It seems a great pity that the Moravians were unable to establish themselves
on this tract, where their industry would soon have made an oasis
in the wilderness, but one thing after the other interfered,
and the "second company" which arrived early in the following year,
found them still at Savannah.
In Savannah matters moved toward a fair degree of prosperity
for the Moravians. About four acres of Spangenberg's garden
were cleared in time for the first summer's crop of corn,
which yielded them sixty bushels. They also raised some beans,
which came to maturity at a time when provisions and funds were very low,
so helping them greatly.
The two farm lots were laid out during the summer, Spangenberg assisting with
the survey. By the close of the year twenty-six acres had been cleared, --
on the uplands this meant the felling of trees, and gradual removal of stumps
as time permitted, but on the rice lands it meant far more. The great reeds,
ten to twelve feet high, grew so thick that a man could scarcely set foot
between them, and in cutting them down it was necessary to go "knee-deep"
below the surface of the ground, and then the roots were so intertwined
that it was difficult to pull them out.
Pages:
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99