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little way above the promontory； then there is a swirl of water
round its corner into a pool below on its right； black as death；
and seemingly of great depth； then a rush through a very narrow
outlet into another pool； from which the water clamours away down
the glen。 Such is the Rhaiadr y Wennol； or Swallow Fall； called so
from the rapidity with which the waters rush and skip along。
On asking the woman on whose property the fall was； she informed me
that it was on the property of the Gwedir family。 The name of
Gwedir brought to my mind the 〃History of the Gwedir Family；〃 a
rare and curious book which I had read in my boyhood； and which was
written by the representative of that family； a certain Sir John
Wynne； about the beginning of the seventeenth century。 It gives an
account of the fortunes of the family； from its earliest rise； but
more particularly after it had emigrated； in order to avoid bad
neighbours； from a fair and fertile district into rugged Snowdonia；
where it found anything but the repose it came in quest of。 The
book which is written in bold graphic English； flings considerable
light on the state of society in Wales； in the time of the Tudors；
a truly deplorable state； as the book is full of accounts of feuds；
petty but desperate skirmishes； and revengeful murders。 To many of
the domestic sagas； or histories of ancient Icelandic families；
from the character of the events which it describes and also from
the manner in which it describes them； the 〃History of the Gwedir
Family；〃 by Sir John Wynne； bears a striking resemblance。
After giving the woman sixpence I left the fall； and proceeded on
my way。 I presently crossed a bridge under which ran the river of
the fall； and was soon in a wide valley on each side of which were
lofty hills dotted with wood； and at the top of which stood a
mighty mountain； bare and precipitous； with two paps like those of
Pindus opposite Janina； but somewhat sharper。 It was a region of
fairy beauty and of wild grandeur。 Meeting an old bleared…eyed
farmer I inquired the name of the mountain and learned that it was
called Moel Siabod or Shabod。 Shortly after leaving him； I turned
from the road to inspect a monticle which appeared to me to have
something of the appearance of a burial heap。 It stood in a green
meadow by the river which ran down the valley on the left。 Whether
it was a grave hill or a natural monticle； I will not say； but
standing in the fair meadow； the rivulet murmuring beside it； and
the old mountain looking down upon it； I thought it looked a very
meet resting…place for an old Celtic king。
Turning round the northern side of the mighty Siabod I soon reached
the village of Capel Curig； standing in a valley between two hills；
the easternmost of which is the aforesaid Moel Siabod。 Having
walked now twenty miles in a broiling day I thought it high time to
take some refreshment； and inquired the way to the inn。 The inn；
or rather the hotel； for it was a very magnificent edifice； stood
at the entrance of a pass leading to Snowdon； on the southern side
of the valley； in a totally different direction from the road
leading to Bangor； to which place I was bound。 There I dined in a
grand saloon amidst a great deal of fashionable company； who；
probably conceiving from my heated and dusty appearance that I was
some poor fellow travelling on foot from motives of economy；
surveyed me with looks of the most supercilious disdain； which；
however； neither deprived me of my appetite nor operated
uncomfortably on my feelings。
My dinner finished； I paid my bill； and having sauntered a little
about the hotel garden； which is situated on the border of a small
lake and from which； through the vista of the pass； Snowdon may be
seen towering in majesty at the distance of about six miles； I
started for Bangor； which is fourteen miles from Capel Curig。
The road to Bangor from Capel Curig is almost due west。 An hour's
walking brought me to a bleak moor； extending for a long way amidst
wild sterile hills。
The first of a chain on the left； was a huge lumpy hill with a
precipice towards the road probably three hundred feet high。 When
I had come nearly parallel with the commencement of this precipice；
I saw on the left…hand side of the road two children looking over a
low wall behind which at a little distance stood a wretched hovel。
On coming up I stopped and looked at them； they were a boy and
girl； the first about twelve； the latter a year or two younger；
both wretchedly dressed and looking very sickly。
〃Have you any English？〃 said I； addressing the boy in Welsh。
〃Dim gair；〃 said the boy； 〃not a word； there is no Saesneg near
here。〃
〃What is the name of this place？〃
〃The name of our house is Helyg。〃
〃And what is the name of that hill？〃 said I； pointing to the hill
of the precipice。
〃Allt y Gog … the high place of the cuckoo。〃
〃Have you a father and mother？〃
〃We have。〃
〃Are they in the house？〃
〃They are gone to Capel Curig。〃
〃And they left you alone？〃
〃They did。 With the cat and the trin…wire。〃
〃Do your father and mother make wire…work？〃
〃They do。 They live by making it。〃
〃What is the wire…work for？〃
〃It is for hedges to fence the fields with。〃
〃Do you help your father and mother？〃
〃We do； as far as we can。〃
〃You both look unwell。〃
〃We have lately had the cryd〃 （ague）。
〃Is there much cryd about here？〃
〃Plenty。〃
〃Do you live well？〃
〃When we have bread we live well。〃
〃If I give you a penny will you bring me some water？〃
〃We will； whether you give us a penny or not。 Come； sister； let us
go and fetch the gentleman water。〃
They ran into the house and presently returned； the girl bearing a
pan of water。 After I had drunk I gave each of the children a
penny； and received in return from each a diolch or thanks。
〃Can either of you read？〃
〃Neither one nor the other。〃
〃Can your father and mother read？〃
〃My father cannot； my mother can a little。〃
〃Are there books in the house？〃
〃There are not。〃
〃No Bible？〃
〃There is no book at all。〃
〃Do you go to church？〃
〃We do not。〃
〃To chapel？〃
〃In fine weather。〃
〃Are you happy？〃
〃When there is bread in the house and no cryd we are all happy。〃
〃Farewell to you； children。〃
〃Farewell to you； gentleman！〃 exclaimed both。
〃I have learnt something；〃 said I； 〃of Welsh cottage life and
feeling from that poor sickly child。〃
I had passed the first and second of the hills which stood on the
left； and a huge long mountain on the right which confronted both；
when a young man came down from a gully on my left hand； and
proceeded in the same direction as myself。 He was dressed in a
blue coat and corduroy trowsers； and appeared to be of a condition
a little above that of a labourer。 He shook his head and scowled
when I spoke to him in English； but smiled on my speaking Welsh；
and said： 〃Ah； you speak Cumraeg： I thought no Sais could speak
Cumraeg。〃 I asked him if he was going far。
〃About four miles；〃 he replied。
〃On the Bangor road？〃
〃Yes；〃 said he； 〃down the B