round　the　brass　man　and　horse　in　College　Green　as　they　did　of
  ould？〃
  〃Who　knows？〃　said　I。　　〃But　suppose　all　that　were　to　happen；　what
  would　it　signify　to　you？〃
  〃Why　then　divil　be　in　my　patten　if　I　would　not　go　back　to
  Donnybrook　and　Dublin；　hoist　the　Orange　cockade；　and　become　as　good
  an　Orange　boy　as　ever。〃
  〃What；〃　said　I；　〃and　give　up　Popery　for　the　second　time？〃
  〃I　would；　your　hanner；　and　why　not？　for　in　spite　of　what　I　have
  heard　Father　Toban　say；　I　am　by　no　means　certain　that　all
  Protestants　will　be　damned。〃
  〃Farewell；〃　said　I。
  〃Farewell；　your　hanner；　and　long　life　and　prosperity　to　you！　　God
  bless　your　hanner　and　your　Orange　face。　　Ah；　the　Orange　boys　are
  the　boys　for　keeping　faith。　　They　never　served　me　as　Dan　O'Connell
  and　his　dirty　gang　of　repalers　and　emancipators　did。　　Farewell；
  your　hanner；　once　more；　and　here's　another　scratch　of　the　illigant
  tune　your　hanner　is　so　fond　of；　to　cheer　up　your　hanner's　ears　upon
  your　way。〃
  And　long　after　I　had　left　him　I　could　hear　him　playing　on　his
  fiddle　in　first…rate　style　the　beautiful　tune　of　〃Down；　down；
  Croppies　Lie　Down。〃
  CHAPTER　XXVI
  Ceiniog　Mawr　…　Pentre　Voelas　…　The　Old　Conway　…　Stupendous　Pass　…
  The　Gwedir　Family　…　Capel　Curig　…　The　Two　Children　…　Bread　…
  Wonderful　Echo　…　Tremendous　Walker。
  I　WALKED　on　briskly　over　a　flat　uninteresting　country；　and　in　about
  an　hour's　time　came　in　front　of　a　large　stone　house。　　It　stood　near
  the　road；　on　the　left…hand　side；　with　a　pond　and　pleasant　trees
  before　it；　and　a　number　of　corn…stacks　behind。　　It　had　something
  the　appearance　of　an　inn；　but　displayed　no　sign。　　As　I　was　standing
  looking　at　it；　a　man　with　the　look　of　a　labourer；　and　with　a　dog　by
  his　side；　came　out　of　the　house　and　advanced　towards　me。
  〃What　is　the　name　of　this　place？〃　said　I　to　him　in　English　as　he
  drew　nigh。
  〃Sir；〃　said　the　man；　〃the　name　of　the　house　is　Ceiniog　Mawr。〃
  〃Is　it　an　inn？〃　said　I。
  〃Not　now；　sir；　but　some　years　ago　it　was　an　inn；　and　a　very　large
  one；　at　which　coaches　used　to　stop；　at　present　it　is　occupied　by　an
  amaethwr　…　that　is　a　farmer；　sir。〃
  〃Ceiniog　Mawr　means　a　great　penny；〃　said　I；　〃why　is　it　called　by
  that　name？〃
  〃I　have　heard；　sir；　that　before　it　was　an　inn　it　was　a　very
  considerable　place；　namely　a　royal　mint；　at　which　pennies　were
  made；　and　on　that　account　it　was　called　Ceiniog　Mawr。〃
  I　was　subsequently　told　that　the　name　of　this　place　was　Cernioge
  Mawr。　　If　such　be　the　real　name　the　legend　about　the　mint　falls　to
  the　ground；　Cernioge　having　nothing　to　do　with　pence。　　Cern　in
  Welsh　means　a　jaw。　　Perhaps　the　true　name　of　the　house　is　Corniawg；
  which　interpreted　is　a　place　with　plenty　of　turrets　or　chimneys。　　A
  mile　or　two　further　the　ground　began　to　rise；　and　I　came　to　a　small
  village　at　the　entrance　of　which　was　a　water…wheel　…　near　the
  village　was　a　gentleman's　seat　almost　surrounded　by　groves。　　After
  I　had　passed　through　the　village；　seeing　a　woman　seated　by　the
  roadside　knitting；　I　asked　her　in　English　its　name。　　Finding　she
