rounding rocks, whilft in others the eye wanders over a vast expanse of mountains. On one elevation I obferved no fewer than fix ranges of mountain, one above another, the uppermoft at a great distance. I paffed on the left two confpicuous and conical fummits called Moelwyn. This road is on the whole fo exceedingly good, as to render it paffable in carriages with great pleasure, for the country nearly all the way is very interesting.

TANYBWLCH,

Below the Pafs, fo called from its being fituated on the brow of the hill overlooking the Vale of Ffestiniog, or more properly of Maentwrog, confifts only of a fmall but comfortable inn, and an elegant manfion embowered in woods, the property of Oakley, efq.-This vale, watered by the little river Dwyryd, which meanders along its bofom, contrasted with the bleak and dreary mountains on the opposite fide, from hence affords a moft pleafing profpect. A former traveller was fo highly gratified with the fcene, as to make the fingular remark, "That if a perfon could live upon a landfcape, he would fcarcely defire a more eligible spot than this *."

The inn is a fmall but good houfe, occupied by a very civil, attentive, and obliging man of the name Cartwright. A poft-chaife and four horfes are kept here.

Wyndham's Tour through Monmouthshire and Wales in the fummers of 1774 and 1777.

On the other fide of the vale ftands the church of Maentwrog, The Stone of Twrog, fo denominated from a large stone in the church-yard, at the northweft corner of the church. Twrog was a British faint, who lived about the year 610, and was the writer of Tiboeth, a romantic record belonging to St. Bueno, that was formerly kept in the church of Clynog in Caernarvonshire.-Dr. Edmund Prys, archdeacon of Merioneth, who attained confiderable celebrity as a Welfh poet, was rector of this place, and is faid to have been buried here. I fearched both the church and church-yard in vain for fome memorial of him, and in my hopes of obtaining intelligence refpecting him from the inhabitants I was alfo disappointed.

I left Maentwrog, and inquiring the road to Harlech, proceeded on my journey. At the distance of about half a mile, I croffed a small bridge. From hence, leaving the road for a while, I wandered along a foot-path up a wooded valley, for about a mile and a half, in fearch of a

WATERFALL

That had been described to me, called Rhaiadr Dû, The Black Cataract. It was not without fome difficulty, and after much trouble in afcending and defcending the fides of the hills, that I found it. In this cataract, which is furrounded with dark and impending fcenery, the water is thrown with vaft impetuofity over three black and smooth rocks,

each

each in a different direction. Of its height I could form no idea, for the top of the upper fall, by the winding of the rocks, was not vifible from below. The rock that hangs immediately over the fall, was, from its great height and rude form, a fine object in the landfcape; and the whole of the hollow, to fome distance below the cataract, was extremely grand. I attempted to climb to the upper part, but the rocks were too perpendicular, and too flippery, to fuffer the attempt without danger. Therefore contenting myself with feeing as much as I could from below, I croffed the water, and crept along, but not without difficulty, on the fhelving rocks, by the fide of the stream, for near half a mile. Here the banks closed over my head, leaving but a narrow chafm, from which the light was altogether excluded by the dark foliage from each fide, and I found myfelf entering, to appearance, the mouth of a deep and horrid cavern. The fides were too steep for me to entertain any idea of clambering up, and unless I chose to scramble back again to the cataract, I had no alternative but to penetrate the place. The darkness, fortunately, did not extend far, and I foon found myself in a place where the bank was fufficiently floping to admit of my afcending to the meadows above; I was not a little pleased in having thus eafily escaped from this abode of horror.

Regaining the road I had left, it led me along the fide of Llyntecwyn Ucha, The Upper Pool of Tecwyn,

B 3

Tecwyn, where I found the fcenery pleasant, though. lefs mountainous than what I had paffed. This pool is larger than many of those in Wales, and its waters are beautifully clear. On one fide there is a range of low rocks, compofed of a fhivery kind of flate, which had mouldered in many places to the bottom, in small sharp pieces, almost resembling needles..

T

-Afterwards paffing the village of Llantecwyn, and Llyntecwyn Ifa, The Lower Tecwyn Pool, I came to a moft lovely little meadowy vale, about three miles diftant from Harlech, called (if I understood the guide right) Dol Orcal. After the late uncouth fcenery, I here enjoyed in the utmost the pleafing effect of the green woods and meads of the vale, and the purple heath which concealed and foftened the harsh colouring of the adjacent rocks.

The whole of the walk from Beddgelert to Harlech I found exceedingly pleasant. From the continual varying of the fcenery, the attention was fully occupied during every part of the journey.The road from Tanybwlch is fcarcely paffable for carriages, but there is another from Beddgelert, at the ebb of the tide, over the fands: a guide, however, must be taken who is acquainted with the track, as it is very unfafe for strangers to venture alone.

HARLECH,

HARLECH,

Once the principal town in Merionethfhire, is now dwindled into an infignificant village, containing not more than four or five hundred inhabitants. It is in the parish of Llanfair, and on the fea-coaft, near Cardigan Bay: the houses and caftle are built on a cliff that immediately overhangs the marfh. Not far from the castle, there is an old rooflefs building, once the town-hall; in which, however, the members of parliament for the county continue still to be elected.

HARLECH CASTLE.

This venerable structure is in tolerable preferva tion. It is a fquare building, each fide meafuring about feventy yards; and has at every corner a round tower. From each of thefe iffued formerly a circular turret; nearly all now deftroyed. The entrance is betwixt two great rounders. The principal apartments appear to have been over the gate. way, in a building which projected into the court; and at each angle of this building there is yet left a round tower. The caftle was defended on the east fide by a deep fofs; and its fituation, on the verge . of an almost perpendicular rock, rendered it impregnable in nearly every other part.-From the marsh it is faid, except in fize, to bear a confiderable resemblance to the caftle of Belgrade in Turkey.