He devoted himself to his duties with a zeal and ability that
completely won Watt's heart. When he had an important job in
hand, he could scarcely sleep. One night at his lodgings at
Redruth, the people were disturbed by a strange noise in his
room. Several heavy blows were heard upon the floor. They
started from their beds, rushed to Murdock's room, and found him
standing in his shirt, heaving at the bedpost in his sleep,
shouting "Now she goes, lads! now she goes!"
Murdock became a most popular man with the mine owners. He also
became friendly with the Cornish workmen and engineers. Indeed,
he fought his way to their affections. One day, some half-dozen
of the mining captains came into his engine-room at Chacewater,
and began to bully him. This he could not stand. He stript,
selected the biggest, and put himself into a fighting attitude.
They set to, and in a few minutes Murdock's powerful bones and
muscles enabled him to achieve the victory. The other men, who
had looked on fairly, without interfering, seeing the temper and
vigour of the man they had bullied, made overtures of
reconciliation. William was quite willing to be friendly.
Accordingly they shook hands all round, and parted the best of
friends. It is also said that Murdock afterwards fought a duel
with Captain Trevethick, because of a quarrel between Watt and
the mining engineer, in which Murdock conceived his master to
have been unfairly and harshly treated.
Pages:
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177