one　of　the　most　admirable　of　his　pieces；　was　composed　on　one　of
  these　occasions。
  Want　of　space　prevents　the　writer　from　saying　as　much　as　he　could
  wish　about　the　genius　of　this　wonderful　man；　the　greatest　of　his
  country's　songsters；　well　calculated　by　nature　to　do　honour　to　the
  most　polished　age　and　the　most　widely…spoken　language。　　The　bards
  his　contemporaries；　and　those　who　succeeded　him　for　several　hundred
  years；　were　perfectly　convinced　of　his　superiority；　not　only　over
  themselves；　but　over　all　the　poets　of　the　past；　and　one；　and　a
  mighty　one；　old　Iolo　the　bard　of　Glendower；　went　so　far　as　to
  insinuate　that　after　Ab　Gwilym　it　would　be　of　little　avail　for　any
  one　to　make　verses　…
  〃Aed　lle　mae'r　eang　dangneff；
  Ac　aed　y　gerdd　gydag　ef。〃
  〃To　Heaven's　high　peace　let　him　depart；
  And　with　him　go　the　minstrel　art。〃
  He　was　buried　at　Ystrad　Flur；　and　a　yew　tree　was　planted　over　his
  grave；　to　which　Gruffydd　Gryg；　a　brother　bard；　who　was　at　one　time
  his　enemy；　but　eventually　became　one　of　the　most　ardent　of　his
  admirers；　addressed　an　ode；　of　part　of　which　the　following　is　a
  paraphrase：…
  〃Thou　noble　tree；　who　shelt'rest　kind
  The　dead　man's　house　from　winter's　wind；
  May　lightnings　never　lay　thee　low；
  Nor　archer　cut　from　thee　his　bow；
  Nor　Crispin　peel　thee　pegs　to　frame；
  But　may　thou　ever　bloom　the　same；
  A　noble　tree　the　grave　to　guard
  Of　Cambria's　most　illustrious　bard！〃
  CHAPTER　LXXXVII
  Start　for　Plynlimmon　…　Plynlimmon's　Celebrity　…　Troed　Rhiw　Goch。
  THE　morning　of　the　fifth　of　November　looked　rather　threatening。
  As；　however；　it　did　not　rain；　I　determined　to　set　off　for
  Plynlimmon；　and；　returning　at　night　to　the　inn；　resume　my　journey
  to　the　south　on　the　following　day。　　On　looking　into　a　pocket
  almanac　I　found　it　was　Sunday。　　This　very　much　disconcerted　me；　and
  I　thought　at　first　of　giving　up　my　expedition。　　Eventually；
  however；　I　determined　to　go；　for　I　reflected　that　I　should　be　doing
  no　harm；　and　that　I　might　acknowledge　the　sacredness　of　the　day　by
  attending　morning　service　at　the　little　Church　of　England　chapel
  which　lay　in　my　way。
  The　mountain　of　Plynlimmon　to　which　I　was　bound　is　the　third　in
  Wales　for　altitude；　being　only　inferior　to　Snowdon　and　Cadair
  Idris。　　Its　proper　name　is　Pum；　or　Pump；　Lumon；　signifying　the　five
  points；　because　towards　the　upper　part　it　is　divided　into　five
  hills　or　points。　　Plynlimmon　is　a　celebrated　hill　on　many　accounts。
  It　has　been　the　scene　of　many　remarkable　events。　　In　the　tenth
  century　a　dreadful　battle　was　fought　on　one　of　its　spurs　between
  the　Danes　and　the　Welsh；　in　which　the　former　sustained　a　bloody
  overthrow；　and　in　1401　a　conflict　took　place　in　one　of　its　valleys
  between　the　Welsh；　under　Glendower；　and　the　Flemings　of
  Pembrokeshire；　who；　exasperated　at　having　their　homesteads
  plundered　and　burned　by　the　chieftain　who　was　the　mortal　enemy　of
  their　race；　assembled　in　considerable　numbers　and　drove　Glendower
  and　his　forces　before　them　to　Plynlimmon；　where；　the　Welshmen
  standing　at　bay；　a　contest　ensued；　in　which；　though　eventually
