felt that his first duty was to
the negroes. In September, Oglethorpe was in Savannah, and after much
difficulty Boehler obtained speech with him, and succeeded in convincing
him that a negro school at Purisburg was hopeless. He approved of
Boehler's plan to itinerate among the plantations and promised that
both his own and Schulius' salaries should be paid him, that he might
be supplied for traveling expenses. In November, when his health was
restored, Boehler wished to make his first journey, but the storekeeper
declined to pay him any money until the expiration of the quarter year.
When he went again at the appointed time the storekeeper refused to pay
anything without a new order from Oglethorpe, except the remainder of
the first year's salary, now long overdue. Boehler concluded that the
man had received private instructions from Oglethorpe, and that
his services were no longer desired by the representative of "the
associates", so in January, 1740, he gave up further thought of
obligation to them, and prepared to go on his own account. He planned
to go by boat to Purisburg and from there on foot through Carolina
to Charlestown, but on the way up the Savannah River the canoe was
overtaken by a severe thunderstorm, and forced to land. Knowing that a
sloop would sail in two days he returned to Savannah, meaning to go to
Charlestown on her, but on trying the lot he received direction to wait
for the present in Savannah.

While Boehler was making his attempt among the negroes, some changes
were taking place in the Savannah Congregation. He had been very much
distressed by the condition he found when he arrived, for owing partly
to their many difficulties and partly to Seifert's absence among the
Indians, no Communion had been celebrated for a year, and the "bands"
had been dropped. The Bible and prayer gatherings were steadily
observed, but it seemed to him there was a lack of harmony among the
members, and they were by no means ready to take him at once into their
confidence. Seifert, too, was not well, and had been obliged to leave
the Indians, and return to Savannah.

The Indian work was most discouraging, for the men were careless and
drunken, and in January, 1739, even Rose gave up, and moved back to
Savannah with his family. In October, Tomochichi died, and was buried
with great pomp in Percival Square in Savannah. The Moravians were asked
to furnish music at the funeral, but declined, and it was hardly missed