According to Colden, those who saw the _Clermont_ at night described her as “a monster moving on the water, defying the winds and the tide, and breathing flames and smoke.” She had, he proceeds to say, “the most terrific appearance from other vessels which were navigating the river when she was making her passage. The first steamboats, as others yet do, used dry pine-wood for fuel, which sends forth a column of ignited vapour, many feet above the flue, and whenever the fire is stirred a galaxy of sparks fly off, which in the night have an airy, brilliant, and beautiful appearance. This uncommon light first attracted the attention of crews of other vessels. Notwithstanding the wind and tide were adverse to its approach, they saw with astonishment that it was rapidly coming towards them; and when it came so near that the noise of the machinery and the paddles were heard, the crews in some instances shrunk beneath their decks from the terrific sight; and others left their vessels to go on shore; while others again prostrated themselves, and besought Providence to protect them from the approach of the horrible monster which was marching on the tides, and lighting its path by the fires which it vomited.” After the improvements had been made in the _Clermont_ she entered in the spring of 1809 upon the regular work for which she was intended--the day service between New York and Albany. The guards and paddle-boxes, which were mere temporary structures, were made substantial and permanent, and the cabins were rearranged and refitted in the most beautiful manner. The _Clermont_, said Professor Renwick, “thus converted into a floating palace, gay with ornamental painting, gilding, and polished woods, commenced her course of passages for the second year in the month of April.”[19] [19] The “Master, Mate, and Pilot.” When rebuilt she was christened the _North River_ and maintained the service alone until October, when a second Fulton boat, the _Car of Neptune_, was launched. She was a larger boat, and ran continuously until 1817, and the other vessels which were added to the little fleet also proved successful. The complete list of Fulton’s steamboats would include also the _Rariton_ (1809), _New Orleans_ (1811), _Paragon_, _Firefly_, a Jersey ferryboat, and _Camden_ (1812), _Washington_ and a York ferryboat (1813), _Richmond_, a Nassau ferryboat, _Fulton_, _Vesuvius_, and _Demologos_, a warship (1814), _Aetna_, _Buffalo_, and _Mute_ (1815), _Olive Branch_, _Empress of Russia_, and _Chancellor Livingston_ (1816).