It was to take place at Castle Garden on the 14th of Sep- tember, and was under the immediate supervision of Generals Mapes, Morton, Fleming, and Benedict, and Colonel W. H. Maxwell, Colonel King, Mr. Colden, and Mr. Lynch. The sedate Evening Post evei^ broke into expressions of rapture at the result. We hazard nothing [it affirmed] in saying that it was the most magnificent fite given under cover in the world. . . It was a festival that realises all that we read of in the Persian tales or Arabian Nights, which dazzled the eye and bewildered the imagination, and which produced so many powerful combina- tions, by magnificent preparations, as to set description almost at defiance. We never saw ladies more brilliantly dressed — • everything that fashion and elegance could devise was used on the occasion. Their head-dresses were principally of flowers, with ornamented combs, and some with plumes of ostrich feathers. White and black lace dresses over satin were mostly worn, with a profusion of steel ornaments and neck chains of gold and silver, suspended to which were beautiful gold and silver badge medals, bearing a likeness of Lafayette, manufactured for the occasion. The gentlemen had suspended from the button- holes of their coats a similar likeness, and, with the ladies, had the same stamped on their gloves. A belt or sash, with a likeness of the general, and entwined with a chaplet of roses, also formed part of the dress of the ladies. Foreigners who were present Digitized by Microsoft® 48 The Hudson River admitted they had never seen anything equal to this fete in the several countries from which they came — the blaze of light and beauty, the decorations of the military officers, the combination of rich colours which met the eye at every glance, the brilliant circle of fashion in the galleries, everything in the range of sight being inexpressibly beautiful, and doing great credit and honour to the managers and all engaged in this novel spectacle. The guests numbered several thousand, but there was abundant room for the dancing, which commenced at an early hour, and was kept up until about three o'clock in the morning. Lafayette proceeded up the Hudson almost imme- diately, making but few stops on his way to Albany. One of these pauses was at Hudson, where a great re- ception was given in his honour. To have met and conversed with the celebrated visitor was an honour which many a budding beauty of that day treasured till threescore and ten; one, indeed, long past four- score, told the present writer of her life-long regret that she had allowed the denial of a new gown to stand in the way of her going, and described the costumes of her friends, which included white gloves with the por- trait of Lafayette painted upon the backs. The year following Lafayette's visit brought another event to be written large in the chronicles of Castle Garden. One of the brightest of the spectacular displays that New York witnessed in the first half of the nineteenth century was that connected with the completion of the Erie Canal, 1825. A fleet as large as had ever as- sembled before the city up to that time thronged the river, and the vessels were decorated with bunting and Digitized by Microsoft® Festivals and Pageants 49 streamers till it seemed as if they could, hold no more. This gorgeous concourse of vessels formed a circle about the canal-boat — ^the first canal-boat — from Lake Erie. In circumference this marine pageant is said to have measured three miles and to have preserved a solemnity of deportment quite in contrast to that noisy hilarity that distinguished the fleet which at a later day sailed down to assist at the unveiling of the statue of Liberty, upon Bedloe's Island. Upon the canal-boat that formed the centre of the circle on the earlier occasion here described was a keg with gilded hoops, filled to the bunghole with water from Lake Erie. With all the dignity which the occa- sion demanded and the manners of the day prescribed, De Witt Clinton, who was present with his wife and retinue, poured the water overboard to mingle with that of the Atlantic Ocean. It was a pretty bit of sym- bolism, possible to people bred to the formalities of a somewhat artificial life, and no doubt carried out with becoming gravity. Medals were then distributed to the honoured guests of the occasion, after which we may surmise that dignity unbent and a somewhat more rampant Americanism reigned. We are told that a lady who was present wrote at a late hour that night; We met all the world and his wife; military heroes, noble statesmen, artificial and natural characters, the audacious, the