There are no drawbacks or incongruities then ; but the corruscation of uncounted lights -- flashing galaxies, not of stars, but of constellations and firmaments of stars -- render the scene one of indescribable beauty. Below the zone of white brilliants there is that other, of coloured shore lights.

The Hudson River fountains of emerald and ruby that overflow and paint the unresting wave-rims with serpentine hieroglyphs. There are few displays of illumination in the world that will compare with that which New York exhibits every night, and whoever has not seen it from the river has missed one of the delights of life. A tour of the west shore of Manhattan Island naturally commences at the Barge Office, at the extreme lower end of the city. This was built by the city for the use of the Emigration Commissioners, when Castle Garden, which had been previously leased as a landing station for immigrants, was resigned. The Barge Office was first used for the reception of cabin passengers from ocean vessels, then became our immigrant station, and is now used by the customs inspectors.

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111 i> iHiiimiiii THK BARGE OFFICE AND THE BAY

Chapter IV Festivals and Pageants

Castle CASTLE GARDEN was formerly called Clint on. The site was grant ed by the Cor- ])oration of New York City to the United States Government in May, 1807, and a fortification was built soon afterwards, but owing to bad engineering the foundations of the structure were not strong enough to support the weight even of what at that day was considered as heavy ordnance, and in March, 1822, the fort and ground were reconveyed to the city. For many years the building was used for the reception of distinguished strangers, for fetes and festivals, concerts, operas, and public meetings of various kinds.