第 9 节
作者:一半儿      更新:2021-02-20 18:38      字数:9321
  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
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  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;   offered   more   books
  than he was willing to accept; invited to correspond with the Society; and
  urged   to   keep   on   friendly   terms   with   the   Salzburgers;   which   he   assured
  them     he   sincerely    desired   to   do。  Conversations       with   Court    Preacher
  Ziegenhagen   were   not   so   pleasant;   for   a   letter   had   come   from   Senior
  Urlsperger   inveighing   against   the   Moravians   and   Ziegenhagen   put   forth
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  every effort to reclaim Spangenberg from the supposed error of his ways;
  and to persuade him to stop the company about to start for Georgia; or at
  least    to  separate    himself    from    them;    and   return    to  the  old   friends    at
  Halle。Oglethorpe smiled at the prejudice against the Moravians; and told
  them   frankly   that   efforts   had   been   made   to   influence   him;   but   he   had
  preferred   to   wait   and   judge   for   himself。   〃It   has   ever   been   so;〃   he   said;
  〃from   the     time   of  the   early   Christians;   it   seems    to  be   the   custom   of
  theologians to call others heretics。 They say; in short; ‘you do not believe
  what   I   believe;   a   Mohammedan   also   does   not   believe   what   I   believe;
  therefore   you   are   a   Mohammedan;'   and   again   ‘you   explain   this   Bible
  passage so and so; the Socinian also explains it so and so; therefore you
  are a Socinian。'〃As for opposition; he; too; was beginning to find it since
  the Georgia Colony was proving a success。
  Meanwhile        new    friends    were    springing     up   on   every    side   of   the
  Moravians。 A doctor helped them lay in a store of medicine; another gave
  them some balsam which was good for numberless external and internal
  uses。A   German   merchant;   who   had   become   an   English   citizen;   helped
  them purchase such things as they would require in Georgia; and a cobbler
  assisted Riedel in buying a shoemaker's outfit。Weapons were offered to all
  the members of the party; but declined; as they wished to give no excuse to
  any one who might try to press them into military service。They  yielded;
  however;   to   the   argument   that   they   would   need   to   protect   themselves
  against wolves and bears; and sent Peter Rose; the gamekeeper; with Mr。
  Verelst; one of the secretaries of the Trustees; to purchase a fowling piece
  and hunting knives。
  Letters   of   introduction   to   various   prominent   men   in   America   were
  given   to   them;   and;   perhaps   most   important   of   all   in   its   future   bearing;
  people discovered the peculiar charm of the Moravian services。 Reference
  is   made   in   the   diaries   to   one   and   another;      from  English   clergyman   to
  Germans resident in London;  who joined with them in their devotions;
  and seemed much moved thereby。Neither was it a passing emotion; for the
  seed a little later blossomed into the English Moravian Church。
  And     so   the  month     passed     swiftly   by;   and   the   ship   was   ready    to
  commence her long voyage。
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  Chapter III。 The First Year in
  Georgia。
  The Voyage。
  In   the   year   1735   a   voyage   across   the   Atlantic   was   a   very   different
  thing from what it is in this year of grace 1904。To…day a mighty steamship
  equipped   with   powerful   engines;   plows   its   way   across   the   billows   with
  little regard for wind and weather; bearing thousands of passengers; many
  of whom are given all the luxury that space permits; a table that equals any
  provided       by    the    best    hotels     ashore;    and     attendance      that    is
  unsurpassed。Then   weeks   were   consumed   in   the   mere   effort   to   get   away
  from the British Isles; the breeze sometimes permitting the small sailing
  vessels to slip from one port to another; and then holding them prisoner for
  days    before   another    mile   could   be   gained。   Even    the  most   aristocratic
  voyager   was   forced   to   be   content   with   accommodations   and   fare   little
  better than that supplied   to a  modern steerage  passenger; and   those  who
  could afford it took with them a private stock of provisions to supplement
  the ship's table。
  And yet the spell of adventure or philanthropy; gain or religion; was