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　Bangor　road。〃
  I　learned　that　he　was　a　carpenter；　and　that　he　had　been　up　the
  gully　to　see　an　acquaintance　…　perhaps　a　sweetheart。　　We　passed　a
  lake　on　our　right　which　he　told　me　was　called　Llyn　Ogwen；　and　that
  it　abounded　with　fish。　　He　was　very　amusing；　and　expressed　great
  delight　at　having　found　an　Englishman　who　could　speak　Welsh；　〃it
  will　be　a　thing　to　talk　of；〃　said　he；　〃for　the　rest　of　my　life。〃
  He　entered　two　or　three　cottages　by　the　side　of　the　road；　and　each
  time　he　came　out　I　heard　him　say：　　〃I　am　with　a　Sais　who　can　speak
  Cumraeg。〃　　At　length　we　came　to　a　gloomy…looking　valley　trending
  due　north；　down　this　valley　the　road　ran；　having　an　enormous　wall
  of　rocks　on　its　right　and　a　precipitous　hollow　on　the　left；　beyond
  which　was　a　wall　equally　high　as　the　other　one。　　When　we　had
  proceeded　some　way　down　the　road　my　guide　said。　　〃You　shall　now
  hear　a　wonderful　echo；〃　and　shouting　〃taw；　taw；〃　the　rocks　replied
  in　a　manner　something　like　the　baying　of　hounds。　　〃Hark　to　the
  dogs！〃　exclaimed　my　companion。　　〃This　pass　is　called　Nant　yr　ieuanc
  gwn；　the　pass　of　the　young　dogs；　because　when　one　shouts　it　answers
  with　a　noise　resembling　the　crying　of　hounds。〃
  The　sun　was　setting　when　we　came　to　a　small　village　at　the　bottom
  of　the　pass。　　I　asked　my　companion　its　name。　　〃Ty　yn　y　maes；〃　he
  replied；　adding　as　he　stopped　before　a　small　cottage　that　he　was
  going　no　farther；　as　he　dwelt　there。
  〃Is　there　a　public…house　here？〃　said　I。
  〃There　is；〃　he　replied；　〃you　will　find　one　a　little　farther　up　on
  the　right　hand。〃
  〃Come；　and　take　some　ale；〃　said　I。
  〃No；〃　said　he。
  〃Why　not？〃　I　demanded。
  〃I　am　a　teetotaler；〃　he　replied。
  〃Indeed；〃　said　I；　and　having　shaken　him　by　the　hand；　thanked　him
  for　his　company　and　bidding　him　farewell；　went　on。　　He　was　the
  first　person　I　had　ever　met　of　the　fraternity　to　which　he　belonged；
  who　did　not　endeavour　to　make　a　parade　of　his　abstinence　and　self…
  denial。
  After　drinking　some　tolerably　good　ale　in　the　public　house　I