wild wales-第133节

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that　he　very　much　doubted　whether　a　sermon　was　ever　delivered　which　
did　not　do　some　good。　　On　the　conclusion　of　the　service　I　strolled　
about　in　order　to　see　the　town　and　what　pertained　to　it。　　The　town　
is　of　considerable　size；　with　some　remarkable　edifices；　spacious　
and　convenient　quays；　and　a　commodious　harbour　into　which　the　river　
Tawy　flowing　from　the　north　empties　itself。　　The　town　and　harbour　
are　overhung　on　the　side　of　the　east　by　a　lofty　green　mountain　with　
a　Welsh　name；　no　doubt　exceedingly　appropriate；　but　which　I　regret　
to　say　has　escaped　my　memory。

After　having　seen　all　that　I　wished；　I　returned　to　my　inn　and　
discharged　all　my　obligations。　　I　then　departed；　framing　my　course　
eastward　towards　England；　having　traversed　Wales　nearly　from　north　
to　south。



CHAPTER　CII



Leave　Swansea　…　The　Pandemonium　…　Neath　Abbey　…　Varied　Scenery。


IT　was　about　two　o'clock　of　a　dull　and　gloomy　afternoon　when　I　
started　from　Abertawy　or　Swansea；　intending　to　stop　at　Neath；　some　
eight　miles　distant。　　As　I　passed　again　through　the　suburbs　I　was　
struck　with　their　length　and　the　evidences　of　enterprise　which　they　
exhibited　…　enterprise；　however；　evidently　chiefly　connected　with　
iron　and　coal；　for　almost　every　object　looked　awfully　grimy。　　
Crossing　a　bridge　I　proceeded　to　the　east　up　a　broad　and　spacious　
valley；　the　eastern　side　of　which　was　formed　by　russet…coloured　
hills；　through　a　vista　of　which　I　could　descry　a　range　of　tall　blue　
mountains。　　As　I　proceeded　I　sometimes　passed　pleasant　groves　and　
hedgerows；　sometimes　huge　works；　in　this　valley　there　was　a　
singular　mixture　of　nature　and　art；　of　the　voices　of　birds　and　the　
clanking　of　chains；　of　the　mists　of　heaven　and　the　smoke　of　
furnaces。

I　reached　Llan…　；　a　small　village　half…way　between　Swansea　and　
Neath；　and　without　stopping　continued　my　course；　walking　very　fast。　　
I　had　surmounted　a　hill；　and　had　nearly　descended　that　side　of　it　
which　looked　towards　the　east；　having　on　my　left；　that　is　to　the　
north；　a　wooded　height；　when　an　extraordinary　scene　presented　
itself　to　my　eyes。　　Somewhat　to　the　south　rose　immense　stacks　of　
chimneys　surrounded　by　grimy　diabolical…looking　buildings；　in　the　
neighbourhood　of　which　were　huge　heaps　of　cinders　and　black　
rubbish。　　From　the　chimneys；　notwithstanding　it　was　Sunday；　smoke　
was　proceeding　in　volumes；　choking　the　atmosphere　all　around。　　From　
this　pandemonium；　at　the　distance　of　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　to　
the　south…west；　upon　a　green　meadow；　stood；　looking　darkly　grey；　a　
ruin　of　vast　size　with　window　holes；　towers；　spires；　and　arches。　　
Between　it　and　the　accursed　pandemonium；　lay　a　horrid　filthy　place；　
part　of　which　was　swamp　and　part　pool：　　the　pool　black　as　soot；　and　
the　swamp　of　a　disgusting　leaden　colour。　　Across　this　place　of　
filth　stretched　a　tramway　leading　seemingly　from　the　abominable　
mansions　to　the　ruin。　　So　strange　a　scene　I　had　never　beheld　in　
nature。　　Had　it　been　on　canvas；　with　the　addition　of　a　number　of　
Diabolical　figures；　proceeding　along　the　tramway；　it　might　have　
stood　for　Sabbath　in　Hell　…　devils　proceeding　to　afternoon　worship；　
and　would　have　formed　a　picture　worthy　of　the　powerful　but　insane　
painter；　Jerome　Bos。

