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Georgia for about fourteen years last past; and saith, that the climate of Georgia is very healthy, by reason of the great number of rivers and streams of running waters within that province, and by reason of the fresh breezes from the sea, which blow in the middle of the hottest days. And further saith, that the soil of Georgia consists of four different sorts of land, the one of which is called pine-barren, (a sandy earth, which bears pine-trees,) another oak and hickory, or mixt land (being of a strong nature fit for grain,) the 3d, swamps, whereon grow very large and high trees; and the 4th, savannahs, whereon grow canes and grass, where the cattle feed and that there is a good proportion in the whole province of the said different sorts of the soil. And this deponent saith, that both the black and white mulberry trees grow wild in Georgia, and are more or less in every plantation. That vines grow also wild there; and that about twenty miles up the country from St. Simon's, the trees for masts for shipping grow very tall. And this deponent saith, that the islands in Georgia are full of the prickly pear shrubs, which feed flies; and that taking the flies off though green upon the shrub, and squeezing them, they dye the fingers with a deep red, which even with soap cannot easily be washed off, which this deponent verily believes to be the cochineal fly. And this deponent saith, that in the beginning of the year 1737, on the late alarms of the Spaniards, and before the independent company was incorporated into the regiment, he made an intrenchment, and fortified towards the sea the south-east point of St. Simon's island about ten miles from Frederica, with gabions filled with sandy earth; between which thirteen pieces of ordnance were placed. And this deponent saith, there is an house palisadoed with a battery of cannon at Amelia, by way of look-out, where a scout boat is stationed. And further saith, that in the year 1736, in the west part of Cumberland island, St. Andrew's fort was erected. And that in the same year another fort was built at Frederica, consisting of a strong mud wall, with frizes all round, a square with four regular bastions, and a spur work towards the river, and a dry fossé pallisadoed on the outside, and stockaded in the inside, defended by cannon, and other ordnance. And that in the same year another fort was erected at Darien, consisting of two bastions, and two half bastions, which is so strong, that thirty or forty

men are sufficient to maintain it against three hundred; and that it is also defended by several pieces of ordnance. And when this deponent left Gergia to look after further military preferment, for his long and faithful services, which was in June 1739, the said forts were all in a defensible condition. And this deponent saith, that three companies of General Oglethorpe's regiment are in quarters in a corner of St. Simon's Island, near which the soldiers, by joint labor, (when not on military duty) clear and plant the lands set out for them. And this deponent lastly saith, that the province of Georgia is the barrier and greatest security to Carolina, and the other northern provinces in America, and of the greatest importance to the British nation; and that the produces which may be expected therefrom, will in time become very beneficial to its mother country.

PHILIP DELEGAL, Sen'r. Sworn at the public office, March 11, 1739, before FRAN. ELD.

No. 3.

Extract of a letter from the Saltzburghers, to his excellency General Oglethorpe.

Ebenezer, March 13th, 1739.

We Saltzburghers, and inhabitants of Ebenezer, that have signed this letter, humbly intreat in our, and our brethren's name, your Excellency would be pleased to show us the favor of desiring the honorable Trustees for sending to Georgia another transport of Saltzburghers to be settled at Ebenezer. We have with one accord, wrote a letter to our father in God the reverend Mr. Senior Urlsperger, at Augsburgh, and in that letter expressly named those Saltzburghers and Austrians, whom, as our friends, relations, and countrymen, we wish to see settled here. We can indeed attest of them, that they fear the Lord truly, love working, and will conform themselves to our congregation. We have given them an account of our being settled well, and being mighty well pleased with the climate and condition of this country, having here several preferences in spiritual and temporal circumstances to other people in Germany, which your honor will find in the inclosed copy of our letter to Mr. Senior Urlsperger. If they fare as we do, having been provided in the

beginning with provisions, a little stock for bread, some tools, and good land, by the care of the honorable Trustees; and if God grant a blessing to their work, we doubt not but they will gain with us easily their bread and subsistence, and lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. Though it is here a hotter season than our native country, yet it is not so extremely hot as we were told in the first time of our arrival. But since we have been now used to the country, we find it tolerable, and for working people very convenient, setting themselves to work early in the morning till ten o'clock, and in the afternoon from three to sun-set. And having business at home, we do them in our huts and houses in the middle of the day, till the greatest heat is over. People in Germany are hindered by frost and snow in the winter from doing any work in the fields and vineyards; but we have this preference, to do the most and heaviest work at such a time, preparing the ground sufficiently for planting in the spring. We were told by several people after our arrival, that it proves quite impossible and dangerous for white people to plant and manufacture any rice, being a work only for negroes, not for European people; but having experience of the contrary, we laugh at such a talking, seeing that several people of us have had, in last harvest, a greater crop of rice than they wanted for their own consumption. Of corn, peas, potatoes, pumpkins, cabbage &c., we had such a good quantity, that many bushels were sold, and much was spent in feeding cows, calves, and hogs.

