As the alarm concerning an immediate invasion by the Spanish had died away,
the inhabitants of Savannah had regained their composure,
and the wild outcry against the Moravians gradually ceased.
The wagon and oxen which had been taken for work on the fort
had been returned to their owners, after seven or eight weeks of hard usage,
and the hope that starvation would shake the resolution of the non-combatants
had signally failed of fulfillment. The ship which was
to bring the town supplies had been twelve weeks late in coming,
and the stock in the store-house was almost exhausted.
The authorities therefore had announced that provisions would be sold
only to those who were helping build the fort. This entirely excluded
the Moravians, but instead of suffering from hunger they had been able
to share with some of their neighbors. The prices charged at the store
in Savannah were always high, so, as he was passing through New York
on his return from St. Thomas, Spangenberg had asked a friend
to send the Moravians two thousand pounds of flour and salt-meat,
for which they were to pay. The merchant at that time knew of no ship
sailing for Savannah, so in Philadelphia, Spangenberg had arranged
that two thousand pounds of meat should be sent from there at once
on a year's credit.
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