72 
CRULSE OF HALS. CHALLENGER. 
There are in the city seven or eight banks, 
Masonic Hall, and clubs ; there are several gold- 
mining and joint-stock companies, news-rooms, pub- 
lic libraries, museums, and other institutions, of all 
of which the Halifax people are very proud ; and 
well they may be. 
The Naval Yard, which covers an area of fourteen 
acres, is at present principally used as a depot for 
stores ; its value as a naval station is consider- 
able, and was fully known as long ago as 1793, 
in the wars of those days, and even later, when 
it became the rendezvous of our West India 
squadron, and received all its prizes. Attached to 
it is the Naval Hospital, which should not be over- 
looked, for here many a poor, stricken fellow is 
brought up from the West Indies with fever, to 
recover by the aid of this healthy invigorating 
climate. 
The famous Citadel, situated on the crest of the 
hill overlooking the town, is said to be, after Quebec, 
the strongest in the Dominion. From here we have 
a fine panoramic stretch of scenery ; the picturesque 
abounds everywhere, and from every point there is 
some glimpse of nature to charm, whether it be 
mountain, valley, island, or lake. From this stand- 
point we can obtain a peep of the north-west u Arm,” 
with the number of pretty little islands scattered 
over its length and breadth. The nature of the 
land about here, with its green slopes running close 
