280 A HISTORY OP HEREFORD CATTLE 



capital was invested in his beef, and the prospects 

 being favorable for high prices he naturally held 

 on to it. 



"I had frequently spoken of the Herefords in 

 high praise to Mr. Wilson, and he, being highly 

 pleased with my description, proposed that if I 

 would go to England and get credit for a good lot 

 when I arrived in New York he would meet me 

 there with money enough to pay the whole invest- 

 ment, for which he said he would have ample means 

 from his returns in the spring. I told him that I 

 would do this if I could do it with safety. He 

 assured me. that I could, and with this promise I 

 started. I purchased twenty-two head, paid what 

 little money I had of my own and promised to pay 

 all on my return to New York. When I arrived I 

 found barreled beef had gone down and was much 

 depressed, that much of his had soured and was 

 unsalable, and he had involved himself so much 

 that he was compelled to fail; but he went to the 

 Hon. Erastus Corning, told him in what way he 

 was situated with me, that he knew my judgment 

 was good and that the cattle would therefore be 

 superior. 



"On this information Mr. Corning sent Mr. Watts 

 Sherman, then cashier of the Albany City Bank, of 

 which Mr. C. was president, to examine the cattle 

 on board. This gentleman was highly pleased with 

 them and drew a draft on Mr. Corning for the whole 

 amount. I took them to his farm, and they being 

 about the first Herefords ever imported, they raised 

 considerable excitement, but their true merit was 

 but little known. " 



These cattle were of the old John Hewer blood, 

 and included the cow Matchless that had been a 



