Washington telegraph., 1850-11-13

twenty years since, more or less-I can
not fix the date with more certainty
| formed travelling acquaintance, upon a
steamboat upon the Hudson river, with
a gentleman who, or. that occasion, rela-
ted to me some incidents OF the first
voyage of Fulton to Albany, in his
steamboat, the Clermont, which I have
never met with elsewhere. The gentle
mans name have lost; but urged him
at the time to publish what he related;
| which, however, sc far as | know, he has
never done. l have several times repeat
ed the facts as they were told to me, and
have been often requested to secure them
from oblivion by giving them to the
press.
| CHANGED, said my narrator, to be at
| Albany on business. when Fulton ar
rived there, III his unheard Of craft, which
every body felt, SO much interest in see
ing. Being ready to leave, and hearing
that this craft was to return to New York,
l repaired on board and inquired for MIR.
Fulton. I was referred to the bin.
and there found plain, gentlemanly
man, wholly alone, and engaged in wri-
ting.
MIR. Fulton, presume.
Yes sir.
Do you return to New York with this
boat?
We shall try to get back, sir.
Can | have passage down!
You can take your chances with us, sir.
inquired the amount to be paid, and
after a moments hesitation sum, l
-. loIlo NL,o
amount in coin, l laid in his open hand,
and with his eye fixed upon it, he remain-
ed so long motionless that l supposed
there might be miscount, and salG to
him, is that right sir? This reused him
as from a kind of reverie, and as he look
ed up at me. the big tear was Drumming
in his eye ard his voice faltered as he
said, excuse me, sir bu. memory was bu-
sy as | contemplated this, the first pecu-
mary reward | have ever received Tor all
exer1lons in adapting steam to naviSa-
ton. [ would gladly commemorate the
occasion over bottle of wine with you,
but 1 am too poor. even for that, Just
now; yet [ trust We may meet again
when this will not be SO.
The voyage to New York was sue
cessful, as all know, and terminated with
out accident.
Some four years after this, when the
Clermont had been greatly improved,
and her named changed to the North
River, and when two other boats, name
ly the Car of Neptune and the Paragon
had been built, making Mr.. Futor's fleet
three boats regularly plying between
New York and Albany, took passage
upon one of these for the latter city
The cabin, in that day, was below; and
as | walked its length. to and fro, saw
[ was very closely observed by one L
supposed TO be stranger. Soon, how
ever. l recalled the features of. MIR. Full
ton; but, without diclosing this, / contln-
ued nv walk aud awaited the result.
At length, in passing his seat, our eyes
met, when ne sprang to his teet, aud
eagerly seizing my hand, exclaimed
know it must be you, for your features
have never escaped me; aud although
am still far from being rich, yet may
venture that bottle, now. 1t was order
ed: and during its discussion. VII. Full
ton ran rapidly but vividly over his ex-
perience of the worlds GOODNESS. and
sneers, and of the hopes, fears, dlsap-
pointments, and difficulties that were
scattered through his whole career OF dis
covery. up to the point OF his hhai'
crowning triumph, at which he so fully
felt he had at last arrived.
And in reviewing all these, he said,
have again aud again recalled the occa-
sion and the incident of our FIRST interview,
at Albany; and never have l done so
without its renewing in my mind, the
vivid emotion it originally caused. That
seemed, and still does seem, to me, the
turning point of my destiny-the dividing
line between light and darkness, in my
career upon earth; for 1t was my hrsS ac-
tual recognition of my usefulness TO my
fellow men.
Such, then. were the events coupled
with the very dawn of steam navigation
"a dawn so recent as TO be still recollect-
ed bv maryland such as Fulton there
related them, were the early apprecla-
lions. bv the world, of a discovery which
has invaded all waters, causing revolu-
ton in navigation which has almost 1T
orally brough; the very ends OF the earth
in contact-BufalO Com. Advertiser.
~oo--
Elder Berry wine" said Mrs. Parting
ton, as she looked straight at the tea ket-
tie as it steamed over the fire; has dear
old elder left preaching and gone to max
ing wine? For the stomachs sake mere
ly, dare say What powerful preach
er he was 1 never shall forget how ne
spoke about young Shad that desecra;e Led