After　standing　for　a　considerable　time　staring　at　the　strange　
spectacle　I　proceeded。　　Presently　meeting　a　lad；　I　asked　him　what　
was　the　name　of　the　ruin。

〃The　Abbey；〃　he　replied。

〃Neath　Abbey？〃　said　I。

〃Yes！〃

Having　often　heard　of　this　abbey；　which　in　its　day　was　one　of　the　
most　famous　in　Wales；　I　determined　to　go　and　inspect　it。　　It　was　
with　some　difficulty　that　I　found　my　way　to　it。　　It　stood；　as　I　
have　already　observed；　in　a　meadow；　and　was　on　almost　every　side　
surrounded　by　majestic　hills。　　To　give　any　clear　description　of　
this　ruined　pile　would　be　impossible；　the　dilapidation　is　so　great；　
dilapidation　evidently　less　the　effect　of　time　than　of　awful　
violence；　perhaps　that　of　gunpowder。　　The　southern　is　by　far　the　
most　perfect　portion　of　the　building；　there　you　see　not　only　walls　
but　roofs。　　Fronting　you　full　south；　is　a　mass　of　masonry　with　two　
immense　arches；　other　arches　behind　them：　　entering；　you　find　
yourself　beneath　a　vaulted　roof；　and　passing　on　you　come　to　an　
oblong　square　which　may　have　been　a　church；　an　iron…barred　window　
on　your　right　enables　you　to　look　into　a　mighty　vault；　the　roof　of　
which　is　supported　by　beautiful　pillars。　　Then　…　but　I　forbear　to　
say　more　respecting　these　remains；　for　fear　of　stating　what　is　
incorrect；　my　stay　amongst　them　having　been　exceedingly　short。

The　Abbey　of　Glen　Neath　was　founded　in　the　twelfth　century　by　
Richard　Grenfield；　one　of　the　followers　of　Robert　Fitzhamon；　who　
subjugated　Glamorgan。　　Neath　Abbey　was　a　very　wealthy　one；　the　
founder　having　endowed　it　with　extensive　tracts　of　fertile　land　
along　the　banks　of　the　rivers　Neath　and　Tawy。　　In　it　the　
unfortunate　Edward　of　Carnarvon　sought　a　refuge　for　a　few　days　from　
the　rage　of　his　revolted　barons；　whilst　his　favourite；　the　equally　
unfortunate　Spencer；　endeavoured　to　find　a　covert　amidst　the　
thickets　of　the　wood…covered　hill　to　the　north。　　When　Richmond　
landed　at　Milford　Haven　to　dispute　the　crown　with　Richard　the　
Second；　the　then　Abbot　of　Neath　repaired　to　him　and　gave　him　his　
benediction；　in　requital　for　which　the　adventurer　gave　him　his　
promise　that　in　the　event　of　his　obtaining　the　crown；　he　would　
found　a　college　in　Glen　Neath；　which　promise；　however；　after　he　had　
won　the　crown；　he　forgot　to　perform。　（20）　　The　wily　abbot；　when　he　
hastened　to　pay　worship　to　what　he　justly　conceived　to　be　the　
rising　sun；　little　dreamt　that　he　was　about　to　bless　the　future　
father　of　the　terrible　man　doomed　by　Providence　to　plant　the　
abomination　of　desolation　in　Neath　Abbey　and　in　all　the　other　nests　
of　monkery　throughout　the　land。

Leaving　the　ruins　I　proceeded　towards　Neath。　　The　scenery　soon　
became　very　beautiful；　not　that　I　had　left　machinery　altogether　
behind；　for　I　presently　came　to　a　place　where　huge　wheels　were　
turning；　and　there　was　smoke　and　blast；　but　there　was　much　that　was　
rural　and　beautiful　to　be　seen；　something　like　park　scenery；　and　
then　there　were　the　mountains　near　and　in　the　distance。　　I　reached　
Neath　at　about　half…past　four；　and　took　up　my　quarters　at　an　inn　
which　had　been　recommended　to　me　by　my　friend　the　boots　at　Swansea。



