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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