pioneers of the old south-第31节

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becoming　humane；　was　inquiring　into　ancient　wrongs。　There　arose；　among
other　things；　a　belated　notion　of　prison　reform。　The　English　Parliament
undertook　an　investigation；　and　Oglethorpe　was　of　those　named　to　examine
conditions　and　to　make　a　report。　He　came　into　contact　with　the　incarcerated
…　not　alone　with　the　law…breaker；　hardened　or　yet　to　be　hardened；　but　with
the　wrongfully　imprisoned　and　with　the　debtor。　The　misery　of　the　debtor
seems　to　have　struck　with　insistent　hand　upon　his　heart's　door。　The
parliamentary　inquiry　was　doubtless　productive　of　some　good；　albeit
evidently　not　of　great　good。　But　though　the　inquiry　was　over；　Oglethorpe's
concern　was　not　over。　It　brooded；　and；　in　the　inner　clear　light　where　ideas
grow；　eventually　brought　forth　results。

Numbers　of　debtors　lay　in　crowded　and　noisome　English　prisons；　there　often
from　no　true　fault　at　all；　at　times　even　because　of　a　virtuous　action；
oftenest　from　mere　misfortune。　If　they　might　but　start　again；　in　a　new
land；　free　from　entanglements！　Others；　too；　were　in　prison；；　whose　crimes
were　negligible；　mere　mistaken　moves　with　no　evil　will　behind　them　…　or；　if
not　so　negligible；　then　happening　often　through　that　misery　and　ignorance
for　which　the　whole　world　was　at　fault。　There　was　also　the　broad　and
well…filled　prison　of　poverty；　and　many　of　the　prisoners　there　needed　only
a　better　start。　James　Edward　Oglethorpe　conceived　another　settlement　in
America；　and　for　colonists　he　would　have　all　these　down…trodden　and
oppressed。　He　would　gather；　if　he　might；　only　those　who　when　helped　would
help　themselveswho　when　given　opportunity　would　rise　out　of　old　slough
and　briar。　He　was　personally　open　to　the　appeal　of　still　another　class　of
unfortunate　men。　He　had　seen　upon　the　Continent　the　distress　of　the　poor
and　humble　Protestants　in　Catholic　countries。　Folk　of　this　kindfrom
France；　from　Germanyhad　been　going　in　a　thin　stream　for　years　to　the　New
World。　But　by　his　plan　more　might　be　enabled　to　escape　petty　tyranny　or
persecution。　He　had　influence；　and　his　scheme　appealed　to　the　humane
thought　of　his　dayappealed；　too；　to　the　political　thought。　In　America
there　was　that　debatable　and　unoccupied　land　south　of　Charles　Town　in　South
Carolina。　It　would　be　very　good　to　settle　it；　and　none　had　taken　up　the
idea　with　seriousness　since　Azilia　had　failed。　Such　a　colony　as　was　now
contemplated　would　dispose　of　Spanish　claims；　serve　as　a　buffer　colony
between　Florida　and　South　Carolina；　and　establish　another　place　of　trade。
The　upshot　was　that　the　Crown　granted　to　Oglethorpe　and　twenty　associates
the　unsettled　land　between　the　Savannah　and　the　Altamaha；　with　a　westward
depth　that　was　left　quite　indefinite。　This　territory；　which　was　now　severed
from　Carolina；　was　named　Georgia　after　his　Majesty　King　George　II；　and
Oglethorpe　and　a　number　of　prominent　men　became　the　trustees　of　the　new
colony。　They　were　to　act　as　such　for　twenty…one　years；　at　the　end　of　which
time　Georgia　should　pass　under　the　direct　government　of　the　Crown。
Parliament　gave　to　the　starting　of　things　ten　thousand　pounds；　and　wealthy
philanthropic　individuals　followed　suit　with　considerable　donations。　The
trustees　assembled；　organized；　set　to　work。　A　philanthropic　body；　they　drew
from　the　like　minded　far　and　near。　Various　agencies　worked　toward　getting
together　and　sifting　the　colonists　for　Georgia。　Men　visited　the　prisons　for
debtors　and　others。　They　did　not　choose　at　random；　but　when　they　found　the
truly　unfortunate　and　undepraved　in　prison　they　drew　them　forth；　compounded
with　their　creditors；　set　the　prisoners　free；　and　enrolled　them　among　the
emigrants。　Likewise　they　drew　together　those　who；　from　sheer　poverty；
welcomed　this　opportunity。　And　they　began　a　correspondence　with　distressed
Protestants　on　the　Continent。　They　also　devised　and　used　all　manner　of
safeguards　against　imposition　and　the　inclusion　of　any　who　would　be　wholly
burdens；　moral　or　physical。　So　it　happened　that；　though　misfortune　had　laid
on　almost　all　a　heavy　hand；　the　early　colonists　to　Georgia　were　by　no　means
undesirable　flotsam　and　jetsam。　The　plans　for　the　colony；　the　hopes　for　its
well…being；　wear　a　tranquil　and　fair　countenance。

Oglethorpe　himself　would　go　with　the　first　colonists。　His　ship　was　the　Anne
of　two　hundred　tons　burden…the　last　English　colonizing　ship　with　which　this
narrative　has　to　doand　to　her　weathered　sails　there　still　clings　a
fascination。　On　board　the　Anne；　beside　the　crew　and　master；　are　Oglethorpe
himself　and　more　than　a　hundred　and　twenty　Georgia　settlers；　men；　women；
and　children。　The　Anne　shook　forth　her　sails　in　mid…November；　1732；　upon
the　old　West　Indies　sea　road；　and　after　two　months　of　prosperous　faring；
came　to　anchor　in　Charles　Town　harbor。

