so late as in the year 1715, had been laid almost waste with fire and sword, and by the security which South Carolina received by such a frontier as Georgia is to it, very large tracts of land have been cultivated in the southern part of that province, which no person would venture to settle on before, and a great quantity of rice raised thereon.

As the people in Georgia sent on the charity were supported to enable them to raise their own provisions in the first place on the lands they should clear, and to convert the timber they should cut down in clearing those lands into lumber, which they might to their great advantage transport to the sugar colonies, and further to raise silk, wine and oil, for which the climate was very proper, it was hoped from thence they would gain a comfortable subsistence, and be of service to their mother country in raising such produces, which at present are purchased from foreigners with ready

money.

Having thus stated the plan laid down for the trustees by his Majesty's charter, the several steps taken by them for the execution of that plan, with their yearly progress therein, the several obstructions from unforeseen accidents which have checked that progress, with the present condition of the colony, according to the latest and most authentic accounts. from thence, they submit the whole to the wisdom of this honorable House, being entirely disposed to follow any directions that shall flow from thence. And as they have no other view but the service of their country, by making this colony as useful to the interest of Great Britain, as by its situation and climate it is capable of being, they heartily wish the trust in abler hands, that those important services might not be defeated through their inability.

By order of the trustees,

BENJAMIN MARTYN, Secretary.

APPENDIX.

No. I.

To the Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia.

GENTLEMEN-In writing this answer to a letter I had the honor to receive from you, dated the 29th instant, wherein you desire to know my sentiments of an undertaking to raise raw silk in your new settlement in Georgia; of the probability of succeeding therein; the proper steps to be taken to bring that work to perfection, and my opinion of the nature, quality and use of the raw silk produced in Carolina: It is a great pleasure to me, that from experiments which I made some years ago, I can now, besides my opinion, give you some information concerning that silk which may be depended on.

The value and usefulness of the undertaking will appear as soon as we consider that all the silk consumed in this kingdom is now of foreign growth and manufacture, which costs the nation very great sums of money yearly to purchase; and that the raising our supply thereof in his majesty's dominions in America would save us all that money, afford employment to many thousands of his majesty's subjects, and greatly increase the trade and navigation of Great Britain.

It appears to me as beneficial to the kingdom, attended with as little hazard or difficulty, as much wanted, and which may as soon be brought to perfection in a proper climate as any undertaking so considerable in itself, that I ever heard of. I therefore think that there is a very great proba

bility of its succeeding, if such proper methods are pursued, and such assistance afforded to the poor people at their first setting out, as are necessary to settle, instruct and encourage them.

The silk produced in Carolina has as much natural strength and beauty as the silk of Italy (which is commonly called fine silk,) and by the several experiments I have tried with it, I am satisfied that it might be made to answer the same purposes that Italian silk now does, if it be reeled in short skeins, a fine clean and even thread. To effect which, if some experienced persons are at first sent to teach the people, the work will soon be made easy to the meanest capacity, and the value of the silk will be thereby greatly increased.

As for my own part, if at any time you should think I can be of use to promote so good a work, I shall be ready to execute your commands as far as I am able; and always remain,

Gentlemen,

Your most obedient humble servant,

Old Jaory, Jan. 31, 1732.

THO. LOMBE.

No. II.

Extract of a letter from South Carolina Gazette, dated at Charleston, 22d March, 1732.

On Tuesday, the 13th instant, I went on board a canoe in company with Mr. Geo. Ducat aad Mr. John Balantine, with four negroes, and about 10 o'clock we set out from Mr. Lloyd's bridge for Georgia, and passing by Port Royal on Wednesday night, we arrived on Friday morning an hour before day at Yamacraw, a place so called by the Indians, but now Savannah, in the colony of Georgia. Sometime before we came to the landing the sentinel challenged us, and understanding who we were, admitted us on shore. This is a very high bluff, forty feet perpendicular from high water mark. It lies, according to Capt. Gascoigne's Observation, in the latitude of 31d. 58m. which he took off Tybee, an island that lies at the mouth of the Savannah river. It

is distant from Charleston S.W. according to course and windings of the rivers and creeks about 140 miles, but by a direct course 77, allowing Suillivant's Island to be in the latitude of 32d. 47m. from Augustine N.E. and by E. about 140 miles, and by the course of the rivers is distant from Fort Moore 300 miles, but upon a direct line but 115 miles N.W. and by W. This bluff is distant 10 miles from the mouth of the rivers on the south side, and Purrysburg is 24 miles above it on the north, and is so situated that you have a beautiful prospect both up and down the river. It is very sandy and barren, and consequently a wholesome place for a town or city. There are on it 130 odd souls, and from the time they embarked from London to the time I left the place, there died but two sucking children, and them at sea. When they arrived, there was standing on it a great quantity of the best sort of pine, most of which is already cut down on the spot where the town is laid out to be built. The land is barren about a mile back, when you come into very rich ground; and on both sides, within a quarter of a mile of the town, is choice good planting land. Col. Bull told me that he had been seven miles back and found it extraordinary good.

Mr. Oglethorpe is indefatigable, takes a great deal of pains, his fare is but indifferent, having little else at present but salt provisions. He is extremely well beloved by all his people; the general title they give him is father. If any of them is sick he immediately visits them and takes a great deal of care of them. If any difference arises he is the person that decides it. Two happened while I was there and in my presence, and all the parties went away to outward appearance satisfied and contented with his determination. He keeps a strict discipline; I never saw one of his people drunk nor heard one of them swear, all the time I was there; he does not allow them rum, but in lieu gives them English beer; it is surprising to see how cheerful the men go to work considering they have not been bred to it. There are no idlers there even the boys and girls do their parts. There are four houses already up but none finished, and he hopes when he has got more sawyers, which I suppose he will have in a short time, to finish two houses a week. He has ploughed up some land, part of which he has sowed with wheat, which is come up and looks promising. He has two

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40

trees.

or three gardens which he has sowed with divers sorts of seeds, and planted thyme and other sort of pot-herbs, sage, leeks, skellions, celery, liquorice, &c. and several sorts of He was pallisading the town round, including some part of the common, which I do suppose may be finished in about a fortnight's time. In short, he has done a vast deal of work for the time, and I think his name justly deserves to be immortalized.

Mr. Oglethorpe has with him Sir Walter Raleigh's written journal, and by the latitude of the place, the marks and traditions of the Indians, it is the very first place where he first went on shore, and talked with the Indians, and was the first Englishman they ever saw; and about half a mile from Savannah is a high mount of earth, under which lies their chief king and the Indians informed Mr. Oglethorpe that their king desired before he died, that he might be buried on the spot where he talked with that great, good man.

The river water is very good, and Mr. Oglethorpe has proved it several ways, and thinks it as good as the river of Thames. On Monday, the 19th, we took our leave of Mr. Oglethorpe at nine o'clock in the morning, and embarked for Charleston; and when we set off he was pleased to honor us with a volley of small arms and the discharge of five cannon and coming down the rivers we found the water perfectly fresh six miles below the town, and saw six or seven large sturgeon leap, with which fish that river abounds, as also with trout, perch, cat and rock fish, &c., and in the winter season there is variety of wild fowl, especially turkeys, some of them weighing thirty pounds, and abundance of deer.

No. 3.

To such persons who can carry ten men servants, and settle with them in Georgia, at their own expense, and whose characters the trustees, upon inquiry, shall approve of, will be granted five hundred acres of land in tail male, and descend to the heirs male of their bodies for ever, under the yearly rents of twenty shillings sterling money for every hundred acres, for the support of the colony, the payment of which is not to commence until ten years after the grant.