wild wales-第57节

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difficulty　in　question；　and　informed　him　that　I　was　determined　to　
follow　his　advice。　　He　hurried　away；　and　presently　returned　with　
his　nephew；　to　whom　I　offered　half…a…crown　provided　he　would　show　
me　all　about　Pen　Caer　Gyby。　　He　accepted　my　offer　with　evident　
satisfaction；　and　we　lost　no　time　in　setting　out　upon　our　
expedition。

We　had　to　pass　over　a　great　deal　of　broken　ground；　sometimes　
ascending；　sometimes　descending；　before　we　found　ourselves　upon　the　
side　of　what　may　actually　be　called　the　headland。　　Shaping　our　
course　westward　we　came　to　the　vicinity　of　a　lighthouse　standing　on　
the　verge　of　a　precipice；　the　foot　of　which　was　washed　by　the　sea。

Leaving　the　lighthouse　on　our　right　we　followed　a　steep　winding　
path　which　at　last　brought　us　to　the　top　of　the　pen　or　summit；　
rising；　according　to　the　judgment　which　I　formed；　about　six　hundred　
feet　from　the　surface　of　the　sea。　　Here　was　a　level　spot　some　
twenty　yards　across；　in　the　middle　of　which　stood　a　heap　of　stones　
or　cairn。　　I　asked　the　lad　whether　this　cairn　bore　a　name；　and　
received　for　answer　that　it　was　generally　called　Bar…cluder　y　Cawr　
Glas；　words　which　seem　to　signify　the　top　heap　of　the　Grey　Giant。

〃Some　king；　giant；　or　man　of　old　renown　lies　buried　beneath　this　
cairn；〃　said　I。　　〃Whoever　he　may　be；　I　trust　he　will　excuse　me　for　
mounting　it；　seeing　that　I　do　so　with　no　disrespectful　spirit。〃　　I　
then　mounted　the　cairn；　exclaiming：…


〃Who　lies　'neath　the　cairn　on　the　headland　hoar；
His　hand　yet　holding　his　broad　claymore；
Is　it　Beli；　the　son　of　Benlli　Gawr？〃