South　Carolina；　approving　this　Georgia　settlement　which　was　to　open　the
country　southward　and　be　a　wall　against　Spain；　received　the　colonists　with
hospitality。　Oglethorpe　and　the　weary　colonists　rested　from　long　travel；
then　hoisted　sail　again　and　proceeded　on　their　way　to　Port　Royal；　and
southward　yet　to　the　mouth　of　the　Savannah。　Here　there　was　further　tarrying
while　Oglethorpe　and　picked　men　went　in　a　small　boat　up　the　river　to　choose
the　site　where　they　should　build　their　town。

Here；　upon　the　lower　reaches；　there　lay　a　fair　plateau；　a　mile　long；　rising
forty　feet　above　the　stream。　Near　by　stood　a　village　of　well…inclined
Indiansthe　Yamacraws。　Ships　might　float　upon　the　river；　close　beneath　the
tree…crowned　bluff。　It　was　springtime　now　and　beautiful　in　the　southern
landthe　sky　azure；　the　air　delicate；　the　earth　garbed　in　flowers。　Little
wonder　then　that　Oglethorpe　chose　Yamacraw　Bluff　for　his　town。

A　trader　from　Carolina　was　found　here；　and　the　trader's　wife；　a　half…breed；
Mary　Musgrove　by　name；　did　the　English　good　service。　She　made　her　Indian
kindred　friends　with　the　newcomers。　From　the　first　Oglethorpe　dealt　wisely
with　the　red　men。　In　return　for　many　coveted　goods；　he　procured　within　the
year　a　formal　cession　of　the　land　between　the　two　rivers　and　the　islands
off　the　coast。　He　swore　friendship　and　promised　to　treat　the　Indians
justly；　and　he　kept　his　oath。　The　site　chosen；　he　now　returned　to　the　Anne
and　presently　brought　his　colonists　up　the　river　to　that　fair　place。　As
soon　as　they　landed；　these　first　Georgians　began　immediately　to　build　a
town　which　they　named　Savannah。

Ere　long　other　emigrants　arrived。　In　1734　came　seventy…eight　German
Protestants　from　Salzburg；　with　Baron　von　Reck　and　two　pastors　for　leaders。
The　next　year　saw　fifty…seven　others　added　to　these。　Then　came　Moravians
with　their　pastor。　All　these　strong；　industrious；　religious　folk　made
settlements　upon　the　river　above　Savannah。　Italians　came；　Piedmontese　sent
by　the　trustees　to　teach　the　coveted　silk…culture。　Oglethorpe；　when　he
sailed　to　England　in　1734；　took　with　him　Tomochi…chi；　chief　of　the
Yamacraws；　and　other　Indians。　English　interest　in　Georgia　increased。
Parliament　gave　more　money26；000　pounds。　Oglethorpe　and　the　trustees
gathered　more　colonists。　The　Spanish　cloud　seemed　to　be　rolling　up　in　the
south；　and　it　was　desirable　to　have　in　Georgia　a　number　of　men　who　were　by
inheritance　used　to　war。　Scotch　Highlanders…there　would　be　the　right　folk！
No　sooner　said　than　gathered。　Something　under　two　hundred；　courageous　and
hardy；　were　enrolled　from　the　Highlands。　The　majority　were　men；　but　there
were　fifty　women　and　children　with　them。　All　went　to　Georgia；　where　they
settled　to　the　south　of　Savannah；　on　the　Altamaha；　near　the　island　of　St。
Simon。　Other　Highlanders　followed。　They　had　a　fort　and　a　town　which　they
named　New　Inverness；　and　the　region　that　they　peopled　they　called　Darien。

Oglethorpe　himself　left　England　late　in　1735；　with　two　ships；　the　Symond
and　the　London　Merchant；　and　several　hundred　colonists　aboard。　Of　these
folk　doubtless　a　number　were　of　the　type　the　whole　enterprise　had　been
planned　to　benefit。　Others　were　Protestants　from　the　Continent。　Yet
othersnotably　Sir　Francis　Bathurst　and　his　familywent　at　their　own
charges。　After　Oglethorpe　himself；　most　remarkable　perhaps　of　those　going
to　Georgia　were　the　brothers　John　and　Charles　Wesley。　Not　precisely
colonists　are　the　Wesleys；　but　prospectors　for　the　souls　of　the　colonists；
and　the　souls　of　the　IndiansYamacraws；　Uchees；　and　Creeks。

They　all　landed　at　Savannah；　and　now　planned　to　make　a　settlement　south　of
their　capital　city；　by　the　mouth　of　Altamaha。　Oglethorpe　chose　St。　Simon's
Island；　and　here　they　built；　and　called　their　town　Frederica。

〃Each　Freeholder　had　60　Feet　in　Front　by　90　Feet　in　depth　upon　the　high
Street　for　House　and　Garden；　but　those　which　fronted　the　River　had　but　30
in　Front；　by　60　Feet　in　depth。　Each　Family　had　a　Bower　of　Palmetto　Leaves
finished　upon　the　back　Street　in　their　own　Lands。　The　side　toward　the　front
Street　was　set　out　for　their　Houses。　These　Palmetto　Bowers　were　very
convenient　shelters；　being　tight　in　the　hardest　Rains；　they　were　about　20
Feet　long　and　14　Feet　wide；　and　in　regular　Rows　looked　very　pretty；　the
Palmetto　Leaves　lying　smooth　and　handsome；　and　of　a　good　Colour。　The　whole
appeared　something　like　a　Camp；　for　the　Bowers　looked　like　Tents；　only
being　larger　and　covered　with　Palm