At last the Chacewater engine was finished and ready for work. Great curiosity was felt about its performances, and mining men and engineers came from all quarters to see it start. “All the world are agape,” said Watt, “to see what it can do.” It would not have displeased some of the spectators if it had failed. But to their astonishment it succeeded. At starting, it made eleven eight-feet strokes per minute; and it worked with greater power, went more steadily, and “forked” more water than any of the ordinary engines, with only about one-third the consumption of coal. “We have had many spectators,” wrote Watt, “and several have already become converts. I understand all the west-country captains are to be here to-morrow to see the prodigy.”[162] Even Bonze, his rival, called to see it, and promised not only to read his recantation as soon as convinced, but never to touch a common engine again. “The velocity, violence, magnitude, and horrible noise of the engine,” Watt added, “give universal satisfaction to all beholders, believers or not. I have once or twice trimmed the engine to end its stroke gently, and to make less noise; but Mr. Wilson cannot sleep without it seems quite furious, so I have left it to the engine-men; and, by the by, the noise seems to convey great ideas of its power to the ignorant, who seem to be no more taken with modest merit in an engine than in a man.” In a later letter he wrote, “The voice of the country seems to be at present in our favour; and I hope will be much more so when the engine gets on its whole load, which will be by Tuesday next. So soon as that is done, I shall set out for home.” [Illustration: WATT’S SINGLE-ACTING PUMPING-ENGINE FOR MINES.] [162] Watt to Boulton, 13th September, 1777. A number of orders for engines had come in at Soho during Watt’s absence; and it became necessary for him to return there as speedily as possible, to prepare the plans and drawings, and put the work in hand. There was no person yet attached to the concern who was capable of relieving him of this part of his duties; while Boulton was fully occupied with conducting the commercial part of the business. By the end of autumn he was again at home; and for a week after his return he kept so close to his desk in his house on Harper’s Hill, that he could not even find time enough to go out to Soho and see what had been doing in his absence. At length he felt so exhausted by the brain-work and confinement that he wrote to his partner, “a very little more of this hurrying and vexation will knock me up altogether.” To add to his troubles, letters arrived from Tingtang, urging his return to Cornwall, to erect the engine, the materials for which had at last arrived. “I fancy,” said Watt, “that I must be cut in pieces, and a portion sent to every tribe in Israel.”