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96 GEOBGLA AND GBOEGIANS
the seas, Herr Von Eeck, in company with Oglethorpe, set out on horse
back to select a place of settlement for the emigrants. It was finally
reached on the morning of March 17, 1734. The site chosen for the
purpose was four miles to the south of the present town of Springfield,
in a region which was wholly destitute of fertility and without the least
claim to attractiveness. But to judge from the description of Herr
Von Eeck it was veritably a bit of Eden. On the banks of a creek
which was found after meandering several miles eastward to empty
into the Savannah Eiver, he marked off the future town, which he called
Ebenezer, in devout recognition of the Lord 's help; and he likewise be
stowed the name upon the adjacent stream. As soon as the reconnoiter-
ing party returned to Savannah, eight able-bodied Salzburgers were dis
patched to Ebenezer to fell trees and to erect shelters for the colonists.
Early in April the rest followed. Substantial cabins were built, bridges
were thrown across the water-courses, and a roadway constructed to
Abercorn. The people of Savannah gave the settlers a number of cows
and a lot of seed with which to begin industrial .activities. Altogether
the outlook was most promising, and with none to molest them or to
make them afraid the once persecuted Salzburgers began anew the strug
gle of life in the free wilderness of Georgia.
On February 5, 1736, there was another arrival of Germans at Savan
nah ; and, though a few of them under Captain Hermsdorf were dis
patched to Frederica, for the purpose of strengthening the military post
on St. Simon's Island, the majority of them preferred to settle ,at
Ebenezer, a wish in which they were indulged by Oglethorpe. With this
addition the population of the new town was little short of two 'hun
dred souls. But the community was not prosperous. The climate proved
to be malarial. The water disagreed with them. The soil refused to
reward even the most diligent efforts to cultivate it; sickness prevailed
among the colonists; .and, to lengthen the catalogue of complaints, it was
found that the distance from the settlement to the Savannah Eiver,
though only six miles over land, was twenty-five miles by water. The
matter was finally laid before Oglethorpe who, realizing the difficulties
under which the Salzburgers labored at Ebenezer, gave them permis
sion to move elsewhere. Accordingly they selected a high ridge, near
the Savannah Eiver, at a place called Eed Bluff, because of the peculiar
color of the soil; and, setting themselves to work, the change of abode
w.as speedily effected.
Less than two years were consumed in transferring the household
goods of the Salzburgers to the new site. It was called New Ebenezer,
to distinguish it from the former place of abode, which in turn became
Old Ebenezer. "Whatever could be moved with the means at hand was
conveyed to the new town. Even the cabins were taken down and carted
through the woods, log by log. It was slow and tedious work, but the
Salzburgers were marvclously patient. By the summer of 1738 the old
town had degenerated into a cow pen, where one Joseph Barker resided,
in charge of some cattle belonging to the trustees. William Stephens,
who visited the locality about the same time, found it an abandoned
settlement; and it need hardly be added that riot a vestige of the old
town today survives.
The choice of the new place of abode was wisely made. It was only