第15章 The First Year in Georgia(2)

There is a beauty of rhythm in the original which the English cannot reproduce, as though the writer had caught the cadence of the waves, on some bright day when the ship "went softly" after a season of heavy storm.

"Gute Liebe, deine Triebe Zuenden unsre Triebe an, Dir zu leben, dir zu geben, Was ein Mensch dir geben kann;Denn dein Leben, ist, zu geben Fried' und Segen aus der Hoeh.

Und das Kraenken zu versenken In die ungeheure See.

"Herr wir waren von den Schaaren Deiner Schaeflein abgetrennt;Und wir liefen zu den Tiefen, Da das Schwefelfeuer brennt, Und dein Herze brach vor Schmerze, Ueber unsern Jammerstand;O wie liefst du! O wie riefst du!

Bist du uns zu dir gewandt.

"Als die Klarheit deiner Wahrheit Unsern ganzen Geist durchgoss, Und von deinen Liebesscheinen Unser ganzes Herz zerfloss, O wie regte und bewegte Dieses deine Liebesbrust, Uns zu hegen und zu pflegen, Bis zur suessen Himmelslust.

"Dein Erbarmen wird uns Armen, Alle Tage wieder neu, Mit was suessen Liebeskuessen Zeigst du deine Muttertreu.

O wie heilig und wie treulich Leitest du dein Eigentum;O der Gnaden dass wir Maden Werden deine Kron' und Ruhm.

"Wir empfehlen unsre Seelen Deinem Aug' und Herz und Hand, Denn wir werden nur auf Erden Wallen nach dem Vaterland.

O gieb Gnade auf dem Pfade, Der zum Reich durch Leiden fuehrt, Ohn' Verweilen fortzueilen Bis uns deine Krone ziert.

"Unser Wille bleibe stille Wenn es noch so widrig geht;Lass nur brausen, wueten, sausen, Was von Nord und Osten weht.

Lass nur stuermen, lass sich tuermen Alle Fluthen aus dem See, Du erblickest und erquickest Deine Kinder aus der Hoeh'."(Love Divine, may Thy sweet power Lead us all for Thee to live, And with willing hearts to give Thee What to Thee a man can give;For from heaven Thou dost give us Peace and blessing, full and free, And our miseries dost bury In the vast, unfathomed sea.

Lord, our wayward steps had led us Far from Thy safe-guarded fold, As we hastened toward the darkness Where the sulphurous vapors rolled;And Thy kind heart throbbed with pity, Our distress and woe to see, Thou didst hasten, Thou didst call us, Till we turned our steps to Thee.

As Thy Truth's convincing clearness Filled our spirits from above, And our stubborn hearts were melted By the fervor of Thy love, O Thy loving heart was moved Us Thy righteous laws to teach, Us to guide, protect and cherish Till Thy heaven we should reach.

Without merit we, yet mercy Each returning day doth bless With the tokens of Thy goodness, Pledges of Thy faithfulness.

O how surely and securely Dost Thou lead and guard Thine own;O what wonderous grace that mortals May add lustre to Thy throne.

In our souls we feel the presence Of Thine eye and heart and hand, As we here on earth as pilgrims Journey toward the Fatherland.

O give grace, that on the pathway, Which through trial leads to heaven, Without faltering we may hasten Till to each Thy crown is given.

Though our path be set with danger Nothing shall our spirits shake, Winds may rage and roar and whistle, Storms from North and East may break, Waves may roll and leap and thunder On a dark and threatening sea, Thou dost ever watch Thy children, And their strength and peace wilt be.)Before the vessel sailed the Trustees had followed up their request to Spangenberg by requiring the forty Swiss emigrants to promise submission to his authority, and consequently numerous efforts were made to be of service to them.It was disappointing work, in a way, for attempts to give them religious instruction were met with utter indifference, but their material needs were many.There was a great deal of sickness among them, and four died, being buried hastily, and without ceremony.

The Moravians themselves were not exempt, several being dangerously ill at times, even Spangenberg was prostrated, from having, he supposed, stayed too long on deck in the night air, tempted thereto by the beauty of a calm night in a southern latitude.But having work to do among the Swiss on the following day, he roused himself, and soon became better.

Two of the Moravians were appointed nurses for the sick Swiss, and by the use of the medicine provided by the Trustees, supplemented by unwearying personal attention, they were made as comfortable as possible.

Nor were the crew forgotten.From the day when the Moravians helped lift the anchor as they sailed from the coast of Dover, they busied themselves in the work of the ship, always obliging, always helpful, until the sailors came to trust them absolutely, "even with the keys to their lockers." When the cook was suddenly taken sick they nursed him carefully, and then appointed two of their number to carry wood and water for him until his strength returned, and it is no wonder that such accommodating passengers were well regarded.

Captain Thomson was disposed to favor them, but when they realized that they were receiving a larger share of food and drink than went to the Swiss, they courteously declined, fearing it would breed jealousy.

His kindly feeling, however, continued, and when Toeltschig was ill he brought a freshly killed fowl from which to make nourishing broth, and on another occasion, after a severe attack of sea-sickness, they all derived much benefit from some strong beer which he urged upon them.

There were a few cabin passengers on the ship, and on one occasion Spangenberg was invited to dine with them, but their light jesting was distasteful to him, and the acquaintance was not pursued.

Making a Start.

The vessel entered the Savannah River, April 6th, and the Captain, taking Spangenberg and Toeltschig into his small boat, went ahead to the town of Savannah, the capital of Georgia, now the home of about six hundred people.Spangenberg had a letter of introduction to Mr.Causton, who received him and his companion in a friendly fashion, entertained them at supper, and kept them over night.