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bore that of Melin Heli; or the mill of the salt pool; and that
slates were exported from thence; which came from quarries close
by。
Having finished my ale; I bade the company adieu and quitted Port
Dyn Norwig; one of the most thoroughly Welsh places I had seen; for
during the whole time I was in it; I heard no words of English
uttered; except the two or three spoken by myself。 In about an
hour I reached Caernarvon。
The road from Bangor to Caernarvon is very good and the scenery
interesting … fine hills border it on the left; or south…east; and
on the right at some distance is the Menai with Anglesey beyond it。
Not far from Caernarvon a sandbank commences; extending for miles
up the Menai; towards Bangor; and dividing the strait into two。
I went to the Castle Inn which fronts the square or market…place;
and being shown into a room ordered some brandy…and…water; and sat
down。 Two young men were seated in the room。 I spoke to them and
received civil answers; at which I was rather astonished; as I
found by the tone of their voices that they were English。 The air
of one was far superior to that of the other; and with him I was
soon in conversation。 In the course of discourse he informed me
that being a martyr to ill…health he had come from London to Wales;
hoping that change of air; and exercise on the Welsh hills; would
afford him relief; and that his friend had been kind enough to
accompany him。 That he had been about three weeks in Wales; had
taken all the exercise that he could; but that he was still very
unwell; slept little and had no appetite。 I told him not to be
discouraged; but to proceed in the course which he had adopted till
the end of summer; by which time I thought it very probable that he
would be restored to his health; as he was still young。 At these
words of mine a beam of hope brightened his countenance; and he
said that he had no other wish than to regain his health; and that
if he did he should be the happiest of men。 The intense wish of
the poor young man for health caused me to think how insensible I
had hitherto been to the possession of the greatest of all
terrestrial blessings。 I had always had the health of an elephant;
but I never remembered to have been sensible to the magnitude of
the blessing or in the slightest degree grateful to God who gave
it。 I shuddered to think how I should feel if suddenly deprived of
my health。 Far worse; no doubt; than that poor invalid。 He was
young; and in youth there is hope … but I was no longer young。 At
last; however; I thought that if God took away my health He might
so far alter my mind that I might be happy even without health; or
the prospect of it; and that reflection made me quite comfortable。
CHAPTER XLIV
National School … The Young Preacher … Pont Bettws … Spanish Words
… Two Tongues; Two Faces … The Elephant's Snout … Llyn Cwellyn …
The Snowdon Ranger … My House … Castell y Cidwm … Descent to Beth
Gelert。
IT might be about three o'clock in the afternoon when I left
Caernarvon for Beth Gelert; distant about thirteen miles。 I
journeyed through a beautiful country of hill and dale; woods and
meadows; the whole gilded by abundance of sunshine。 After walking
about an hour without intermission I reached a village; and asked a
man the name of it。
〃Llan … something;〃 he replied。
As he was standing before a long building; through the open door of
which a sound proceeded like that of preaching; I asked him what
place it was; and what was going on in it; and received for answer
that it was the National School; and that there was a clergyman
preaching in it。 I then asked if the clergyman was of the Church;
and on learning that he was; I forthwith entered the building;
where in one end of a long room I saw a young man in a white
surplice preaching from a desk to about thirty or forty people; who
were seated on benches before him。 I sat down and listened。 The
young man preached with great zeal and fluency。 The sermon was a
very seasonable one; being about the harvest; and in it things
temporal and spiritual were very happily blended。 The part of the
sermon which I heard … I regretted that I did not hear the whole …
lasted about five…and…twenty minutes: a hymn followed; and then
the congregation broke up。 I inquired the name of the young man
who preached; and was told that it was Edwards; and that he came
from Caernarvon。 The name of the incumbent of the parish was
Thomas。
Leaving the village of the harvest sermon I proceeded on my way
which lay to the south…east。 I was now drawing nigh to the
mountainous district of Eryri; a noble hill called Mount Eilio
appeared before me to the north; an immense mountain called Pen
Drws Coed lay over against it on the south; just like a couchant
elephant with its head lower than the top of its back。 After a
time I entered a most beautiful sunny valley; and presently came to
a bridge over a pleasant stream running in the direction of the
south。 As I stood upon that bridge I almost fancied myself in
Paradise; everything looked so beautiful or grand … green; sunny
meadows lay all around me; intersected by the brook; the waters of
which ran with tinkling laughter over a shingly bottom。 Noble
Eilio to the north; enormous Pen Drws Coed to the south; a tall
mountain far beyond them to the east。 〃I never was in such a
lovely spot!〃 I cried to myself in a perfect rapture。 〃Oh; how
glad I should be to learn the name of this bridge; standing on
which I have had 'Heaven opened to me;' as my old friends the
Spaniards used to say。〃 Scarcely had I said these words when I
observed a man and a woman coming towards the bridge in the
direction in which I was bound。 I hastened to meet them in the
hope of obtaining information。 They were both rather young; and
were probably a couple of sweethearts taking a walk or returning
from meeting。 The woman was a few steps in advance of the man;
seeing that I was about to address her; she averted her head and
quickened her steps; and before I had completed the question; which
I put to her in Welsh; she had bolted past me screaming 〃Ah Dim
Seasneg;〃 and was several yards distant。
I then addressed myself to the man who had stopped; asking him the
name of the bridge。
〃Pont Bettws;〃 he replied。
〃And what may be the name of the river?〃 said I。
〃Afon … something;〃 said he。
And on my thanking him he went forward to the woman who was waiting
for him by the bridge。
〃Is that man Welsh or English?〃 I heard her say when he had
rejoined her。
〃I don't know;〃 said the man … 〃he was civil enough; why were you
such a fool?〃
〃Oh; I thought he would speak to me in English;〃 said the woman;
〃and the thought of that horrid English puts me into such a
flutter; you know I can't speak a word of it。〃
They proceeded on their way and I proceeded on mine; and presently
coming to a little inn on the left side of the way; at the entrance
of a village; I went in。
A respectable…looking man and woman were seated at tea at a table
in a nice clean kitchen。 I s