CHAP. XL.

BALA TO SHREWSBURY.

Cascade at Pont Cynwyd -- Rhiwedog.-Trúm y Sarn.-The Berwyn Mountains.-Llangynog.-Slate Quarries -Ha· zardous Mode of conveying Slates from the Mountain into the Vale.-Lead Mines.-- Llanrhaiadr.-The Cataract of Pistyll Rhaiadr.-The Vale of Langedwin.-Knochin.Account of the singuler Discovery of a Murderer. Kynaston's Cave in Ness Cliff.-Montford Bridge.Shrewsbury.

LEAVING

EAVING Bala, I turned my steps towards England, and occupied two days in the journey from hence to Shrewsbury. These, from severe rain that set in when I had got about ten miles from Bala, and lasted with little intermission till I arrived at Shrewsbury, were rendered two of the most unpleasant days I had spent in the country.-At my outset the morning was, however, very serene. The sun, in exhaling the dews, gave a delightful air of freshness to all the surrounding objects. The whole scene was enlivened by the music of birds, whose various tones and elegant strains would have interested less ardent admirers of the works of nature than myself. Every thing seemed to partake of a general sprightliness. The thrilling tones of the sky-lark were heard on every side: the notes of the black-bird echoed from among the distant foliage,

Whilst now and then sweet Philomel would wail,
Or stock-doves plain, amid the forest deep,

That drowsy rustled to the sighing gale;
And still a coil the grass-hopper did keep.

These rural objects continued, however, for very few miles; for I then entered on a succession of dreary and open moors, which might have charms for the sportsman, but they had none for me.

About a mile and a half from Bala, I passed a bridge called Pont Cynwyd. The bed of the turbulent little stream is here crowded with huge masses of rock, deeply excavated into circular hollows by the furious eddying of the water. In one situation these rocks, with the stream rushing down amongst them, form a small but pleasing cascade.

A little beyond the bridge stands Rhiwedog, The abrupt Ascent. This was an ancient family seat; and a vale in its neighbourhood was the scene of that severe battle betwixt the British and Saxon forces, in which the aged Llywarch took an active part, and lost his only surviving

son.

From the side of a steep, on the edge of the moors, I was presented with a distant view of the vale of Edeirnion, whose verdure and fertility formed a striking contrast with my bleak and dreary situation. The road now led me over Trûm y Sarn, The Causeway of the Ridge, a place that has its name from being near a lofty heath-clad mountain, which I passed at a little distance towards the south. It is one of that immense range of mountains which extend fifteen or sixteen miles, and are called

Berwyn Mountains. The two most elevated summits are Cader Ferwyn, and Cader Fronwen.—I arrived at a noted bwlch, or pass, which Idivides the counties of Merioneth and Montgomery, called Milltir Gerig, The Stony Mile.

LLANGYNOG.

I had now a view into the curious and romantic vale of Llangynog, a hollow so completely inclosed on all sides by mountain barriers, as apparently to afford no outlet to the residents in its bosom. The mountains seemed in many places perpendicular, and their cliffs too steep to be scaled by any other than those most active of all British animals, the sheep and goats. These 1 observed browsing along the sides with the utmost unconcern. The bottom was entirely in a state of cultivation, but principally as meadow land: it was interspersed with the houses of the farmers and their labourers.

A tolerably good road took me from the edge of this vale by a descent, somewhat steep, first into the hollow, and then to the small and comfortless village of Llangynog, The Church of St. Cunog.

SLATE QUARRIES.

From a stupendous rock, which rises on the north side of the village, are obtained those slates for which this neighbourhood is celebrated through all the adjacent counties. The quarries are situated high up in the mountain. I ob

served that the mode of conveying them to the vale was different from that practised near Llanberis, which I have already described, but it appeared much more dangerous. The slates are loaded on small sledges, which are to be conveyed down the side of the mountain, along winding paths formed for the purpose. Each of these sledges has a rope by which it is fas tened to the shoulders of a man who has the care of conveying it. He lays firmly hold with his hands, and thus, with his face towards it, begins to descend. The velocity which the sledge acquires in its descent is counteracted by the man's striking forcibly against the promi nences with his feet. This manœuvre, since he goes backward, and has at the same time some attention to pay to the sledge in order to keep it in the track, must be difficult to attain, and long practice alone can render it easy. The danger to an observer seems very great: on enquiry at the village, I was, however, informed that a serious accident had scarcely ever been known to occur from it.

LEAD MINES.

At Craig y Mwyn, about two miles and a half from Llangynog, somewhat more than a century ago, a vein of lead ore was discovered, so valuable as to yield to the Powis family, for forty years, a clear revenue of at least twenty thousand pounds a year. It had been worked to the depth of about a hundred yards, when on a sudden the water broke in, and became so powerful, that the proprietor was compelled to

abandon the undertaking.* Ever since that time the mines have continued nearly filled with water, but some gentlemen a few years ago determined to attempt their recovery, and for this purpose levels were to be driven in various parts of the mountain, if possible, to drain off the water. Whether they have proceeded in the attempt, or given it up, I have not the means of being informed.-Besides these there are some mines, but of less importance, near the village, which were worked when I was at Llangynog. The produce of these I was informed was very trifling.

On my leaving Llangynog, the clouds gathered round the summits and sides of the mountains, and the rain soon afterwards began to descend in torrents. This village appeared, however, so wretched a place for a wearied traveller, that I had no inducement to return for shelter. In the greatest misfortunes we are generally able to find some object on which we can rest with satisfaction: it soon occurred to me that the drenching of my clothes would be amply compensated by the increased volume of water at the cataract of Pistyll Rhaiadr, which I intended to visit in the morning. The idea of this gave me so much pleasure, that when I became fairly wet to the skin, I was altogether careless as to personal comfort; and now the faster and more heavily the rain descended, the better a great deal I was pleased with it.

* Pennant, ii. 347.