zburgers and depreciation of their efforts,
arose from this suspicious trait. He aimed to render himself solely
necessary, and aspersed everything which seemed to militate with his
fancied superiority. This appears not only from letters of Governors
Reynold and Ellis, but from his own correspondence, where this caution
and fear of rivalry is plainly discernible. His course gave offence
to the Ebenezer people, who had already erected a filature in their
village; who had been at great sacrifice to send their wives and
daughters to learn the art of reeling in Savannah, and who had hoped
to carry on the manufacture under their own supervision and for their
own benefit. Mr. Ottolenghe, however, overruled their views and
required all cocoons to be delivered at Savannah and to be reeled
there. Each basin at the filature had two apprentices, besides
others who were employed in sorting the balls, &c., and the various
operations connected with the trade, employed nearly forty persons.

In 1757, over five thousand pounds of cocoons were received at
Savannah, and three hundred and sixty pounds of raw silk spun, which,
says Governor Ellis, would have been more, if the eggs had not failed;
and in a letter, dated 11th of March, 1757, he says "the raising of
silk seems to be no longer a matter of curiosity, it employs many poor
people, and is approaching towards a staple."

Seven thousand and forty pounds of cocoons were deposited in the
filature in 1758, but while the friends of this business were
rejoicing in the assured success of their experiment they were
saddened by the destruction of the filature, which took fire on the
4th of July, and was totally consumed. The wound silk, which had not
yet been shipped, amounting to three hundred and fifty pounds, was
saved, but several thousand weight of silk balls, together with much
of the reeling apparatus, were destroyed. Another and more capacious
building was immediately erected and was ready for use the ensuing
season.

In 1759, ten thousand one hundred and thirty-six pounds of cocoons
were raised in Georgia, four thousand pounds of which were from
Ebenezer, and the proceeds of their culture alone, for the season,
reached 700_l_. sterling. The opinion of those engaged in the culture,
as expressed to Dr. Jared Elliot, was, "that it was more profitable
than any other ordinary business."

The cocoons delivered at the filature in 1760, weighed seven thousand
nine hundred and eighty-th