The Moravians in Georgia [37]
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Wesley. Dec. 10th, Wednesday.
We sailed from Cowes, and in the afternoon passed the Needles. From this day to the fourteenth being in the Bay of Biscay, the sea was very rough. Mr. Delamotte and others were more sick than ever; Mr. Ingham a little; I not at all. But the fourteenth being a calm day, most of the sick were cured at once.
====== 22 Dec. 1735.
Nitschmann. Dec. 22nd.
The wind was east, and we sailed nine miles an hour, but were all very sea-sick.
====== 23 Dec. 1735.
Wesley. Dec. 12th.
(In the forenoon we left the man-of-war, he not being able to sail as fast as our ships. -- Ingham's Journal.)
====== 25 Dec. 1735.
Nitschmann. Dec. 25th.
As this was Christmas Day we read Matt. 8 in our prayer service. The wind had died down, everyone felt much better, and it was a beautiful day.
====== 27 Dec. 1735.
Nitschmann. Dec. 27th.
At midnight there was a great storm, and the waves broke over the ship; the middle hatch was open, and the water poured in, running into our cabin, so that we had to take everything out of them until we could dry them.
====== 30 Dec. 1735.
Nitschmann. Dec. 30th.
The weather was again pleasant.
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Wesley. Dec. 19th.
(Messrs. Wesley and I, with Mr. Oglethorpe's approbation, undertook to visit, each of us, a part of the ship, and daily to provide the sick people with water-gruel, and such other things as were necessary for them. -- Ingham's Journal.)
====== 1 Jan. 1736.
Nitschmann. Jan. 1, 1736.
It was New Year's Day, and Mr. Oglethorpe's birthday.
(Br. Nitschmann asked us to select a number of verses, wrote them out and presented them as a birthday greeting to Mr. Oglethorpe. It was a beautiful day, warm and calm. -- Dober's Diary.)
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Wesley. Dec. 21st, Sunday.
We had fifteen communicants, which was our usual number on Sundays.
(This being Mr. Oglethorpe's birthday, he gave a sheep and wine to the people, which, with the smoothness of the sea, and the serenity of the sky, so enlivened them that they perfectly recovered from their sea-sickness.
On Christmas Day, also, Mr. Oglethorpe gave a hog and wine to the people. -- Ingham's Journal.)
====== 5 Jan. 1736.
Nitschmann. Jan. 5th.
(To-day, according to the old style, Christmas was celebrated on our ship. Br. Nitschmann spoke on the words, "Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given." -- Dober's Diary.)
====== 9 Jan. 1736.
Wesley. Dec. 29th.
(We are now past the latitude of twenty-five degrees, and are got into what they call the Trade winds, which blow much the same way all the year round. The air is balmy, soft, and sweet. The ship glides smoothly and quietly along. The nights are mild and pleasant, being beautifully adorned with the shining hosts of stars, "Forever singing as they shine, The Hand that made us is divine." -- Ingham's Journal.)
====== 10 Jan. 1736.
Nitschmann. Jan. 10th.
(We have been running for several days with the Trade winds. Here the day is two hours longer than it is in Germany at this season. The sailors wished to adhere to their custom of initiating those who crossed the Tropic of Cancer for the first time, but Gen. Oglethorpe forbade it. The weak, the children, and the sick, are well cared for, so that the nine months' old child receives an egg and some goat's milk every day. -- Dober's Diary.)
====== 12 Jan. 1736.
Nitschmann. Jan. 12th.
To-day, according to the old style, we celebrated the New Year.
====== 20 Jan. 1736.
Nitschmann. Jan. 20th.
An English clergyman asked us how often we celebrated the Lord's Supper, saying that he thought it a sacrifice which consecrated and improved the life. We told him our view; he said he would like to visit Herrnhut.
(We re-crossed the Tropic of Cancer. -- Dober's Diary.)
====== 21 Jan. 1736.
Nitschmann. Jan. 21st.
(We are still in the Trade wind, and sail swiftly and steadily.)
We cannot thank God enough that we are all well, only Mrs. Demuth is always sea-sick when the wind rises.
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