Burnet's observations this fort stands in the latitude of 40° 43' N. The following description, by a foreign writer of that day, gives a vivid picture of the social life of New York when fashion still lingered around the Bowling Green : The first society of New York associate together in a style of elegance and splendor little inferior to Europeans. Their houses are furnished with everything that is useful, agreeable, or orna- mental; and many of them, are fitted up in the tasteful magni- ficence of modern luxury. Many have elegant equipages. The dress of the gentlemen is plain, elegant, and fashionable, and corresponds in every respect with the English costume. The ladies in general seem more partial to the light, various, and dashing drapery of the Parisian belles, than to the elegant and becoming attire of our London beauties, who improve upon the French fashions. The winter is passed in a round of entertain- ments and amusements. The servants are mostly negroes or mulattoes ; some free and others slaves. Marriages are conducted in the most splendid style, and form a most important part of the winter's entertainments. For three days after the marriage ceremony the newly married couple see company in great state. Digitized by Microsoft® 26 The Hudson River It is a sort of levee. Sometimes the night concludes with a con- cert and ball. Of all the comings and goings, the arrivals and the departures that form the kaleidoscopic stor}?- of old New York, and are associated particularly with the Battery, none has been rnore significant than the evacuation and embarkation of the British forces in 1783. For two years the peace negotiations had been going forward, and since Yorktown nothing decisive had occurred. When at last, in March, the news reached America that Great Britain had acknowledged the absolute independence of the American States, there was a mighty thanksgiving that reached from the general commanding the army to the poorest pri- vate in the ranks, and included all classes of citizens, save those whose hearts were with the cause of royalty. New York, which had been in British hands since 1776, had been the stronghold and base of operations for their cause. During that time it had been almost abandoned and had again filled up; it had suffered hardship and endured privation ; a fire had devastated a large part of its stores and dwellings; the people were heartily tired of war even when gilded by the gaiety of a garrison city. Now at last the negotiations had been brought to a termination satisfactory to the Continental sym- pathisers, and Washington, having disbanded most of his army, waited up the river for the beaten foe to depart. Digitized by Microsoft® Two Cities on One Site 27 Washington met Carleton at the Livingston house in Dobbs Ferry, and received his assurance of a speedy departure, but it seemed as though the garrison was very loath to leave the ground it had occupied so long, and delay after delay occurred. There was a shortage of transports, owing probably to the fact that a great many loyalists wished to leave the city, incited either by fear or disgust. Washington moved first from Newburgh to West Point, then, leisurely, down the river till he reached McGowan's Pass, within the present Central Park, where he waited with the little force retained for the formal occupancy of the city. General Henry Knox, who was with the Commander-in-chief, was there to take a conspicuous part in the ceremonious entrance. When the American troops, having marched through the length of New York, halted in Broadway, near Wall Street, and two companies were sent forward to take formal possession of the fort, with instruction to hoist the American flag and fire a salute of thirteen guns, many of the boats full of retiring British troops were still near the Battery wall. The shores were crowded with citizens, assembled to witness the em- barkation. It has been remarked as a noteworthy fact that there seems to have been no disturbance, no taunts or jeers, such as might naturally have been ex- pected on the part of such a mixed assembly of spec- tators. On the contrary, everything was orderly and. Digitized by Microsoft® 28 The Hudson River to use a phrase unhappily somewhat obsolete, "was conducted with propriety." The British ships hung in the offing and received their barges as they came up; then, without further ceremony, sailed away and took with them the last shadowy vestige of royal claim to the land where they had struggled so long for supremacy. There is one bit of comedy associated with the British evacuation of New York. The retiring garrison, either with the connivance of their officers or as a piece of un- authorised waggery, left