[Footnote 1: John Peter Purry, formerly of Neufchatel.]
The chief purpose of his visit to this place was to engage a conveyance for the Honorable Charles Dempsey to St. Augustine. This gentleman had come over with him in the Symond, having been commissioned by the Spanish Minister in London to confer with the Governor of Florida on the subject of the boundary between that country and Georgia, and to effect some provisional treaty with General Oglethorpe.[1] A contract was made with Major Richard to conduct this gentleman in a six-oared boat, being the best to be obtained, to his destination; and to be the bearer of a letter from the General, expressing his wish to remove all misunderstanding and jealousy.
[Footnote 1: In the _Impartial Inquiry_, &c. p.84, is a deposition which thus begins--"CHARLES DEMPSEY, of the Parish of St. Paul, Covent Garden, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, aged fifty-four years and upwards, maketh that in the year one thousand seven hundred and thirty-five, this deponent went with the Honorable James Oglethorpe, Esq. to Georgia, in America, and was sent from thence by the said Oglethorpe to St. Augustine with letters to the Governor there; that this deponent continued going to and from thence until November, one thousand seven hundred and thirty-six," &c.]
On his return to Savannah he sent forward Captain Hugh Mackay, Jr. with a company of rangers, to travel by land to Darien, in order to make observations on the intervening country, to compute the distance, and to judge of the practicability of a passable road; and Tomo Chichi furnished them with Indian guides.
The next day he attended a military review; after which, he addressed the assembled people in an animated speech, in which his congratulations, counsels, and good wishes were most affectionately expressed. And he reminded them that, though it was yet "a day of small things," experience must have strengthened the inducements to industry and economy, by shewing them that, where they had been regarded, the result had been not only competence, but thrift.
He then took leave of them, and went down to the ships at Tybee.
Special destination of the last Emigrants--Oglethorpe makes arrangements for their transportation to the Island of St. Simons--Follows with Charles Wesley--Arrives and lays out a Town to be called Frederica--Visits the Highlanders at Darien--Returns and superintends the building of a Fort--All the people arrive--Barracks for the Soldiers put up, and a Battery erected--Visited by Tomo Chichi, and Indians, who make a cession of the Islands--Reconnoitres the Islands and gives names to them--Commissioners from St. Augustine--Apparently amicable overtures--Oglethorpe goes to Savannah to hold a conference with a Committee from South Carolina respecting trade with the Indians--Insolent demand of the Spaniards--Oglethorpe embarks for England.