There　stood　I　on　the　cairn　of　the　Grey　Giant；　looking　around　me。　　
The　prospect；　on　every　side；　was　noble：　　the　blue　interminable　sea　
to　the　west　and　north；　the　whole　stretch　of　Mona　to　the　east；　and　
far　away　to　the　south　the　mountainous　region　of　Eryri；　comprising　
some　of　the　most　romantic　hills　in　the　world。　　In　some　respects　
this　Pen　Santaidd；　this　holy　headland；　reminded　me　of　Finisterrae；　
the　Gallegan　promontory　which　I　had　ascended　some　seventeen　years　
before；　whilst　engaged　in　battling　the　Pope　with　the　sword　of　the　
gospel　in　his　favourite　territory。　　Both　are　bold；　bluff　headlands　
looking　to　the　west；　both　have　huge　rocks　in　their　vicinity；　rising　
from　the　bosom　of　the　brine。　　For　a　time；　as　I　stood　on　the　cairn；　
I　almost　imagined　myself　on　the　Gallegan　hill；　much　the　same　
scenery　presented　itself　as　there；　and　a　sun　equally　fierce　struck　
upon　my　head　as　that　which　assailed　it　on　the　Gallegan　hill。　　For　a　
time　all　my　thoughts　were　of　Spain。　　It　was　not　long；　however；　
before　I　bethought　me　that　my　lot　was　now　in　a　different　region；　
that　I　had　done　with　Spain　for　ever；　after　doing　for　her　all　that　
lay　in　the　power　of　a　lone　man；　who　had　never　in　this　world　
anything　to　depend　upon；　but　God　and　his　own　slight　strength。　　Yes；　
I　had　done　with　Spain；　and　was　now　in　Wales；　and；　after　a　slight　
sigh；　my　thoughts　became　all　intensely　Welsh。　　I　thought　on　the　old　
times　when　Mona　was　the　grand　seat　of　Druidical　superstition；　when　
adoration　was　paid　to　Dwy　Fawr；　and　Dwy　Fach；　the　sole　survivors　of　
the　apocryphal　Deluge；　to　Hu　the　Mighty　and　his　plough；　to　Ceridwen　
and　her　cauldron；　to　Andras　the　Horrible；　to　Wyn　ab　Nudd；　Lord　of　
Unknown；　and　to　Beli；　Emperor　of　the　Sun。　　I　thought　on　the　times　
when　the　Beal　fire　blazed　on　this　height；　on　the　neighbouring　
promontory；　on　the　cope…stone　of　Eryri；　and　on　every　high　hill　
throughout　Britain　on　the　eve　of　the　first　of　May。　　I　thought　on　
the　day　when　the　bands　of　Suetonius　crossed　the　Menai　strait　in　
their　broad…bottomed　boats；　fell　upon　the　Druids　and　their　
followers；　who　with　wild　looks　and　brandished　torches　lined　the　
shore；　slew　hundreds　with　merciless　butchery　upon　the　plains；　and　
pursued　the　remainder　to　the　remotest　fastnesses　of　the　isle。　　I　
figured　to　myself　long…bearded　men　with　white　vestments　toiling　up　
the　rocks；　followed　by　fierce　warriors　with　glittering　helms　and　
short　broad　two…edged　swords；　I　thought　I　heard　groans；　cries　of　
rage；　and　the　dull；　awful　sound　of　bodies　precipitated　down　rocks。　　
Then　as　I　looked　towards　the　sea　I　thought　I　saw　the　fleet　of　
Gryffith　Ab　Cynan　steering　from　Ireland　to　Aber　Menai；　Gryffith；　
the　son　of　a　fugitive　king；　born　in　Ireland；　in　the　Commot　of　
Columbcille；　Gryffith　the　frequently　baffled；　the　often　victorious；　
once　a　manacled　prisoner　sweating　in　the　sun；　in　the　market…place　
of　Chester；　eventually　king　of　North　Wales；　Gryffith；　who　〃though　
he　loved　well　the　trumpet's　clang　loved　the　sound　of　the　harp　
better〃；　who　led　on　his　warriors　to　twenty…four　battles；　and　
presided　over　the　composition　of　the　twenty…four　measures　of　
Cambrian　song。　　Then　I　thought　…。　　But　I　should　tire　the　reader　
were　I　to　detail　all　the　intensely　Welsh　thoughts　which　crowded　
into　my　head　as　I　stood　on　the　Cairn　of　the　Grey　Giant。

Satiated　with　looking　about　and　thinking；　I　sprang　from　the　cairn　
and　rejoined　my　guide。　　We　now　descended　the　eastern　side　of　the　
hill　till　we　came　to　a　singular　looking　stone；　which　had　much　the　
appearance　of　a　Druid's　stone。　　I　inquired　of　my　guide　whether　
there　was　any　tale　connected　with　this　stone。

〃None；〃　he　replied；　〃but　I　have　heard　people　say　that　it　was　a　
strange　stone；　and　on　that　account　I　brought　you　to　look　at　it。〃

A　little　farther　down　he　showed　me　part　of　a　ruined　wall。

〃What　name　does　this　bear？〃　said　I。

〃Clawdd　yr　Afalon；〃　he　replied。　　〃The　dyke　of　the　orchard。〃

〃A　strange　place　for　an　orchard；〃　I　replied。　　〃If　there　was　ever　an　
orchard　on　this　bleak　hill；　the　apples　must　have　been　very　sour。〃

Over　rocks　and　stones　we　descended　till　we　found　ourselves　on　a　
road；　not　very　far　from　the　shore；　on　the　south…east　side　of　the　
hill。

〃I　am　very　thirsty；〃　said　I；　as　I　wiped　the　perspiration　from　my　
face；　〃how　I　should　like　now　to　drink　my　fill　of　cool　spring　
water。〃

〃If　your　honour　is　inclined　for　water；〃　said　my　guide；　〃I　can　take　
you　to　the　finest　spring　in　all　Wales。〃

〃Pray　do　so；〃　said　I；　〃for　I　really　am　dying　of　thirst。〃

〃It　is　on　our　way　to　the　town；〃　said　the　lad；　〃and　is　scarcely　a　
hundred　yards　off。〃

