The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-05-04
Fulton,s FIRST steam Voyage.

The following Renaissance of Fulton's
first steam voyage, and the reception OF the
passage money, was communicated to the
Buffalo Commercial Adoertiser, by K. w.
Haskins. Some years since, l formed
travelling acquaintance upon steamboat on
the Hudson River, with gentleman who,
on that occasion, related to me some incl
dents of the first voyage of Sutton to Alba
ny, in his steamboat, the Clermont, which
never met with elsewhere. The gentleman's
name have now lost, but urged him, at
the time, to publish what he related, which,
however, SO far as l know, he has never
done:
Il chanced." said my narrator, ITO be at
Albany on business when Fulton arrived
there in bis unheard-of craft, which every
body felt so much interest in seeing. Being
| ready to leave and hearing that this craft
was to return to New York, I repaired on
board, and inquired for Mr. Fulton. was
referred to the cabin, and there found a
plain, gentlemanly man wholly alone, and
engaged in writing.
" Mr.. Fulton, presume"
"Yes, sir" r
"Do you return to New York with this
boat 2"
"We shall try to get back, sir"
| "Can have passage down?"
| "You can take your chance with us, SIR
| / inquired the amount to be paid, and, atte
| moments hesitation, sum, / think, 81,
laid in his open hand, and, with an eye fix
ed upon it, he remained so long motionles
that supposed there might be miscount
: r L. T., l,ck <rl,k sing
This reused him as from kind OF reverie
and as he looked up at me, a tear was trem
bling in his eye, and his voice faltered, a
lie said, Excuse me, sir, but memory wa
busy as contemplated this, the first pecu
4 mary reward have ever received for all m
exertions in adapting steam to navigation
| would gladly commemorate the occasio
over bottle Of wine with you, but really
am too poor, even for that, just now; yet
trust we may meet again, when this will nc
be so." M -
Some four years after this, when the Gle
mont had been greatly improved, and tw
new boats made, making Fulton's fleet thre
boats regularly plying between New Yor
q and Albany, I took passage in one of the'
for the latter city. The cabin in that da
| was DelOW, anu 40 Woihcu sto siSi1S''@
and fro, saw 1 was very closely observe
by one supposed a stranger. Soon, ho'
ever, / recalled the features Of Mr.. FultoI
but without disclosing this continued n
walk and waited the result. At length,
|, passing his scat, our eyes met, when
sprang to his feet, and, eagerly seizing n
hand, exclaimed, 81 knew it must be 70
for your features have never escaped me, al
although am still far from rich, yet l M
venture that bottle now."
It was ordered, and during its discussio
Q Mr.. F. ran rapidly, but vividly, over
IS experience of the worlds coldness and snee
e and of the hopes, fears, disappointmer
d and difficulties that were scattered throuI
e the whole career OF discovery, up to t
er very point of his final crownihg triumph,
in which he SO fully felt he had at last arrive
n- And in reviewing all these" said he,
i'd have again and again recalled the occasi
at and the incident of our first interview
IT. Albany; and never have done so withe
to its renewing in my mind the vivid emoti
ct it originally caused. That seemed, and s
re, does seem, to me, the turning point in
de destiny--the dividing line between Ii!
t I and darkness in my career upon earth
we it scas the first actual recognition Of my
fyI1ess f0 MAJ fe1Io7Bufern "