st trip to the Highland settlement that he
encamped on Cumberland island, and on the extreme western point, which
commands the passage of boats from the southward, marked out a fort to
be called St. Andrews, and gave Captain Hugh MacKay orders to build it.
The work commenced immediately, thirty Highlanders being employed in the
labor. On March 26th Oglethorpe, visiting the place, was astonished to
find the fort in such an advanced stage of completion; the ditch was
dug, the parapet was raised with wood and earth on the land side, and
the small wood was cleared fifty yards round the fort. This seemed to be
the more extraordinary because MacKay had no engineer, nor any other
assistance in that way, except the directions originally given. Besides
it was very difficult to raise the works, the ground being a loose sand.
They were forced to lay the trees and sand alternately,--the trees
preventing the sand from falling, and the sand the wood from fire. He
returned thanks to the Highlanders and offered to take any of them back
to their settlement, but all refused so long as there was any danger
from the Spaniards, in whose vicinity they were now stationed. But two
of them, having families at Darien, he ordered along with him.

The Highlanders were not wholly engaged in military pursuits, for, to a
great extent, they were engaged in making their settlement permanent.
They engaged in the cultivation of Indian corn and potatoes; learned to
cut and saw timber, and laid out farms upon which they lived. For a
frontier settlement, constantly menaced, all was accomplished that could
be reasonably expected. In the woods they found ripe oranges and game,
such as the wild turkey, buffalo and deer, in abundance. But peace and
prosperity were not their allotted portion, for their lines were now
cast in troubled waters. The first year witnessed an appeal to arms and
a struggle with the Spaniards, which eventually resulted in a disaster
to the Highlanders. Deeds of heroism were now enacted, fully in keeping
with the tenor of the race.

The Spaniards, who had their main force at St. Augustine, were more or
less aggressive, which kept the advanced posts in a state of alarm. John
Mohr Macintosh, who had seen service in Scotland, was directed by
Oglethorpe to instruct the Highlanders in their military duty, and under
his direction they were daily exercised. Hugh MacKay, with a company,
had been directed to the immediate command of Oglethorpe.