Charleston, South Carolina, was reached about the middle of January, and, after some exploration, Oglethorpe selected as the site of the first settlement a bluff on the rich delta lands of the Savannah.  Thither the emigrants proceeded, and at once began to build the town, which was named Savannah after the river flowing at its feet.  Oglethorpe himself was indefatigable.  He concluded a treaty with the Indians, provided for the defense of the colony against the Spaniards, who held Florida, and, most important of all, welcomed a colony of Jews, who had come from London at their own expense, and who soon became as valuable as any of Savannah’s citizens.  Probably never before in history had a Christian community welcomed a party of this unfortunate race, which had been despised and persecuted from one end of Europe to the other, which could call no country home, nor invoke the protection of any government.

A year later, another strange band of pilgrims was welcomed—­Protestants driven out of the Tyrolese valleys of Austria.  A ship had been sent for them, and Oglethorpe gave them permission to select a home in any part of the province, and sent his carpenters to assist them in building their houses.  Georgia owes much of her greatness to these sturdy people, whose love of independence was to find another vent in the Revolution.

As soon as these new arrivals were comfortably settled and provided for, Oglethorpe proceeded to London, where he secured the passage of laws prohibiting slavery and the importation of liquor into the colony, and not until his connection with it ended were slaves brought in.  When he returned to Georgia, it was with two vessels, and over three hundred colonists—­Scotchmen, Salzburgers and Moravians, the sturdiest people of the Old World.  Oglethorpe welcomed them all, and it was this mixture of races which served to give Georgia her curious cosmopolitan population.  Another important arrival was Charles Wesley, who came out as a missionary, and who acted for a time as the Governor’s secretary.  He was succeeded by the famous George Whitfield, who labored there until his death in 1770.

Oglethorpe’s public career ended in 1754, when, having returned to England, he failed of election to parliament.  His remaining years were spent in retirement.  That he was an extraordinary man cannot be gainsaid, and the plan, so far in advance of his age, which he conceived and carried through to success, forms one of the most interesting experiments in colonization ever attempted anywhere.

* * * * *

This, then, is the story in briefest outline of the men who discovered America and who fought for a foothold on her borders.  Most of them, it will be noted, undertook the struggle not for commercial ends nor from the love of adventure, but in order to establish for themselves a home where they would be free in matters of the spirit.  The traces of that purpose may be found on almost every page of American history and do much to render it the inspiring thing it is.  We shall see how many of the great men who loom large in these pages traced their descent from those hardy pioneers for whom no sacrifice seemed too great provided it secured for them