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CHAPTER XV
THE SPANIARDS PROVE TREACHEROUS NEIGHBORS—GEORGIA IN CONSTANT
DREAD OP A SPANISH INVASION—THE OLD BOUNDARY LINE DISPUTE
BETWEEN ENGLAND AND SPAIN REMAINS UNADJUSTED—To PREPARE
FOR A CLASH OGLETHORPE RETURNS TO ENGLAND FOR RE-ENFORCE
MENTS—BARELY ESCAPES SHIPWRECK IN THE BRITISH CHANNEL—
EFFORTS MADE BY SPAIN TO SECURE OGLETHORPE'S REMOVAL, BUT. THE
FOUNDER OF THE COLONY Is Too SECURELY ENTRENCHED—WARMLY
RECEIVED IN ENGLAND—Is EMPOWERED TO RAISE A REGIMENT—How
IT WAS ORGANIZED—TROOPS ORDERED FROM GIBRALTAR TO GEORGIA—
WHITEFIELD ACCOMPANIES THE SOLDIERS—OGLETHORPE SETS SAIL •
FOR GEORGIA WITH His REGIMENT, IN FivE TRANSPORTS—SAFELY
LANDS AT FREDERICA—MUTINY AMONG THE TROOPS CAUSED BY A SOL
DIER IN THE PAY OF SPAIN—QUELLED BY OGLETHORPE—CAUSTON'S
DEFALCATIONS—OGLETHORPE HASTENS TO SAVANNAH WHERE CAUS-
TON AT THE HEAD OF THE BAILIFFS Is ONE OF THE FlRST TO GREET
HIM ; BUT THE BLOW SOON FALLS—CAUSTON GOES TO ENGLAND TO
EXPLAIN MATTERS—ON THE RETURN VOYAGE HE DIES AT SEA.
NOTE: OGLETHORPE'S REGIMENT
But the Spaniards were treacherous neighbors. There was no pros
pect of a settled peace so long as the old boundary line dispute between
Spain and England remained unadjusted. It will be remembered that
the former claimed all of South Carolina as a part of Florida, while
England, on the other hand, insisted that her sovereignty in North
America extended as far south as the St. John's River. The whole of
Georgia's territory, therefore, was a bone of contention, lying entirely
within this disputed belt. Moreover, since Georgia was organized as a
buffer colony to protect the endangered frontier of South Carolina, the
very existence of such a colony was a standing menace and a source of
irritation to Spain. Realizing that sooner or later the long contem
plated invasion was bound to come, Oglethorpe had lost no time with the
means at his command in fortifying the southern boundaries of the
province. The mission of Mr. Dempsey had not been without its help
ful and wholesome results. But Oglethorpe well knew the Spanish
temper. He had witnessed its exhibition too often. If there was to be a
lull in the vexatious outbreaks along the border—if a truce was to be
observed between Georgia and Florida—he well reasoned that its oppor
tunities would be improved by Spain for quietly perfecting her plans.
To thwart these designs by counter preparations was, therefore, the
part of sound wisdom.
Accordingly, having put the colony in a fair condition to withstand an
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