  had　no　Saesneg　I　repeated　the　question　in　Welsh；　whereupon　she　told
  me　that　it　was　called　Pentre　Voelas。
  〃And　whom　does　the　'Plas'　belong　to　yonder　amongst　the　groves？〃
  said　I。
  〃It　belongs　to　Mr　Wynn；　sir；　and　so　does　the　village　and　a　great
  deal　of　the　land　about　here。　　A　very　good　gentleman　is　Mr　Wynn；
  sir；　he　is　very　kind　to　his　tenants　and　a　very　good　lady　is　Mrs
  Wynn；　sir；　in　the　winter　she　gives　much　soup　to　the　poor。〃
  After　leaving　the　village　of　Pentre　Voelas　I　soon　found　myself　in　a
  wild　hilly　region。　　I　crossed　a　bridge　over　a　river；　which；
  brawling　and　tumbling　amidst　rocks；　shaped　its　course　to　the　north…
  east。　　As　I　proceeded；　the　country　became　more　and　more　wild；　there
  were　dingles　and　hollows　in　abundance；　and　fantastic…looking　hills；
  some　of　which　were　bare；　and　others　clad　with　trees　of　various
  kinds。　　Came　to　a　little　well　in　a　cavity；　dug　in　a　high　bank　on
  the　left…hand　side　of　the　road；　and　fenced　by　rude　stone　work　on
  either　side；　the　well　was　about　ten　inches　in　diameter；　and　as　many
  deep。　　Water　oozing　from　the　bank　upon　a　slanting　tile　fastened
  into　the　earth　fell　into　it。　　After　damming　up　the　end　of　the　tile
  with　my　hand；　and　drinking　some　delicious　water；　I　passed　on　and
  presently　arrived　at　a　cottage；　just　inside　the　door　of　which　sat　a
  good…looking　middle…aged　woman　engaged　in　knitting；　the　general
  occupation　of　Welsh　females。
  〃Good…day；〃　said　I　to　her　in　Welsh。　　〃Fine　weather。〃
  〃In　truth；　sir；　it　is　fine　weather　for　the　harvest。〃
  〃Are　you　alone　in　the　house？〃
  〃I　am；　sir；　my　husband　has　gone　to　his　labour。〃
  〃Have　you　any　children？〃
  〃Two；　sir；　but　they　are　out　at　service。〃
  〃What　is　the　name　of　this　place？〃
  〃Pant　Paddock；　sir。〃
  〃Do　you　get　your　water　from　the　little　well　yonder？〃
  〃We　do；　sir；　and　good　water　it　is。〃
  〃I　have　drunk　of　it。〃
  〃Much　good　may　what　you　have　drunk　do　you；　sir！〃
  〃What　is　the　name　of　the　river　near　here？〃
  〃It　is　called　the　Conway；　sir。〃
  〃Dear　me；　is　that　river　the　Conway？〃
  〃You　have　heard　of　it；　sir？〃
  〃Heard　of　it！　it　is　one　of　the　famous　rivers　of　the　world。　　The
  poets　are　very　fond　of　it　…　one　of　the　great　poets　of　my　country
  calls　it　the　old　Conway。〃
  〃Is　one　river　older　than　another；　sir？〃
  〃That's　a　shrewd　question。　　Can　you　read？〃
  〃I　can；　sir。〃
  〃Have　you　any　books？〃
  〃I　have　the　Bible；　sir。〃
  〃Will　you　show　it　me？〃
  〃Willingly；　sir。〃
  Then　getting　up　she　took　a　book　from　a　shelf　and　handed　it　to　me；
  at　the　same　time　begging　me　to　enter　the　house　and　sit　down。　　I
  declined；　and　she　again　took　her　seat　and　resumed　her　occupation。
  On　opening　the　book　the　first　words　which　met　my　eye　were：　　〃Gad　i
  mi　fyned　trwy　dy　dir！　…　Let　me　go　through　your　country〃　（Numb。　XX。
  22）。
  〃I　may　say　these　words；〃　said　I；　pointing　to　the　passage。　　〃Let　me
  go　through　your　country。〃
  〃No　one　will　hinder　you；　sir；　for　you　seem　a　civil　gentleman。〃
  〃No　one　has　hindered　me　hitherto。　　Wherever　I　have　been　in　Wales　I
  have　experienced　nothing　but　kindness　and　hospitality；　and　when　I
  return　to　my　own　country　I　will　say　so。〃
