travelling in this way, what careful farmer, who had a family depending
on him, would think of either going himself or sending his produce to
market in such a way? There was no wisdom in the thing. The people would
stick to the sloops. That was the only safe way for sensible people to
get to market. Let them stick to the sloops, and Mr. Fulton would not
build a castle of what he got by his inventions.

The meeting was highly gratified at what the schoolmaster had said, and,
indeed, felt so much relieved that Hanz ordered a keg of fresh beer to
be tapped. These noisy, splashing steamboats would frighten people, and
by that means the good old-fashioned way of getting to market would not
be interfered with. It was also a source of great relief to these honest
people, that when those extravagant New Yorkers had spent all their
money on such wild and dangerous experiments, they would be content to
stay at home and mind their own business. Another source of great alarm
to these honest people was that several New Yorkers had come to Nyack,
and were building large houses, and otherwise setting examples of
extravagance to their children, when it was reported that they did not
pay their honest debts in town. The people of Hudson, too, were going
wild over a project for establishing a South-sea Company, and sending
ships to the far off Pacific ocean--where the people were, it had been
said, in the habit of eating their friends--to catch whales. Now, as the
people of Hudson had no more money than was needed at home, this
dangerous way of spending all they had was not to be justified.

Satisfied that they had settled a question of grave importance, and in
which the great interests of the country were involved, these honest
Dutchmen smoked another pipe and drank another mug of beer, and then
went quietly to their homes, feeling sure that the world and all Nyack
would be a gainer by what they had done.