  worsted；　the　Flemings　were　at　one　time　all　but　victorious。　　What；
  however；　has　more　than　anything　else　contributed　to　the　celebrity
  of　the　hill　is　the　circumstance　of　its　giving　birth　to　three
  rivers；　the　first　of　which；　the　Severn；　is　the　principal　stream　in
  Britain；　the　second；　the　Wye；　the　most　lovely　river；　probably；
  which　the　world　can　boast　of；　and　the　third；　the　Rheidol；　entitled
  to　high　honour　from　its　boldness　and　impetuosity；　and　the
  remarkable　banks　between　which　it　flows　in　its　very　short　course；
  for　there　are　scarcely　twenty　miles　between　the　ffynnon　or　source
  of　the　Rheidol　and　the　aber　or　place　where　it　disembogues　itself
  into　the　sea。
  I　started　about　ten　o'clock　on　my　expedition；　after　making；　of
  course；　a　very　hearty　breakfast。　　Scarcely　had　I　crossed　the
  Devil's　Bridge　when　a　shower　of　hail　and　rain　came　on。　　As；
  however；　it　came　down　nearly　perpendicularly；　I　put　up　my　umbrella
  and　laughed。　　The　shower　pelted　away　till　I　had　nearly　reached
  Spytty　Cynwyl；　when　it　suddenly　left　off　and　the　day　became
  tolerably　fine。　　On　arriving　at　the　Spytty；　I　was　sorry　to　find
  that　there　would　be　no　service　till　three　in　the　afternoon。　　As
  waiting　till　that　time　was　out　of　the　question；　I　pushed　forward　on
  my　expedition。　　Leaving　Pont　Erwyd　at　some　distance　on　my　left；　I
  went　duly　north　till　I　came　to　a　place　amongst　hills　where　the　road
  was　crossed　by　an　angry…looking　rivulet；　the　same；　I　believe　which
  enters　the　Rheidol　near　Pont　Erwyd；　and　which　is　called　the　Castle
  River。　　I　was　just　going　to　pull　off　my　boots　and　stockings　in
  order　to　wade　through；　when　I　perceived　a　pole　and　a　rail　laid　over
  the　stream　at　little　distance　above　where　I　was。　　This　rustic
  bridge　enabled　me　to　cross　without　running　the　danger　of　getting　a
  regular　sousing；　for　these　mountain　streams；　even　when　not　reaching
  so　high　as　the　knee；　occasionally　sweep　the　wader　off　his　legs；　as
  I　know　by　my　own　experience。　　From　a　lad　whom　I　presently　met　I
  learned　that　the　place　where　I　crossed　the　water　was　called　Troed
  rhiw　goch；　or　the　Foot　of　the　Red　Slope。
  About　twenty　minutes'　walk　from　hence　brought　me　to　Castell
  Dyffryn；　an　inn　about　six　miles　distant　from　the　Devil's　Bridge；
  and　situated　near　a　spur　of　the　Plynlimmon　range。　　Here　I　engaged　a
  man　to　show　me　the　sources　of　the　rivers　and　the　other　wonders　of
  the　mountain。　　He　was　a　tall；　athletic　fellow；　dressed　in　brown
  coat；　round　buff　hat；　corduroy　trousers；　linen　leggings　and
  highlows；　and；　though　a　Cumro；　had　much　more　the　appearance　of　a
  native　of　Tipperary　than　a　Welshman。　　He　was　a　kind　of　shepherd　to
  the　people　of　the　house；　who；　like　many　others　in　South　Wales；
  followed　farming　and　inn…keeping　at　the　same　time。
  CHAPTER　LXXXVIII
  The　Guide　…　The　Great　Plynlimmon　…　A　Dangerous　Path　…　Source　of　the
  Rheidol　…　Source　of　the　Severn　…　Pennillion　…　Old　Times　and　New　…
  The　Corpse　Candle　…　Supper。
  LEAVING　the　inn；　my　guide　and　myself　began　to　ascend　a　steep　hill
  just　behind　it。　　When　we　were　about　halfway　up　I　asked　my
