rs, as a rule, thought
the missionaries were attempting an almost hopeless task in trying to
lift these negroes above the brute creation, but were quite willing
to give permission and an opportunity to reach them, and on this tour
Boehler found only one land-owner who refused his consent.

Purisburg had been named as the location of the negro school, but
Boehler found there were very few negroes in the town, which had been
largely settled by Swiss, who had not prospered greatly and had bought
few slaves. The nearest plantation employing negroes was five miles
distant, and only seven lived there, so the outlook was far from
encouraging at that point.

Boehler and Schulius then made their way from one plantation to another,
until they reached Charlestown. The Rev. Mr. Garden, to whom they had
a letter of introduction, advised that the school should be begun
in Charlestown, where there was a large negro population, perhaps
a thousand souls. This was more than could be found on any single
plantation in Carolina, and as the slaves were strictly forbidden to
go from one plantation to another it would hardly be possible to find
another place where so many could be reached at the same time. Boehler
and Schulius were much impressed with the advantages offered, especially
as Mr. Garden promised all the assistance he could give, and they
debated whether Schulius should not stay and begin at once, while
Boehler returned to report to Oglethorpe. The lot was finally tried, and
the direction received that they should carefully study the situation
but wait until later to commence work. Therefore on the 1st of November
the two companions set out for Savannah, which they reached in eight
days.

The following weeks were a sore trial for the missionaries. With a
promising field in sight, and eager to commence work in it, they were
obliged to wait for Oglethorpe's permission, and Oglethorpe was very
busy on the frontier establishing the outposts for which his regiment
had been brought over. When he did return to Savannah, it was only for
a few hours, and he was in no frame of mind for a long argument of pros
and cons. He told Boehler rather testily that they should not go to
Charlestown with his consent; that if they were not willing to follow
the plan for Purisburg he would have nothing more to do with them; and
that if they wanted to talk further they must wait till he came again.

Boehler and Schulius wished themselves free to procee