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CHAPTER XVI
WHILE OGLETHOKPE Is AT FORT ST. ANDREW, AN INSOLENT SOLDIER
FORCES HIMSELF UNANNOUNCED INTO THE FOUNDER'S TENT—DE
MANDS AN INCREASE OF RATIONS—OGLETHORPE'S NARROW ESCAPE
PROM A MURDEROUS ASSAULT—THE WOULD-BE ASSASSIN COURT-MAR
TIALED AND SHOT—FINANCIAL EMBARRASSMENT FOLLOWS CAUSTON'S
IRREGULARITIES—WANING INTEREST IN THE COLONY—GRADUAL
SHRINKAGE IN PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TRUST—FAILURE OP
CROPS—CONDITIONS IN GEORGIA AT THIS TIME DESCRIBED BY OLIVER
GOLDSMITH—THE DISCONTENT CENTERS CHIEFLY AROUND SAVAN
NAH—ON DECEMBER 9, 1738, A PETITION FOR REDRESS Is SENT TO THE
TRUSTEES—THE NEED OF NEGRO SLAVES AND OF FEE SIMPLE TITLES TO
LAND—BUT THE SALZBURGERS AND THE HIGHLANDERS PROTEST
AGAINST AN INTRODUCTION OF SLAVES—DOCTOR TAILFER EXPELLED
FROM THE PROVINCE—His Vicious PAMPHLET—OGLETHORPE Is AD
VISED TO VISIT COWBTA TOWN WHERE THE CREEK INDIANS ARE SOON
TO ASSEMBLE—HE MAKES A HAZARDOUS JOURNEY THROUGH THE
FOREST AND NEGOTIATES A TREATY WHICH BINDS THE INDIANS TO THE
ENGLISH IN THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS AND GIVES AN ANGLO-
SAXON CHARACTER TO THE SUBSEQUENT HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA
—THE DEATH OF TOMO-CHI-CHI.
Having adjusted matters in Savannah, after Causton's dismissal
from office, Ogletliorpe, on October 25, 1738, returned to the southern
frontier, establishing his headquarters temporarily at Fort St. Andrew
on Cumberland Island, where military defenses were in process of con
struction. The garrison at this place was manned by troops brought
over from Gibraltar and these' soldiers, besides receiving full pay, had
for a season been allowed extra provisions from the public store. There
was great dissatisfaction when these rations were discontinued: so much
so that one of the men, forcing himself upon Oglethorpe unannounced,
demanded a renewal of the allowance, in a manner most insolent. Cap
tain Mackay, who was present, instantly drew his sword. But the des
perado seizing it broke the blade in two, threw the hilt at the officer's
head, and rushed to the barracks where he snatched up a loaded gun
and gave an alarm shouting '' one and all.'' It was evidently a precon
certed affair. Followed by some half dozen men he ran back to Ogle
thorpe 's quarters and fired a shot that grazed the general's ear. Another
soldier took deliberate aim but his gun missed fire. Thereupon a third
approached, with his knife drawn in an effort to stab the commander
but Oglethorpe having drawn his sword parried the murderous blow.
At this time an officer appeared who, seeing Oglethorpe's peril, ran the
ruffian through the body, at sight of which the conspirators fled. But
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