  companion；　who　spoke　very　fair　English；　why　the　place　was　called
  the　Castle。
  〃Because；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃there　was　a　castle　here　in　the　old　time。〃
  〃Whereabouts　was　it？〃　said　I。
  〃Yonder；〃　said　the　man；　standing　still　and　pointing　to　the　right。
  〃Don't　you　see　yonder　brown　spot　in　the　valley？　　There　the　castle
  stood。〃
  〃But　are　there　no　remains　of　it？〃　said　I。　　〃I　can　see　nothing　but　a
  brown　spot。〃
  〃There　are　none；　sir；　but　there　a　castle　once　stood；　and　from　it
  the　place　we　came　from　had　its　name；　and　likewise　the　river　that
  runs　down　to　Pont　Erwyd。〃
  〃And　who　lived　there？〃　said　I。
  〃I　don't　know；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　〃but　I　suppose　they　were　grand
  people；　or　they　would　not　have　lived　in　a　castle。〃
  After　ascending　the　hill　and　passing　over　its　top；　we　went　down　its
  western　side　and　soon　came　to　a　black；　frightful　bog　between　two
  hills。　　Beyond　the　bog　and　at　some　distance　to　the　west　of　the　two
  hills　rose　a　brown　mountain；　not　abruptly；　but　gradually；　and
  looking　more　like　what　the　Welsh　call　a　rhiw；　or　slope；　than　a
  mynydd；　or　mountain。
  〃That；　sir；〃　said　my　guide；　〃is　the　grand　Plynlimmon。〃
  〃It　does　not　look　much　of　a　hill；〃　said　I。
  〃We　are　on　very　high　ground；　sir；　or　it　would　look　much　higher。　　I
  question；　upon　the　whole；　whether　there　is　a　higher　hill　in　the
  world。　　God　bless　Pumlummon　Mawr！〃　said　he；　looking　with　reverence
  towards　the　hill。　　〃I　am　sure　I　have　a　right　to　say　so；　for　many　is
  the　good　crown　I　have　got　by　showing　gentlefolks　like　yourself　to
  the　top　of　him。〃
  〃You　talk　of　Plynlimmon　Mawr；　or　the　great　Plynlymmon；〃　said　I；
  〃where　are　the　small　ones？〃
  〃Yonder　they　are；〃　said　the　guide；　pointing　to　two　hills　towards
  the　north；　〃one　is　Plynlimmon　Canol；　and　the　other　Plynlimmon　Bach
  …　the　middle　and　the　small　Plynlimmon。〃
  〃Pumlummon；〃　said　I；　〃means　five　summits。　　You　have　pointed　out
  only　three；　now；　where　are　the　other　two？〃
  〃Those　two　hills　which　we　have　just　passed　make　up　the　five。
  However；　I　will　tell　your　worship　that　there　is　a　sixth　summit。
  Don't　you　see　that　small　hill　connected　with　the　big　Pumlummon；　on
  the　right？〃
  〃I　see　it　very　clearly；〃　said　I。
  〃Well；　your　worship；　that's　called　Bryn　y　Llo　…　the　Hill　of　the
  Calf；　or　the　Calf　Plynlimmon；　which　makes　the　sixth　summit。〃
  〃Very　good；〃　said　I；　〃and　perfectly　satisfactory。　　Now　let　us
  ascend　the　Big　Pumlummon。〃
  In　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour　we　reached　the　summit　of　the　hill；
  where　stood　a　large　carn　or　heap　of　stones。　　I　got　upon　the　top　and
  looked　around　me。
  A　mountainous　wilderness　extended　on　every　side；　a　waste　of　russet
  coloured　hills；　with　here　and　there　a　black；　craggy　summit。　　No
  signs　of　life　or　cultivation　were　to　be　discovered；　and　the　eye
  might　search　in　vain　for　a　grove　or　even　a　single　tree。　　The　scene
  would　have　been　cheerless　in　the　extreme　had　not　a　bright　sun
  lighted　up　the　landscape。
  〃This　does　not　seem　to　be　a　country　of　much　society；〃　said　I　to　my
  guide。
  〃It　is　not；　sir。　　The　nearest　ho