wild wales-第112节

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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