d their monopoly. The chapels began to
fulminate against it. One reverend gentleman, named Elihu, stigmatised
the new steam-vessel as an "atheistical construction," and the
sailing-boat was declared the only orthodox craft. The people saw the
horns of the devil among the beasts which the fireship carried to and
fro. This storm of protest continued a considerable time. At last,
however, it began to be perceived that these animals arrived less tired
and sold better, their meat being superior; that the sea risk was less
also for passengers; that this mode of travelling was less expensive,
shorter, and more sure; that they started at a fixed time, and arrived
at a fixed time; that consignments of fish travelling faster arrived
fresher, and that it was now possible to find a sale in the French
markets for the surplus of great takes of fish so common in Guernsey.
The butter, too, from the far-famed Guernsey cows, made the passage
quicker in the "Devil Boat" than in the old sailing vessels, and lost
nothing of its good quality, insomuch that Dinan, in Brittany, began to
become a customer for it, as well as St. Brieuc and Rennes. In short,
thanks to what they called "Lethierry's Galley," the people enjoyed safe
travelling, regular communication, prompt and easy passages to and fro,
an increase of circulation, an extension of markets and of commerce,
and, finally, it was felt that it was necessary to patronise this "Devil
Boat," which flew in the face of the Holy Scriptures, and brought wealth
to the island. Some daring spirits even went so far as to express a
positive satisfaction at it. Sieur Landoys, the registrar, bestowed his
approval upon the vessel--an undoubted piece of impartiality on his
part, as he did not like Lethierry. For, first of all, Lethierry was
entitled to the dignity of "Mess," while Landoys was merely "Sieur
Landoys." Then, although registrar of St. Peter's Port, Landoys was a
parishioner of St. Sampson. Now, there was not in the entire parish
another man besides them devoid of prejudices. It seemed little enough,
therefore, to indulge themselves with a detestation of each other. Two
of a trade, says the proverb, rarely agree.

Sieur Landoys, however, had the honesty to support the steamboat. Others
followed Landoys. By little and little, these facts multiplied. The
growth of opinion is like the rising tide. Time and the continued and
increasing success of the venture, with the evidence of real service
ren