CHAPTER　CIII



Town　of　Neath　…　Hounds　and　Huntsman　…　Spectral　Chapel　…　The　Glowing　
Mountain


NEATH　is　a　place　of　some　antiquity；　for　it　can　boast　of　the　remains　
of　a　castle　and　is　a　corporate　town。　　There　is　but　little　Welsh　
spoken　in　it。　　It　is　situated　on　the　Neath；　and　exports　vast　
quantities　of　coal　and　iron；　of　both　of　which　there　are　rich　mines　
in　the　neighbourhood。　　It　derives　its　name　from　the　river　Nedd　or　
Neth；　on　which　it　stands。　　Nedd　or　Neth　is　the　same　word　as　Nith；　
the　name　of　a　river　in　Scotland；　and　is　in　some　degree　connected　
with　Nidda；　the　name　of　one　in　Germany。　　Nedd　in　Welsh　signifies　a　
dingle；　and　the　word　in　its　various　forms　has　always　something　to　
do　with　lowness　or　inferiority　of　position。　　Amongst　its　forms　are　
Nether　and　Nieder。　　The　term　is　well　applied　to　the　Glamorganshire　
river；　which　runs　through　dingles　and　under　mountains。

The　Neath　has　its　source　in　the　mountains　of　Brecon；　and　enters　the　
sea　some　little　way　below　the　town　of　Neath。

On　the　Monday　morning　I　resumed　my　journey；　directing　my　course　up　
the　vale　of　Neath　towards　Merthyr　Tydvil；　distant　about　four…and…
twenty　miles。　　The　weather　was　at　first　rainy；　misty　and　miserable；　
but　improved　by　degrees。　　I　passed　through　a　village　which　I　was　
told　was　called　Llanagos；　close　to　it　were　immense　establishments　
of　some　kind。　　The　scenery　soon　became　exceedingly　beautiful；　hills　
covered　with　wood　to　the　tops　were　on　either　side　of　the　dale。　　I　
passed　an　avenue　leading　somewhere　through　groves；　and　was　
presently　overtaken　and　passed　by　hounds　and　a　respectable…looking　
old　huntsman　on　a　black　horse；　a　minute　afterwards　I　caught　a　
glimpse　of　an　old　red…brick　mansion　nearly　embosomed　in　groves；　
from　which　proceeded　a　mighty　cawing。　　Probably　it　belonged　to　the　
proprietor　of　the　dogs；　and　certainly　looked　a　very　fit　mansion　for　
a　Glamorganshire　squire；　justice　of　the　peace　and　keeper　of　a　pack　
of　hounds。

I　went　on；　the　vale　increasing　in　beauty；　there　was　a　considerable　
drawback；　however：　　one　of　those　detestable　contrivances；　a　
railroad；　was　on　the　farther　side　…　along　which　trains　were　
passing；　rumbling　and　screaming。

I　saw　a　bridge　on　my　right　hand　with　five　or　six　low　arches　over　
the　river；　which　was　here　full　of　shoals。　　Asked　a　woman　the　name　
of　the　bridge。

〃PONT　FAWR　ei　galw；　sir。〃

I　was　again　amongst　the　real　Welsh　…　this　woman　had　no　English。

I　passed　by　several　remarkable　mountains；　both　on　the　south　and　
northern　side　of　the　vale。　　Late　in　the　afternoon　I　came　to　the　
eastern　extremity　of　the　vale　and　ascended　a　height。　　Shortly　
afterwards　I　reached　Rhigos；　a　small　village。

Entering　a　public…house　I　called　for　ale　and　sat　down　amidst　some　
grimy　fellows；　who　said　nothing　to　me　and　to　whom　I　said　nothing