the moravians in georgia-第14章

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ir　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　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　existed；　and　the　Moravian　cabins　were　always　open　to　them　when　they　came　to　Savannah。　Nor　were　they　slow　to　avail　themselves　of　the　kindness。　Gronau　and　Bolzius　often　lodged　with　them；　and　others　came　in　groups　of　nine　or　ten　to　spend　the　night。　　During　the　evening　stories　would　be　exchanged　as　to　their　circumstances　in　the　home　lands；　and　their　reasons　for　leaving　there；　and　then　sometimes　the　hosts　would　spread　hay　upon　the　floor　for　their　guests；　at　other　times　give　up　their　own　beds；　and　themselves　sleep　upon　the　floor。

With　their　nearer　neighbors　in　Savannah；　they　were　also　upon　cordial　terms；　though　they　found　few　who　cared　for　religious　things。　　The　Jews　were　particularly　courteous　to　them；　inviting　Spangenberg　into　their　Synagogue；　and　bringing　gifts　of　meat　and　fish　on　several　occasions　when　help　was　sorely　needed　on　account　of　the　illness　of　some　of　their　number；　　for　Riedel　was　not　the　only　one　who　was　seriously　ill；　though　no　others　died。　All　the　conditions　in　Georgia　were　so　different　from　what　they　were　accustomed　to　in　Germany　that　it　took　them　some　time　to　adapt　themselves；　and　longer　to　become　really　acclimated；　and　they　noticed　that　the　same　was　true　of　all　new…comers。　All　of　the　Moravians　were　sick　in　turn；　many　suffering　from　frosted　feet；　probably　injured　on　the　voyage　over；　but　Spangenberg；　Toeltschig；　Haberecht　and　Demuth　were　dangerously　ill。　　Nearly　all　of　the　medicine　brought　from　Europe　was　gone；　and　what　they　could　get　in　Savannah　was　expensive　and　they　did　not　understand　how　to　use　it；　so　they　were　forced　to　depend　on　careful　nursing　and　simple　remedies。　Turpentine　could　easily　be　secured　from　the　pines；　Spangenberg　found　an　herb　which　he　took　to　be　camomile；　which　had　a　satisfactory　effect；　and　with　the　coming　of　the　cooler　autumn　weather　most　of　the　party　recovered　their　health。

Probably　the　food　was　partly　responsible　for　their　troubles；　though　they　tried　to　be　careful；　and　cooked　everything　thoroughly。　Rice　and　salt…meat　were　their　chief　articles　of　diet；　for　bread　cost　so　much　that　they　soon　gave　it　up　entirely；　substituting　cornmeal　mush；　and　butter　was　so　dear　as　to　be　entirely　out　of　the　question。　During　the　summer　months　which　preceded　the　harvest；　they　could　get　neither　corn；　rice　nor　beans　at　the　store；　so　lived　on　mush；　salt…meat；　and　the　beans　they　themselves　had　planted。　　Fresh　meat　was　a　great　treat；　particularly　when　it　enabled　them　to　prepare　nourishing　broth　for　their　sick；　and　once　Rose　shot　a　stag；　giving　them　several　good　meals；　but　this　happened　so　seldom　as　to　do　little　toward　varying　the　monotony　of　their　fare。

Drinking　water　was　held　to　be　responsible　for　the　swollen　feet　and　nausea　from　which　many　of　them　suffered；　so　they　made　a　kind　of　sassafras　beer；　which　proved　palatable　and　healthful；　and　used　it　until　they　had　become　accustomed　to　the　climate；　when　they　were　able　to　drink　the　water。

When　the　Moravians　came　to　Georgia　they　brought　with　them　a　little　ready　money；　the　gift　of　English　friends；　and　their　cash　payments　secured　them　good　credit　at　the　Trustees'　store。　Other　merchants　sought　their　patronage；　but　they　decided　to　run　an　account　at　one　place　only；　and　thought　Mr。　Causton；　as　the　Trustees'　agent；　would　give　them　the　most　liberal　treatment。　　Their　hardest　time　financially；　as　well　as　regarding　health；　was　during　the　summer；　when　credit　came　to　be　accorded　grudgingly；　and　finally　Spangenberg；　personally；　borrowed　15　Pounds　sterling；　and　applied　it　on　their　account；　which　restored　their　standing　in　Mr。　Causton's　eyes。　　On　Feb。　8th；　1736；　they　decided　to　buy　enough　corn；　rice　and　salt…meat　to　last　until　harvest；　having　learned　by　sad　experience　how　very　dear　these　necessities　were　later　in　the　year。　　Very　little　work　had　been　done　which　brought　in　ready　money；　for　their　time　had　been　fully　occupied　in　building　their　house　and　clearing　the　land；　but　all　things　were　prepared　for　the　coming　of　the　second　company；　with　whose　assistance　they　expected　to　accomplish　much。　In　February　the　two　carpenters　were　engaged　to　build　a　house　for　Mr。　Wagner；　a　Swiss　gentleman　who　had　recently　arrived；　and　rented　one　of　the　Moravian　cabins　temporarily；　and　this　was　the　beginning　of　a　considerable　degree　of　activity。

The　intercourse　of　the　Moravians　with　the　other　residents　of　Savannah　was　much　impeded　by　their　ignorance　of　the　English　language；　and　it　occurred　to　Spangenberg　that　it　might　be　a　good　thing　to　take　an　English　boy；　have　him　bound　to　them　according　to　custom；　and　let　them　learn　English　by　having　to　speak　to　him。　About　July　a　case　came　to　his　knowledge　that　roused　all　his　sympathies；　and　at　the　same　time　afforded　a　good　opportunity　to　try　his　plan。　〃I　have　taken　a　four…year…old　English　boy　into　our　family。　He　was　born　in　Charlestown；　but　somehow　found　his　way　to　Savannah。　His　father　was　hanged；　for　murder　I　have　heard；　and　his　mother　has　married　another　man；　and　abandoned　the　child。　　A　woman　here　took　charge　of　him；　but　treated　him　most　cruelly。　　Once　she　became　angry　with　him；　took　a　firebrand；　and　beat　him　until　half　his　body　was　burned；　another　time　she　bound　him；　and　then　slashed　him　with　a　knife　across　the　back；　and　might　have　injured　him　still　more　if　a　man　had　not　come　by　and　rescued　him。　　The　magistrates　then　gave　him　to　other　people；　but　they　did　not　take　care　of　him；　and　hearing　that　he　was　a　bright　child；　I　decided　to　offer　to　take　him。　　The　Magistrates　gladly　agreed；　and　will　write　to　his　relatives　in　Charlestown；　and　if　they　do　not　claim　him　he　will　be　bound　to　us。　　He　is　already　proving　useful　to　the　Brethren；　as　he　speaks　English　to　them；　and　they　are　rapidly　learning　to　speak　and　to　understand。　　I　am　sending　him　to　an　English　school；　as　I　would　rather　he　would　not　learn　German；　but　being　bright　he　is　learning　a　good　deal　of　it　from　the　Brethren。〃

On　October　31st　a　widow　and　her　seven…year…old　son　were　received　into　their　household。　　The　woman　was　in　destitute　circumstances；　and　anxious　to　work；　so　after　four　weeks'　trial　she　was　installed　as　maid；　and　promised　14。00　a　year　wages。　　She　proved　to　be　quiet　and　industrious；　but　not　very　bright。　　On　Dec。　17th　another　boy；　six　years　old；