of Lowriver; of
Larboard Starboard, Esq., ship-builder; and Piston Rodd, Esq., of the
firm of Boiler & Rodd, engineers, as directors. The shares were L.20
each, liable to calls, though no calls were anticipated; and it was
reckoned an enormous favour to get them. Traffic in shares was
discountenanced: the company had no wish to be regarded as a cluster
of speculators, but rather as a band of brothers, co-operating
together for their common benefit. Of course, the necessary legal
formalities were gone through--that could not safely be dispensed
with.

In spite of the difficulty of obtaining shares, a pretty large number
of them got into the hands of the respectable portion of the public,
and the whole were soon taken up. The boats were built by Larboard
Starboard, Esq.; and the engines, as a matter of course, were put on
board by Messrs Boiler & Rodd; Erebus Carbon, Esq., supplied, at the
current rates, the necessary fuel; and at all hours of the day the
vessels ran backwards and forwards, carrying customers to Mr Montague
Whalebone's hotel, and lodgers to the new tenements, which soon began
to rise around it in all directions. Lowriver took amazingly, and rose
rapidly in public estimation; the boats filled well, and the
speculation promised great things. When, however, after several mouths
of undeviating prosperity, the shareholders began to look for some
return for their capital in the shape of a dividend, each one of them
was individually surprised by a 'call:' L.5 a share was wanted to
clear off urgent responsibilities. 'The outfitting costs had been
greater than was foreseen,' and the demands upon the shareholders were
not likely to be limited to the first call. The victims rushed, as
they were invited to do, to the office, to inspect the accounts. The
engineer was there to receive them, and, all suavity and politeness,
submitted every fact and figure to their investigation. There was
nothing to be found fault with--everything was fairly booked; but
there was a heavy balance dead against the company. The engineer
himself put a long face upon the affair, and shrugged his shoulders,
and mumbled something about having burned his own fingers, &c. After
this, reports soon got abroad very prejudicial to the value of the
investments. Then came the winter, during which few passengers
travelled to Lowriver; and with Christmas came another L.5 call.
People grew tired of paying 20 per cent. for nothing, and many
forfeited th