After they had conversed for a few minutes, Jenny Lind asked Barnum when and where he had heard her sing. “I never had the pleasure of seeing you before in my life,” he answered. She was astonished, and wondered how he had dared to risk so much money without a knowledge of what he was buying. “I risked it on your reputation, which in musical matters I would much rather trust than my own judgment,” was Barnum’s answer. He did not mention her reputation as Lady Bountiful, but he had it in mind, for it was at this point in his autobiography that he confessed that he would never have imported a woman who could only sing. As the boat slowly rode up the harbor to its dock at the foot of Canal Street, to the accompaniment of whistles, fog-horns, waving and shouting, Jenny Lind went into raptures about the view. She said what all prima donnas and prime ministers have said since upon arriving in New York harbor. She saw an American flag and threw it a kiss, exclaiming, “There is the beautiful standard of freedom; the oppressed of all nations worship it.” Signor Giovanni Battista Belletti, with characteristic Latin ardor, made some fervent remarks. “Here is the New World at last,” he shouted with appropriate gestures, “the grand New World, first seen by my fellow-countryman, Columbus!” To have a countryman of Columbus in the party must have been of supreme publicity delight to Barnum. More than 30,000 persons were standing about the dock, according to all the newspapers of the day, and as Jenny Lind looked at them and listened to their clamorous greetings, she said with the proper intonation of surprise, “But have you no poor people, all these people are so well dressed!” West Street for a dozen blocks was thronged with people ready and anxious to make an enthusiastic holiday of her arrival. A large bower of green plants was decorated with flags, and two triumphal arches adorned the dock, the center of each arch bearing a large device: “Welcome, Jenny Lind!” was on the first; the second, surmounted by the American eagle, read “Welcome to America!” Barnum had arranged for the building of these arches, but quietly, so that the impression given to both Jenny Lind and the multitude was that of an official municipal greeting. Just before the steamer touched the dock, some one suggested that a Swedish flag would not be out of place. None was to be found on such short notice, and the German flag was hurriedly hoisted as an effective substitute.