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butter； and a little tea with milk and sugar。 It ate and drank and
soon began to purr。 The good woman of the house was horrified when
on coming in to remove the things she saw the church cat on her
carpet。 〃What impudence！〃 she exclaimed； and made towards it； but
on our telling her that we did not expect that it should be
disturbed； she let it alone。 A very remarkable circumstance was；
that though the cat had hitherto been in the habit of flying； not
only from her face； but the very echo of her voice； it now looked
her in the face with perfect composure； as much as to say； 〃I don't
fear you； for I know that I am now safe and with my own people。〃
It stayed with us two hours and then went away。 The next morning
it returned。 To be short； though it went away every night； it
became our own cat； and one of our family。 I gave it something
which cured it of its eruption； and through good treatment it soon
lost its other ailments and began to look sleek and bonny。
CHAPTER VIII
The Mowers … Deep Welsh … Extensive View … Old Celtic Hatred … Fish
Preserving … Smollet's Morgan。
NEXT morning I set out to ascend Dinas Bran； a number of children；
almost entirely girls； followed me。 I asked them why they came
after me。 〃In the hope that you will give us something；〃 said one
in very good English。 I told them that I should give them nothing；
but they still followed me。 A little way up the hill I saw some
men cutting hay。 I made an observation to one of them respecting
the fineness of the weather； he answered civilly； and rested on his
scythe； whilst the others pursued their work。 I asked him whether
he was a farming man； he told me that he was not； that he generally
worked at the flannel manufactory； but that for some days past he
had not been employed there； work being slack； and had on that
account joined the mowers in order to earn a few shillings。 I
asked him how it was he knew how to handle a scythe； not being bred
up a farming man； he smiled； and said that； somehow or other； he
had learnt to do so。
〃You speak very good English；〃 said I； 〃have you much Welsh？〃
〃Plenty；〃 said he； 〃I am a real Welshman。〃
〃Can you read Welsh？〃 said I。
〃Oh； yes！〃 he replied。
〃What books have you read？〃 said I。
〃I have read the Bible； sir； and one or two other books。〃
〃Did you ever read the Bardd Cwsg？〃 said I。
He looked at me with some surprise。 〃No；〃 said he； after a moment
or two； 〃I have never read it。 I have seen it； but it was far too
deep Welsh for me。〃
〃I have read it；〃 said I。
〃Are you a Welshman？〃 said he。
〃No；〃 said I； 〃I am an Englishman。〃
〃And how is it；〃 said he； 〃that you can read Welsh without being a
Welshman？〃
〃I learned to do so；〃 said I； 〃even as you learned to mow； without
being bred up to farming work。〃
〃Ah！ 〃said he； 〃but it is easier to learn to mow than to read the
Bardd Cwsg。〃
〃I don't think that；〃 said I； 〃I have taken up a scythe a hundred
times but I cannot mow。〃
〃Will your honour take mine now； and try again？〃 said he。
〃No；〃 said I； 〃for if I take your scythe in hand I must give you a
shilling； you know； by mowers' law。〃
He gave a broad grin； and I proceeded up the hill。 When he
rejoined his companions he said something to them in Welsh； at
which they all laughed。 I reached the top of the hill； the
children still attending me。
The view over the vale is very beautiful； but on no side； except in
the direction of the west； is it very extensive； Dinas Bran being
on all other sides overtopped by other hills： in that direction；
indeed； the view is extensive enough； reaching on a fine day even
to the Wyddfa or peak of Snowdon； a distance of sixty miles； at
least as some say； who perhaps ought to add to very good eyes；
which mine are not。 The day that I made my first ascent of Dinas
Bran was very clear； but I do not think I saw the Wyddfa then from
the top of Dinas Bran。 It is true I might see it without knowing
it； being utterly unacquainted with it； except by name； but I
repeat I do not think I saw it； and I am quite sure that I did not
see it from the top of Dinas Bran on a subsequent ascent； on a day
equally clear； when if I had seen the Wyddfa I must have recognised
it； having been at its top。 As I stood gazing around； the children
danced about upon the grass； and sang a song。 The song was
English。 I descended the hill； they followed me to its foot； and
then left me。 The children of the lower class of Llangollen are
great pests to visitors。 The best way to get rid of them is to
give them nothing： I followed that plan； and was not long troubled
with them。
Arrived at the foot of the hill； I walked along the bank of the
canal to the west。 Presently I came to a barge lying by the bank；
the boatman was in it。 I entered into conversation with him。 He
told me that the canal and its branches extended over a great part
of England。 That the boats carried slates … that he had frequently
gone as far as Paddington by the canal … that he was generally
three weeks on the journey … that the boatmen and their families
lived in the little cabins aft … that the boatmen were all Welsh …
that they could read English； but little or no Welsh … that English
was a much more easy language to read than Welsh … that they passed
by many towns； among others Northampton； and that he liked no place
so much as Llangollen。 I proceeded till I came to a place where
some people were putting huge slates into a canal boat。 It was
near a bridge which crossed the Dee； which was on the left。 I
stopped and entered into conversation with one； who appeared to be
the principal man。 He told me amongst other things that he was a
blacksmith from the neighbourhood of Rhiwabon； and that the flags
were intended for the flooring of his premises。 In the boat was an
old bareheaded； bare…armed fellow； who presently joined in the
conversation in very broken English。 He told me that his name was
Joseph Hughes； and that he was a real Welshman and was proud of
being so； he expressed a great dislike for the English； who he said
were in the habit of making fun of him and ridiculing his language；
he said that all the fools that he had known were Englishmen。 I
told him that all Englishmen were not fools； 〃but the greater part
are；〃 said he。 〃Look how they work；〃 said I。 〃Yes；〃 said he；
〃some of them are good at breaking stones for the road； but not
more than one in a hundred。〃 〃There seems to be something of the
old Celtic hatred to the Saxon in this old fellow；〃 said I to
myself； as I walked away。
I proceeded till I came to the head of the canal； where the
navigation first commences。 It is close to a weir over which the
Dee falls。 Here there is a little floodgate； through which water
rushes from an oblong pond or reservoir； fed by water from a corner
of the upper part of the weir。 On the left； or south…west side； is
a mound of earth fenced with stones which is the commencement of
the bank of the canal。 The pond or reservoir above the floodgate
is separated from the weir by a stone wall on