第 14 节
作者:一半儿      更新:2021-02-20 18:38      字数:9322
  others came the cows had again escaped to the woods; and the swine had
  been drowned!
  In July Spangenberg wrote to Herrnhut that he had given his fifty acres
  of land; including the town lot; to the Moravian Congregation at Savannah;
  and that he would at once apply to the Trustees to vest the title in that body;
  and if he left Georgia before this was accomplished he would give a full
  Power of Attorney to Toeltschig。 From the first his land had been used as
  the common property of the party; and he desired that the nine men; who;
  with him; were bound to the repayment of the 60 Pounds; borrowed from
  the Trustees; should have the use of it until that obligation was met; and
  then it should be used as the Savannah Congregation thought best。
  Nitschmann's       land    seems    to   have   been    held   in   a  different    way;
  although granted at the same time; and under similar circumstances。 July
  11th; Spangenberg sent him a detailed description of the town and garden
  lots; explaining   the  advantages   and difficulties of   cultivation;  suggesting
  several   methods by  which   it   could   be done;   and giving the   approximate
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  cost; urging that instructions be sent as to his wishes。Later he wrote that
  the company had decided not to wait for Nitschmann's reply; but to clear
  the garden on the terms usual in Georgia; e。g。; that the man who cleared a
  piece of ground held it rent free for seven years; when it reverted to the
  owner。 This had been done; and the garden was ready to plant and fence;
  and   if   Nitschmann   approved   they  intended   to   clear   the   farm;   and   would
  build a small house on the town lot。Zinzendorf had suggested that negroes
  be employed on Nitschmann's land; but at that time slavery was prohibited
  in   Georgia;   and   any  negroes   who   ran   away   from   Carolina   were   at   once
  returned to their masters。
  The two farms lay side by side about four miles from Savannah; the
  gardens;     also   adjoining;    were    about    two   miles    from   town;    so   it  was
  necessary to build cabins at both places; as shelters from sun and storm;
  which   the   settlers   found   equally   trying。  Two   additional   cabins   had   been
  built in Savannah on Spangenberg's lot; and by the end of the year a house;
  thirty…four     by   eighteen    feet   in  size;  was    under    roof;   though    not   yet
  finished。This gave an abundance of room; not only for themselves; but for
  the second company to whose arrival they were looking forward with such
  eagerness。
  When   this   reinforcement   came   they   hoped   to   move   to   Zinzendorf's
  tract;   and   then;   as   soon   as   they   could   be   spared;   Demuth;   Haberecht;
  Waschke and the two Haberlands wished to claim the twenty acres apiece
  which the Trustees had promised to the Count's 〃servants〃。 Riedel was of
  the    same    mind;   but   he   did  not   live  to  see   the   arrival  of   the  second
  company。Some   months   after   reaching            Georgia;   he   was   dangerously   ill
  with    fever;   but   passed    the   crisis  successfully;     and   recovered     his  full
  strength。He was one of the party who went   to survey Zinzendorf's tract;
  but was taken sick again three days after the boat left Savannah; and by
  the   time   they   returned   he   was   obliged   to   go   to   bed;   and   soon   became
  delirious。     The   other   Moravians      were    greatly    distressed;   but   could    do
  nothing except nurse him carefully and pray for him earnestly; and toward
  the end his mind cleared; though his body had lost the power to recuperate。
  He died on the 30th of September; the first Moravian to 〃fall asleep〃 in the
  United States; though others had given up their lives for the mission work
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  in   the   West    Indies。His     spiritual   condition     had    at  times    caused    much
  concern      to  Toeltschig;     who    was    especially    charged     with   the   religious
  welfare of the first company; many of whom had been under his care in
  Germany;   but   in   the   main   he   had   been   an   earnest   man;   a   willing   and
  industrious      partaker    in   the  common       toil;  and   his   death    caused    much
  regret。The   burial   customs   in   Savannah   included   the   ringing   of   bells;   a
  funeral     sermon;      and    a  volley    of   musketry;      but   learning     that   these
  ceremonies   were   not   obligatory   the   Moravians   declined   the   offer   of   the
  citizens   to   so   honor   their   Brother;   and   laid   him   to   rest   in   the   Savannah
  cemetery with a simple service of hymns and prayer。
  As they were robing Riedel for his burial; a young man came to the
  door;   and   asked   if   he   could   not   make   them   some   pewter   spoons。In   the
  conversations        that   followed      it  developed      that   he    was    a  native     of
  Switzerland;   the   son   of   a   physician;   and   after   his   father's   death   he   had
  sailed for Pennsylvania; intending there to begin the practice of medicine。
  But his fellow…passengers stole his books and everything he had; he was
  unable to pay for his transportation; and forced to sell his service for seven
  years as a redemptioner。At the end of five years he had become quite ill;
  and   his   master;   having   waited   six   months   for   his   recovery;   heartlessly
  turned   him  out;  to   live   or die   as the   case   might be。Instead   of   dying; his
  strength     returned;     and   then    his   former    master     demanded       10   Pounds
  Pennsylvania   currency;   for   his   unexpired   term;   although   only   5   Pounds
  had been paid for him; and he had served five years。The young man was
  obliged to promise to pay this; and Spangenberg encouraged him to push
  his spoon…making; in order to do it as speedily as possible。Meanwhile the
  Moravians   were   so   much   pleased   with   his   appearance   and   speech;   that
  they agreed to receive him into their company for as long as he chose to
  stay; and John Regnier soon became an important factor in their comfort。
  Spiritually   he   was   somewhat   at   sea。At   one   time   he   had   desired   to   be   a
  hermit;     and    then   he   had    drifted    from    one   sect    to  another;    seeking
  something which he could not find; but acquiring a medley of odd customs。
  Spangenberg advised him to turn his thoughts from men to God; learning
  from Him 〃what was better and higher; Faith; Love; Hope; etc。〃; and under
  the Moravian influence he gradually laid aside his unwise fancies; giving
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  them   encouragement   to   believe   that   he   would   eventually   come   into   the
  clearer light; as they knew it。
  In material things John Regnier was of great assistance; owing to his
  ability   to   turn   his   hand   to   almost   anything。The   shoes   of   the   party   were
  badly  torn;  but though   they  had brought leather   and   tools   from   England
  none   of   them   knew   the   cobbler's   trade。John   Regnier   had   never   made   a
  shoe;   but   he   took   it   up;   and   soon   provided   for   them   all;   and   then   he
  mended   their   clothing;   and   added   new   garments。He   also   showed   much
  aptitude for nursing; and Spangenberg put him in charge of several cases。
  A man from a neighboring village sent word that he had severed an artery
  and could not check the bleeding; and asked for help。Regnier went to him;
  and   was   so   successful   in   his   treatment   that   in   two   weeks   the   man   was
  entirely     restored。Some       one    discovered     a   poor   Scotchman;       dying    with
  dropsy;   lying   utterly   neglected   upon   the   floor   of   a   miserable   hut;   and
  appeal was made to the Moravians to take him and care for him。 They did
  so; moving him to one of their cabins; where they made him a bed; and
  Regnier   nursed   him   until   death   ended   his   sufferings。   Another   man   had
  high fever; and no friends; and him also the Moravians took; and cared for;
  the Trustee's agent furnishing food and medicine for the sick; but offering
  no recompense for the care they received。
  Indeed;      as   the   months      passed     by;   the   Moravians       established     a
  reputation   for   charity   and   for   hospitality。Not   only   had   they   kept   free   of
  dispute with the Salzburgers; but the friendliest relations existe