rmy, and the
morning was cold and cloudy. Anticipating a postponement of the
ceremonies, the locomotive engine had been taken to pieces for cleaning,
but upon the assembling of the company she was put in order, the
cylinders new packed and at the word the apparatus was ready for
movement. The first trip was performed with two pleasure cars attached,
and a small carriage, fitted for the occasion, upon which was a
detachment of United States troops and a field-piece which had been
politely granted by Major Belton for the occasion. . . The number of
passengers brought down, which was performed in two trips, was estimated
at upward of two hundred. A band of music enlivened the scene, and great
hilarity and good humour prevailed throughout the day."

It was not long, however, before the _Best Friend_ came to serious grief.
Naturally, and even necessarily, inasmuch as it was a South Carolina
institution, it was provided with a negro fireman. It so happened that
this functionary while in the discharge of his duties was much annoyed by
the escape of steam from the safety valve, and, not having made himself
complete master of the principles underlying the use of steam as a source
of power, he took advantage of a temporary absence of the engineer in
charge to effect a radical remedy of this cause of annoyance. He not
only fastened down the valve lever, but further made the thing perfectly
sure by sitting upon it. The consequences were hardly less disastrous to
the _Best Friend_ than to the chattel fireman. Neither were of much
further practical use. Before this mishap chanced, however in June,
1831, a second locomotive, called the _West Point_, had arrived in
Charleston, and this last was constructed on the principle of
Stephenson's _Rocket_. In its general aspect, indeed, it greatly
resembled that already famous prototype. There is a very characteristic
and suggestive cut representing a trial trip made with this locomotive on
March 5th, 1831. The nerves of the Charleston people had been a good
deal disturbed and their confidence in steam as a safe motor shaken by
the disaster which had befallen the _Best Friend_. Mindful of this fact,
and very properly solicitous for the safety of their guests, the
directors now had recourse to a very simple and ingenious expedient.
They put what they called a 'barrier car' between the locomotive and
passenger coaches of the train. This barrier car consisted of a platform
on wheels