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well to have some business； however trifling； to transact at the
end of it； so having determined to go to Wrexham by the mountain
road； I set out on the Saturday next after the one on which I had
met the farmer who had told me of it。
The day was gloomy； with some tendency to rain。 I passed under the
hill of Dinas Bran。 About a furlong from its western base I turned
round and surveyed it … and perhaps the best view of the noble
mountain is to be obtained from the place where I turned round。
How grand though sad from there it looked； that grey morning； with
its fine ruin on its brow above which a little cloud hovered！ It
put me in mind of some old king； unfortunate and melancholy but a
king still； with the look of a king； and the ancestral crown still
on his furrowed forehead。 I proceeded on my way； all was wild and
solitary； and the yellow leaves were falling from the trees of the
groves。 I passed by the farmyard； where I had held discourse with
the farmer on the preceding Saturday； and soon entered the glen；
the appearance of which had so much attracted my curiosity。 A
torrent； rushing down from the north； was on my right。 It soon
began to drizzle； and mist so filled the glen that I could only
distinguish objects a short way before me； and on either side。 I
wandered on a considerable way； crossing the torrent several times
by rustic bridges。 I passed two lone farm…houses and at last saw
another on my left hand。 The mist had now cleared up； but it still
slightly rained … the scenery was wild to a degree … a little way
before me was a tremendous pass； near it an enormous crag of a
strange form rising to the very heavens； the upper part of it of a
dull white colour。 Seeing a respectable…looking man near the house
I went up to him。
〃Am I in the right way to Wrexham？〃 said I； addressing him in
English。
〃You can get to Wrexham this way； sir；〃 he replied。
〃Can you tell me the name of that crag？〃 said I； pointing to the
large one。
〃That crag； sir； is called Craig y Forwyn。〃
〃The maiden's crag；〃 said I； 〃why is it called so？〃
〃I do not know sir； some people say that it is called so because
its head is like that of a woman； others because a young girl in
love leaped from the top of it and was killed。〃
〃And what is the name of this house？〃 said I。
〃This house； sir； is called Plas Uchaf。〃
〃Is it called Plas Uchaf；〃 said I； 〃because it is the highest house
in the valley？〃
〃It is； sir； it is the highest of three homesteads； the next below
it is Plas Canol … and the one below that Plas Isaf。〃
〃Middle place and lower place；〃 said I。 〃It is very odd that I
know in England three people who derive their names from places so
situated。 One is Houghton； another Middleton； and the third
Lowdon； in modern English； Hightown； Middletown； and Lowtown。〃
〃You appear to be a person of great intelligence； sir。〃
〃No； I am not … but I am rather fond of analysing words；
particularly the names of persons and places。 Is the road to
Wrexham hard to find？〃
〃Not very； sir； that is； in the day…time。 Do you live at Wrexham？〃
〃No；〃 I replied； 〃I am stopping at Llangollen。〃
〃But you won't return there to…night？〃
〃Oh yes； I shall！〃
〃By this road？〃
〃No； by the common road。 This is not a road to travel by night。〃
〃Nor is the common road； sir； for a respectable person on foot；
that is； on a Saturday night。 You will perhaps meet drunken
colliers who may knock you down。〃
〃I will take my chance for that；〃 said I； and bade him farewell。 I
entered the pass； passing under the strange…looking crag。 After I
had walked about half a mile the pass widened considerably and a
little way further on debauched on some wild moory ground。 Here
the road became very indistinct。 At length I stopped in a state of
uncertainty。 A well…defined path presented itself； leading to the
east； whilst northward before me there seemed scarcely any path at
all。 After some hesitation I turned to the east by the well…
defined path； and by so doing went wrong； as I soon found。
I mounted the side of a brown hill covered with moss…like grass；
and here and there heather。 By the time I arrived at the top of
the hill the sun shone out； and I saw Rhiwabon and Cefn Mawr before
me in the distance。 〃I am going wrong；〃 said I； 〃I should have
kept on due north。 However； I will not go back； but will steeple…
chase it across the country to Wrexham； which must be towards the
north…east。〃 So turning aside from the path； I dashed across the
hills in that direction； sometimes the heather was up to my knees；
and sometimes I was up to the knees in quags。 At length I came to
a deep ravine which I descended； at the bottom was a quagmire；
which； however； I contrived to cross by means of certain stepping…
stones； and came to a cart path up a heathery hill which I
followed。 I soon reached the top of the hill； and the path still
continuing； I followed it till I saw some small grimy…looking huts；
which I supposed were those of colliers。 At the door of the first
I saw a girl。 I spoke to her in Welsh； and found she had little or
none。 I passed on； and seeing the door of a cabin open I looked in
… and saw no adult person； but several grimy but chubby children。
I spoke to them in English； and found they could only speak Welsh。
Presently I observed a robust woman advancing towards me； she was
barefooted and bore on her head an immense lump of coal。 I spoke
to her in Welsh； and found she could only speak English。 〃Truly；〃
said I to myself； 〃I am on the borders。 What a mixture of races
and languages！〃 The next person I met was a man in a collier's
dress； he was a stout…built fellow of the middle age； with a coal…
dusty surly countenance。 I asked him in Welsh if I was in the
right direction for Wrexham； he answered in a surly manner in
English； that I was。 I again spoke to him in Welsh； making some
indifferent observation on the weather； and he answered in English
yet more gruffly than before。 For the third time I spoke to him in
Welsh； whereupon looking at me with a grin of savage contempt； and
showing a set of teeth like those of a mastiff； he said； 〃How's
this？ why you haven't a word of English？ A pretty fellow you； with
a long coat on your back and no English on your tongue； an't you
ashamed of yourself？ Why； here am I in a short coat； yet I'd have
you to know that I can speak English as well as Welsh； aye and a
good deal better。〃 〃All people are not equally clebber；〃 said I；
still speaking Welsh。 〃Clebber；〃 said he； 〃clebber！ what is
clebber？ why can't you say clever！ Why； I never saw such a low；
illiterate fellow in my life；〃 and with these words he turned away
with every mark of disdain； and entered a cottage near at hand。
〃Here I have had；〃 said I to myself； as I proceeded on my way； 〃to
pay for the over…praise which I lately received。 The farmer on the
other side of the mountain called me a person of great
intelligence； which I never pretended to be； and now this collier
calls me a low； illiterate fellow； which I really don't think I am。
There