October 23 - October 27, 1753 - - Diary of a journey of Moravians

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Oct. 23.

We started at daybreak. We bought a bottle of milk to use at our noon lunch, but the bottle broke and we lost it all. Two miles from camp we bought some meat; had six miles to North River, where we stopped for noon; this creek is half as large as the Lecha, but is impassible at high water, and there is no canoe near. Our meat and dumplings tasted good and refreshed us. This afternoon our way for a while was directly south. At three miles we came to a creek, in two more to a run, and one mile further we came to a spring, we went two miles further and camped for the night by a creek, not far from a plantation. Br. Nathanael held evening prayers, and then we slept in the care of Jesus.

Oct. 24.

The brothers stop at a Virginia farmer’s plantation to buy hay and chaff (hay that’s been cut into very short pieces). Feeding the horses on an 18th-century wagon trip was just as crucial as filling your car with gasoline on a road trip. Image credit. About the photograph

At 2:30 A.M. our broth was ready, and at three we were on our way. One mile from camp we found good water, the same one mile further. Two more miles brought us to Middle Branch, a fairly large creek, with a bank difficult to climb that gave us much trouble. Most of the Brn. crossed on a fallen tree, Br. Kalberlahn fell in but did not hurt himself. It was not yet day when we crossed the creek. One mile beyond was a creek, and then one mile to Robert Bohk, who has a pretty plantation and good water. There we bought some hay and chaff and the people were very polite. Three miles further we came to Augusti Court House, a little village of twenty houses, surrounded with hills. This whole section is settled by Irish and English. The road forks here, — that to the right goes to Carolina. Immediately beyond Augusti Court House the bad road began, it was up hill and down and we had constantly to push the wagon or hold it back by ropes that we fastened in the rear. There was no lack of water, which we found every couple of miles, and we put up our tent eight miles from Augusti Court House by a spring and an old tumble-down house. Br. Jac. Lösch went to several plantations to buy food for our horses, but the people had none, though they were friendly and regretted that they could not help us. Br. Gottlob conducted the evening service, and as this was Br. Lunge’s birthday we sang some verses for him, and enjoyed the evening with him. Then we laid ourselves down in the arms of Jesus.

Oct. 25.

Half a mile from camp the road forked, we took the left, but had no water for five miles. Then one mile further we took breakfast by a creek; drove six miles, and stopped for noon at a pretty spring. We met two Seventh Day Adventists, who had been to Carolina and were returning to Pennsylvania, they gave us information about our way. Br. Nathanael was somewhat ill. On the left we saw great mountains and sometimes came quite near them. Our road runs constantly south-west. In the evening we set up our tent on a hill, and had to carry the water some distance. Br. Gottlob went half a mile ahead to a Free Negro, who is the only smith in these parts, to have his horse shod. The negro and his wife, who was a Scotch woman, were very friendly to Br. Gottlob, and told him that they had recently come hither from Lancaster, that they had often heard Br. Nyberg preach, and also the Brn. in Philadelphia, and that they were now reading the “Berliner Reden.” They were very glad to see Brethren, and happy to serve us. During the night the woman baked bread for us, invited Br. Gottlob and Br. Nathanael to breakfast, and begged that as they returned they would not pass them by but stop and speak to them, for they loved people who spoke of the Saviour. The negro understood German well. The Brn. Hermanus and Lunge went to neighboring plantations to buy food for the horses. It rained almost all night, but we kept fairly dry in our tent.

Oct. 26.

We rose rather late on account of the rainy weather. A couple of the Brn. took breakfast with the negro, who felt very important at entertaining two ministers. We had bad hills to-day and as soon as we were at the top of one we had to hang on the break-rope, and even then it was dangerous going down. In spite of the hills this is a fertile section, with few stones and a rich black soil; it is settled mostly by English and Irish. The Brn. Gottlob and Nathanael went ahead, and spent the night a mile and a half beyond the North Branch of James River with Mr. Brikstone, a well-to-do man who a few years ago moved here from Canistoge, and knows the Brethren well. The rest of the Brn. with the wagon, spent the night half a mile from the Branch, which they could not cross on account of the high water. It began to rain and continued almost all night, and as our tent was on a hill the water ran through it and we were all soaked through and through. Br. Grube held the evening service.

Oct. 27.

We rose early to dry our clothes, and the sky cleared. We were very thankful to the Saviour for giving us good weather again; it was badly needed for without it we could hardly have gone forward, for our wagon is very heavily loaded, and the ascent of the hills is almost more than we can manage. We had two miles of bad road, up hill and down. Then we reached the house where the Brn. Gottlob and Nathanael had spent the night, and were well served at a reasonable price. This is a pretty, fruitful neighborhood; in the distance one sees the encircling high mountains. This morning for the second time we had to take off half our load, in order to climb the hill, for it was so slippery that the horses could not keep their feet in pulling but fell constantly to their knees. Our noon rest was at Buffler Creek, which is half as wide as the Lecha, but in flood runs far over the banks. Br. Lösch shot the first turkey, which we ate for supper. Passing over the creek we came immediately to a long high hill, which took us an hour to climb, and we all had to push on the wagon. But we had fine pleasant weather, and from the top there was a beautiful view of the great mountains, and the valleys on either side of us. We drove some miles along the ridge. At two and a half miles we found a foot-path leading to the left, and as we had heard that there was a spring a short way down in the valley and we were very thirsty some of the Brn. went for water which greatly refreshed us. Br. Hermanus followed this path to a plantation to try to buy feed for our horses but could get none. Then he went to another man, named Illison, where he purchased several bushels of corn, and stayed over night. Our road was bad, always up and down hills. In the evening we set up our tent eight miles from Buffler Creek, by a stream, made a good fire and rested from our labors which today have been rather trying. Br. Nathanael held the evening service, and we were all so tired that we dispensed with the night-watch.