st of November we put into St. Helen’s in order to meet the Man of War, whom we expected to be ready.  It being near Night the Ships came to Anchor, and a Gentleman was sent to Spithead to inquire after the Man of War:  He return’d about Midnight with Advice, that she was in Portsmouth Harbour, and not yet ready.
            On the 2nd  the Ships sail’d for Cowes Road, and Mr. Oglethorpe went to the Man of War Sloop.  As the Ships pass’d by Spithead they saluted the Admiral’s Ship, which she returned.
            We were detain’d at Cowes, by contrary Winds, till the 10th of December; for though we twice broke ground, and once fail’d as far as Yarmouth Road, yet were we forced back again.  This Delay was not only very tedious to the People,

A Voyage to Georgia;

1735. November.
but very expensive to the Trust; since there were so many hundred Mouths eating, in Idleness, that which should have subsisted them till their Lands were cultivated; and that they were also losing the most useful Season for that Purpose.

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