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Barbara Wynn； the Rose of Maelai； to Richard Middleton； the
handsome cavalier of Maelor； and within there she lies buried； even
as the songster who lamented her untimely death in immortal verse
lies buried out here in the graveyard。 What interesting
associations has this church for me； both outside and in； but all
connected with Huw； for what should I have known of Barbara； the
Rose； and gallant Richard but for the poem on their affectionate
union and untimely separation； the dialogue between the living and
the dead； composed by humble Huw； the farmer's son of Ponty y
Meibion？〃
After gazing through the window till my eyes watered I turned to
the innkeeper； and inquired the way to Llan Rhyadr。 Having
received from him the desired information I thanked him for his
civility； and set out on my return。
Before I could get clear of the town I suddenly encountered my
friend R…； the clever lawyer and magistrate's clerk of Llangollen。
〃I little expected to see you here；〃 said he。
〃Nor I you；〃 I replied。
〃I came in my official capacity；〃 said he； 〃the petty sessions have
been held here to…day。〃
〃I know they have；〃 I replied； 〃and that two poachers have been
convicted。 I came here on my way to South Wales to see the grave
of Huw Morris； who； as you know； is buried in the churchyard。〃
〃Have you seen the clergyman？〃 said R…。
〃No；〃 I replied。
〃Then come with me；〃 said he； 〃I am now going to call upon him。 I
know he will be rejoiced to make your acquaintance。〃
He led me to the clergyman's house； which stood at the south…west
end of the village within a garden fenced with an iron paling。 We
found the clergyman in a nice comfortable parlour or study； the
sides of which were decorated with books。 He was a sharp clever…
looking man； of about the middle age。 On my being introduced to
him he was very glad to see me； as my friend R… told me he would
be。 He seemed to know all about me； even that I understood Welsh。
We conversed on various subjects： on the power of the Welsh
language； its mutable letters； on Huw Morris； and likewise on ale；
with an excellent glass of which he regaled me。 I was much pleased
with him； and thought him a capital specimen of the Welsh country
clergyman。 His name was Walter Jones。
After staying about half…an…hour I took leave of the good kind man；
who wished me all kind of happiness； spiritual and temporal； and
said that he should always be happy to see me at Llan Silin。 My
friend R… walked with me a little way and then bade me farewell。
It was now late in the afternoon； the sky was grey and gloomy； and
a kind of half wintry wind was blowing。 In the forenoon I had
travelled along the eastern side of the valley； which I will call
that of Llan Rhyadr； directing my course to the north； but I was
now on the western side of the valley； journeying towards the
south。 In about half…an…hour I found myself nearly parallel with
the high crag which I had seen from a distance in the morning。 It
was now to the east of me。 Its western front was very precipitous；
but on its northern side it was cultivated nearly to the summit。
As I stood looking at it from near the top of a gentle acclivity a
boy with a team； whom I had passed a little time before； came up。
He was whipping his horses； who were straining up the ascent； and
was swearing at them most frightfully in English。 I addressed him
in that language； inquiring the name of the crag； but he answered
Dim Saesneg； and then again fell to cursing； his horses in English。
I allowed him and his team to get to the top of the ascent； and
then overtaking him； I said in Welsh： 〃What do you mean by saying
you have no English？ You were talking English just now to your
horses。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the lad； 〃I have English enough for my horses； and that
is all。〃
〃You seem to have plenty of Welsh；〃 said I； 〃why don't you speak
Welsh to your horses？〃
〃It's of no use speaking Welsh to them；〃 said the boy； 〃Welsh isn't
strong enough。〃
〃Isn't Myn Diawl tolerably strong？〃 said I。
〃Not strong enough for horses；〃 said the boy 〃if I were to say Myn
Diawl to my horses； or even Cas Andras； they would laugh at me。〃
〃Do the other carters；〃 said I； 〃use the same English to their
horses which you do to yours？〃
〃Yes〃 said the boy； 〃they'll all use the same English words； if
they didn't the horses wouldn't mind them。〃
〃What a triumph；〃 thought I； 〃for the English language that the
Welsh carters are obliged to have recourse to its oaths and
execrations to make their horses get on！〃
I said nothing more to the boy on the subject of language； but
again asked him the name of the crag。 〃It is called Craig y
Gorllewin；〃 said he。 I thanked him； and soon left him and his team
far behind。
Notwithstanding what the boy said about the milk…and…water
character of native Welsh oaths； the Welsh have some very pungent
execrations； quite as efficacious； I should say； to make a horse
get on as any in the English swearing vocabulary。 Some of their
oaths are curious； being connected with heathen times and Druidical
mythology； for example that Cas Andras； mentioned by the boy； which
means hateful enemy or horrible Andras。 Andras or Andraste was the
fury or Demigorgon of the Ancient Cumry； to whom they built temples
and offered sacrifices out of fear。 Curious that the same oath
should be used by the Christian Cumry of the present day； which was
in vogue amongst their pagan ancestors some three thousand years
ago。 However； the same thing is observable amongst us Christian
English： we say the Duse take you！ even as our heathen Saxon
forefathers did； who worshipped a kind of Devil so called； and
named a day of the week after him； which name we still retain in
our hebdomadal calendar like those of several other Anglo…Saxon
devils。 We also say： Go to old Nick！ and Nick or Nikkur was a
surname of Woden； and also the name of a spirit which haunted fords
and was in the habit of drowning passengers。
Night came quickly upon me after I had passed the swearing lad。
However； I was fortunate enough to reach Llan Rhyadr； without
having experienced any damage or impediment from Diawl； Andras；
Duse； or Nick。
CHAPTER LXIX
Church of Llan Rhyadr … The Clerk … The Tablet … Stone … First View
of the Cataract。
THE night was both windy and rainy like the preceding one； but the
morning which followed； unlike that of the day before； was dull and
gloomy。 After breakfast I walked out to take another view of the
little town。 As I stood looking at the church a middle…aged man of
a remarkably intelligent countenance came up and asked me if I
should like to see the inside。 I told him I should； whereupon he
said that he was the clerk and would admit me with pleasure。
Taking a key out of his pocket he unlocked the door of the church
and we went in。 The inside was sombre； not so much owing to the
gloominess of the day as the heaviness of the architecture。 It
presented something in the form of a cross。 I soon found the clerk
what his countenance represented him to be； a highly inte