An engraving by Joseph Swan in the book Strath-Clutha by John M. Leighton, published in 1839 shows an unusual vessel in the harbour of Glasgow. The vessel looks to have a twin hull with a series of galleries forming the superstructure. It is almost certainly the early iron steamer nicknamed Cigar that was built on an unusual and patent model for Mr. Neil Snodgrass in 1837. In his obituary in the Glasgow Herald of February 5, 1849, we learn a little of the background of Mr. Snodgrass though some of the details are inaccurate and have been added to from other sources. Mr. Snodgrass was born at Craigie in Ayr around 1776 and was educated at Ayr Academy where he achieved high honours in Mathematics. In 1794, he went to work in the cotton factory of Messrs. George Houston & Co., Johnstone, where he developed a plan for heating the factory by steam rather than the dangerous stoves then...