  〃What　country　is　yours；　sir？〃
  〃England。　　Did　you　not　know　that　by　my　tongue？〃
  〃I　did　not；　sir。　　I　knew　by　your　tongue　that　you　were　not　from　our
  parts　…　but　I　did　not　know　that　you　were　an　Englishman。　　I　took　you
  for　a　Cumro　of　the　south　country。〃
  Returning　the　kind　woman　her　book；　and　bidding　her　farewell　I
  departed；　and　proceeded　some　miles　through　a　truly　magnificent
  country　of　wood；　rock；　and　mountain。　　At　length　I　came　to　a　steep
  mountain　gorge；　down　which　the　road　ran　nearly　due　north；　the
  Conway　to　the　left　running　with　great　noise　parallel　with　the　road；
  amongst　broken　rocks；　which　chafed　it　into　foam。　　I　was　now　amidst
  stupendous　hills；　whose　paps；　peaks；　and　pinnacles　seemed　to　rise
  to　the　very　heaven。　　An　immense　mountain　on　the　right　side　of　the
  road　particularly　struck　my　attention；　and　on　inquiring　of　a　man
  breaking　stones　by　the　roadside　I　learned　that　it　was　called　Dinas
  Mawr；　or　the　large　citadel；　perhaps　from　a　fort　having　been　built
  upon　it　to　defend　the　pass　in　the　old　British　times。　　Coming　to　the
  bottom　of　the　pass　I　crossed　over　by　an　ancient　bridge；　and；
  passing　through　a　small　town；　found　myself　in　a　beautiful　valley
  with　majestic　hills　on　either　side。　　This　was　the　Dyffryn　Conway；
  the　celebrated　Vale　of　Conway；　to　which　in　the　summer　time
  fashionable　gentry　from　all　parts　of　Britain　resort　for　shade　and
  relaxation。　　When　about　midway　down　the　valley　I　turned　to　the
  west；　up　one　of　the　grandest　passes　in　the　world；　having　two
  immense　door…posts　of　rock　at　the　entrance。　the　northern　one
  probably　rising　to　the　altitude　of　nine　hundred　feet。　　On　the
  southern　side　of　this　pass　near　the　entrance　were　neat　dwellings
  for　the　accommodation　of　visitors　with　cool　apartments　on　the
  ground　floor；　with　large　windows；　looking　towards　the　precipitous
  side　of　the　mighty　northern　hill；　within　them　I　observed　tables；
  and　books；　and　young　men；　probably　English　collegians；　seated　at
  study。
  After　I　had　proceeded　some　way　up　the　pass；　down　which　a　small
  river　ran；　a　woman　who　was　standing　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the
  way；　seemingly　on　the　look…out；　begged　me　in　broken　English　to　step
  aside　and　look　at　the　fall。
  〃You　mean　a　waterfall；　I　suppose？〃　said　I。
  〃Yes；　sir。〃
  〃And　how　do　you　call　it？〃　said　I。
  〃The　Fall　of　the　Swallow；　sir。〃
  〃And　in　Welsh？〃　said　I。
  〃Rhaiadr　y　Wennol；　sir。〃
  〃And　what　is　the　name　of　the　river？〃　said　I。
  〃We　call　the　river　the　Lygwy；　sir。〃
  I　told　the　woman　I　would　go；　whereupon　she　conducted　me　through　a
  gate　on　the　right…hand　side　and　down　a　path　overhung　with　trees　to
  a　rock　projecting　into　the　river。　　The　Fall　of　the　Swallow　is　not　a
  majestic　single　fall；　but　a　succession　of　small　ones。　　First　there
  are　a　number　of　little　foaming　torrents；　bursting　through　rocks
  about　twenty　yards　above　the　promontory　on　which　I　stood。　　Then
  come　two　beautiful　rolls　of　white　water；　dashing　into　a　pool　a
  little　way　above　the　promontory；　then　there　is　a　swirl　of　water
  round　its　corner　into　a