We humbly beseech the Honorable Trustees, not to allow that any negroes might be brought to our place, or in our neighborhood; knowing by experience that houses and gardens will be robbed always by them; and white people are in danger of life from them, besides other great inconveniences.

[Signed by forty-nine men of the Saltzburghers.]

And lower,

We, ministers of the Saltburghers at Ebenezer, join with the Saltburghers in this petition, and verify that every one of them has signed it with the greatest readiness and satisfaction.

JOHN MARTIN BOLZIUS,
ISRAEL CHRISTIAN GRONAU.

No. 5.

Samuel Auspourguer, of the Canton of Berne in Switzerland, citizen, aged forty-two years and upwards, maketh oath, that in the year of our Lord, 1734, this deponent went to Purysburgh in South Carolina; and that in the beginning of the year 1736, this deponent joined the colony of Georgia, and with the leave of the Honorable James Oglethorpe, Esq. laid out a tract of land in the southern part of the said colony, which this deponent has begun to improve for himself, and has two men servants at work thereon, with two children belonging to one of them. That this deponent left Georgia, the 18th day of July, 1739, on his return to Switzerland, to settle his private affairs, and to get some of his own country servants to return with him to Georgia, to go on with the cultivation of his said tract of land, consisting of five hundred acres. That the climate of Georgia is very healthy, there being quantities of running water, and constantly fine breezes from the sea in the middle of the hottest days. That the soil which this deponent knows the true nature of, is pine-barren, (a sandy earth which bears pine trees) and also oak and hickory, or mixt land and swamps. And that there is a good proportion of the said different sorts of soil in Georgia. That the climate and soil is very fit for raising silk, wine and cotton; for that the white mulberry trees thrive exceedingly well, as also the vines, which have been cultivated there, bear exceeding good grapes, which this deponent tasted in July last in great perfection; and being ripe so soon, can be gathered before the rains fall, which generally happen in September, or October. And that the cotton, by this deponent's own experience, who has planted the same there, grows very well in Georgia, a specimen of this cotton this deponent brought over with him, and produced before the Trustees. All which produces this deponent saith can be raised by white persons, without the use of negroes. And this deponent saith, that the day he left Georgia in July last, he received from the hands of Mr. Thomas Jones, the Trustees' store-keeper at Savannah, a parcel of raw silk to be delivered to the Trustees in England, which the said store-keeper said was the produce of Georgia. And this deponent also saith, that he has seen

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the Italian family at Savannah in Georgia, winding off silk from the cocoons, and that they have been there about four or five years. And this deponent further saith, that there are great numbers of prickly pear shrubs in Georgia, and that he hath seen the fly feeding on the leaves, which this deponent verily believes to be the cochineal, he having squeezed the flies and tried them, and found the juice of them a deep red. And this deponent saith, that by industry people may raise a comfortable subsistence; and by encouragement to go on with these useful produces, may obtain thereby the other necessaries of life, and benefit themselves as well as Great Britain, by producing in time quantities thereof for export. And lastly this deponent saith, that in the year 1736, he built the fort at Frederica, to which there is four bastions, a ditch palisadoed, and a covered way defended by fifty pieces of cannon. And that he has also seen the fort at St. Andrews, built the same year by Capt. Hugh Mackay, which is a star work, with a ravelin at the bottom, defended by nine pieces of ordnance. And that when this deponent came from Georgia, he left them in a defensible condition.

SAMUEL AUGSPOURGUER.

Sworn at the public office, February 13, 1739, before W. SPICER.

SIR,-The silk you was so kind to send to have my opinion of, is of as good a quality, in all appearance, as any we have from Italy: it is already as well sorted as it can be ; indeed the finer the more valuable, as it is so well cleaned.' The price of raw silk is variable, but at present being dear, I think the greatest part of it is worth twenty shillings per pound.

I am, sir, your most humble serv't,

King-Street, Cheap Side, Jan. 16, 1739–40.

To Mr. Harman Verelst.

JOHN ZACHARY.

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