24 TAMING HOESES. 



from the town. He accepted the offer, and the 

 following day was decided upon for the trial ; at 

 which time he performed, and to the satisfaction 

 of every one. But I had given him no further in- 

 sight into the secret than this first part of it, more 

 to see what impression it would have upon the 

 public, than for any thing else, as my employment 

 and standing in society were such that I did not 

 like to appear before such a multitude of my ac- 

 quaintances as a horse-breaker. This was, how- 

 ever, a foolish prejudice; for Fulton by the dis- 

 covery of the means of making a boat advance 

 with more velocity by the application of steam 

 power, was not, on that account, looked upon as a 

 common boatman. 



After these experiments of Drinnen, to whom I 

 had communicated so small a part of the secret, I 

 was fully convinced that a large fortune might be 

 made in almost any country with the secret, such 

 as I knew it ; and, as I understood the Spanish lan- 

 guage, I agreed with Drinnen to go first to Ha- 

 vana and then to New Spain, and take him with 

 me. Accordingly, I sent him to New Orleans, to 

 fit out a small schooner we had bought in New- 

 town. But he took the fever and died, and I con- 

 tinued my occupations with success for several 

 years, till I had accumulated a handsome property. 

 Shortly after, I became security for several persons. 



