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immediately afterwards； seeing a road…mender who was standing
holding his cap in his hand … which he had no doubt just
reverentially doffed … I said in Welsh： 〃Who are those ladies？〃
〃Merched Sir Charles … the daughters of Sir Charles；〃 he replied。
〃And is the gentleman their brother？〃
〃No！ the brother is in the Crim … fighting with the Roosiaid。 I
don't know who yon gentleman be。〃
〃Where does Sir Charles live？〃
〃Down in the Dyfryn； not far from Basallaig。〃
〃If I were to go and see him；〃 I said； 〃do you think he would give
me a cup of ale？〃
〃I daresay he would； he has given me one many a time。〃
I soon reached Basallaig； a pleasant village standing in a valley
and nearly surrounded by the groves of Sir Charles Morgan。 Seeing
a decent public…house I said to myself； 〃I think I shall step in
and have my ale here； and not go running after Sir Charles； whom
perhaps after all I shouldn't find at home。〃 So I went in and
called for a pint of ale。 Over my ale I trifled for about half…an…
hour； then paying my groat I got up and set off for Newport； in the
midst of a thick mist which had suddenly come on； and which
speedily wetted me nearly to the skin。
I reached Newport at about half…past four； and put up at a large
and handsome inn called the King's Head。 During dinner the waiter；
unasked； related to me his history。 He was a short thick fellow of
about forty； with a very disturbed and frightened expression of
countenance。 He said that he was a native of Brummagen； and had
lived very happily at an inn there as waiter； but at length had
allowed himself to be spirited away to an establishment high up in
Wales amidst the scenery。 That very few visitors came to the
establishment； which was in a place so awfully lonesome that he
soon became hipped； and was more than once half in a mind to fling
himself into a river which ran before the door and moaned dismally。
That at last he thought his best plan would be to decamp； and
accordingly took French leave early one morning。 That after many
frights and much fatigue he had found himself at Newport； and taken
service at the King's Head； but did not feel comfortable； and was
frequently visited at night by dreadful dreams。 That he should
take the first opportunity of getting to Brummagen； though he was
afraid that he should not be able to get into his former place；
owing to his ungrateful behaviour。 He then uttered a rather
eloquent eulogium on the beauties of the black capital； and wound
up all by saying that he would rather be a brazier's dog at
Brummagen than head waiter at the best establishment in Wales。
After dinner I took up a newspaper and found in it an account of
the battle of Inkerman； which appeared to have been fought on the
fifth of November； the very day on which I had ascended Plynlimmon。
I was sorry to find that my countrymen had suffered dreadfully； and
would have been utterly destroyed but for the opportune arrival of
the French。 〃In my childhood；〃 said I； 〃the Russians used to help
us against the French； now the French help us against the Russians。
Who knows but before I die I may see the Russians helping the
French against us？〃
CHAPTER CVIII
Town of Newport … The Usk … Note of Recognition … An Old
Acquaintance … Connamara Quean … The Wake … The Wild Irish … The
Tramping Life … Business and Prayer … Methodists … Good Counsel。
NEWPORT is a large town in Monmouthshire； and had once walls and a
castle。 It is called in Welsh Cas Newydd ar Wysg； or the New
Castle upon the Usk。 It stands some miles below Caerlleon ar Wysg；
and was probably built when that place； at one time one of the most
considerable towns in Britain； began to fall into decay。 The Wysg
or Usk has its source among some wild hills in the south…west of
Breconshire； and； after absorbing several smaller streams； amongst
which is the Hondu； at the mouth of which Brecon stands； which on
that account is called in Welsh Aber Hondu； and traversing the
whole of Monmouthshire； enters the Bristol Channel near Newport； to
which place vessels of considerable burden can ascend。 Wysg or Usk
is an ancient British word； signifying water； and is the same as
the Irish word uisge or whiskey； for whiskey； though generally
serving to denote a spirituous liquor； in great vogue amongst the
Irish； means simply water。 The proper term for the spirit is
uisquebaugh； literally acqua vitae； but the compound being
abbreviated by the English； who have always been notorious for
their habit of clipping words； one of the strongest of spirits is
now generally denominated by a word which is properly expressive of
the simple element water。
Monmouthshire is at present considered an English county； though
certainly with little reason； for it not only stands on the western
side of the Wye； but the names of almost all its parishes are
Welsh； and many thousands of its population still speak the Welsh
language。 It is called in Welsh Sir； or Shire； Fynwy； and takes
its name from the town Mynwy or Monmouth； which receives its own
appellation from the river Mynwy or Minno； on which it stands。
There is a river of much the same name； not in Macedon but in the
Peninsula； namely the Minho； which probably got its denomination
from that race cognate to the Cumry； the Gael； who were the first
colonisers of the Peninsula； and whose generic name yet stares us
in the face and salutes our ears in the words Galicia and Portugal。
I left Newport at about ten o'clock on the 16th； the roads were
very wet； there having been a deluge of rain during the night。 The
morning was a regular November one； dull and gloomy。 Desirous of
knowing whereabouts in these parts the Welsh language ceased； I
interrogated several people whom I met。 First spoke to Esther
Williams。 She told me she came from Pennow； some miles farther on；
that she could speak Welsh； and that indeed all the people could
for at least eight miles to the east of Newport。 This latter
assertion of hers was； however； anything but corroborated by a
young woman； with a pitcher on her head； whom I shortly afterwards
met； for she informed me that she could speak no Welsh； and that
for one who could speak it； from where I was to the place where it
ceased altogether； there were ten who could not。 I believe the
real fact is that about half the people for seven or eight miles to
the east of Newport speak Welsh； more or less； as about half those
whom I met and addressed in Welsh； answered me in that tongue。
Passed through Pennow or Penhow； a small village。 The scenery in
the neighbourhood of this place is highly interesting。 To the
north…west at some distance is Mynydd Turvey； a sharp pointed blue
mountain。 To the south…east； on the right； much nearer； are two
beautiful green hills； the lowest prettily wooded； and having its
top a fair white mansion called Penhow Castle； which belongs to a
family of the name of Cave。 Thence to Llanvaches； a pretty little
village。 When I was about the middle of this place I heard an odd
sound； something like a note of recognition； wh