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