He　then　led　me　to　the　fountain。　　It　was　a　little　well　under　a　stone　
wall；　on　the　left　side　of　the　way。　　It　might　be　about　two　feet　
deep；　was　fenced　with　rude　stones；　and　had　a　bottom　of　sand。

〃There；〃　said　the　lad；　〃is　the　fountain。　　It　is　called　the　Fairies'　
Well；　and　contains　the　best　water　in　Wales。〃

I　lay　down　and　drank。　　Oh；　what　water　was　that　of　the　Fairies'　
Well！　　I　drank　and　drank；　and　thought　I　could　never　drink　enough　of　
that　delicious　water；　the　lad　all　the　time　saying　that　I　need　not　
be　afraid　to　drink；　as　the　water　of　the　Fairies'　Well　had　never　
done　harm　to　anybody。　　At　length　I　got　up；　and　standing　by　the　
fountain　repeated　the　lines　of　a　bard　on　a　spring；　not　of　a　Welsh　
but　a　Gaelic　bard；　which　are　perhaps　the　finest　lines　ever　composed　
on　the　theme。　　Yet　MacIntyre；　for　such　was　his　name；　was　like　
myself　an　admirer　of　good　ale；　to　say　nothing　of　whiskey；　and　loved　
to　indulge　in　it　at　a　proper　time　and　place。　　But　there　is　a　time　
and　place　for　everything；　and　sometimes　the　warmest　admirer　of　ale　
would　prefer　the　lymph　of　the　hill…side　fountain　to　the　choicest　
ale　that　ever　foamed　in　tankard　from　the　cellars　of　Holkham。　　Here　
are　the　lines　most　faithfully　rendered：…


〃The　wild　wine　of　nature；
Honey…like　in　its　taste；
The　genial；　fair；　thin　element
Filtering　through　the　sands；
Which　is　sweeter　than　cinnamon；
And　is　well　known　to　us　hunters。
O；　that　eternal；　healing　draught；
Which　comes　from　under　the　earth；
Which　contains　abundance　of　good
And　costs　no　money！〃


Returning　to　the　hotel　I　satisfied　my　guide　and　dined。　　After　
dinner　I　trifled　agreeably　with　my　brandy…and…water　till　it　was　
near　seven　o'clock；　when　I　paid　my　bill；　thought　of　the　waiter　and　
did　not　forget　Father　Boots。　　I　then　took　my　departure；　receiving　
and　returning　bows；　and　walking　to　the　station　got　into　a　first…
class　carriage　and　soon　found　myself　at　Bangor。



CHAPTER　XLIII



The　Inn　at　Bangor　…　Port　Dyn　Norwig　…　Sea　Serpent　…　Thoroughly　
Welsh　Place　…　Blessing　of　Health。


I　WENT　to　the　same　inn　at　Bangor　at　which　I　had　been　before。　　It　
was　Saturday　night　and　the　house　was　thronged　with　people　who　had　
arrived　by　train　from　Manchester　and　Liverpool；　with　the　intention　
of　passing　the　Sunday　in　the　Welsh　town。　　I　took　tea　in　an　immense　
dining　or　ball…room；　which　was；　however；　so　crowded　with　guests　
that　its　walls　literally　sweated。　　Amidst　the　multitude　I　felt　
quite　solitary　…　my　beloved　ones　had　departed　for　Llangollen；　and　
there　was　no　one　with　whom　I　could　exchange　a　thought　or　a　word　of　
kindness。　　I　addressed　several　individuals；　and　in　every　instance　
repented；　from　some　I　got　no　answers；　from　others　what　was　worse　
than　no　answers　at　all　…　in　every　countenance　near　me　suspicion；　
brutality；　or　conceit；　was　most　legibly　imprinted　…　I　was　not　
amongst　Welsh；　but　the　scum　of　manufacturing　England。

Every　bed　in　the　house　was　engaged　…　the　people　of　the　house；　
however；　provided　me　a　bed　at　a　place　which　they　called　the　
cottage；　on　the