JULY, 271 



whose battlements they have clambered, from the 

 mural precipice, washed by the fierce torrent below, 

 from which they have immigrated. 



Such reflections twined about us, as stepping from 

 our boat in the declining ruby light of evening, we 

 gathered a branch of the Pyrus aria from the lofty 

 ruined arches of Tintern, and after feeling the bottom 

 of the stony Wye in its rapid wiers, where we were 

 caught by the ebbing tide, found ourselves within an 

 hour of midnight engulfed as in a dark cavern, within 

 the abyss, where the woods and rocks of Percefield on 

 the one side, and the bare cliffs of Llancaut on the 

 other, frown over the darkened river. None but the 

 solitary heron, whom we disturbed in his fishing 

 avocations, regarded us, as in silence and gloom we 

 were vainly " looking out" at each turn for Chepstowe 

 and gluttonous as we are in the rambling way, it 

 was not without pleasurable feelings that at last the 

 grey spectre of Chepstowe Castle appeared high on 

 its beetling cliffs, and the light on the bridge offered 

 us the aid of its friendly beacon. We used to smile 

 at the zeal of a geological friend, for whose researches 

 no day was too long, and who scarcely ever tempted 

 us out with him without there being double tolls to 

 pay, from the impracticability of returning home 

 through the turnpike gates before midnight. Alas ! 

 we ourselves have now oft touched upon the " little 

 hour" beyond midnight ere we could return from our 

 wanderings. 



Morning saw us before the castle barbican, adorned 

 with the same flowering banners as now hang upon 

 nearly every castle in South Wales. Abundance of 

 the bright red Valerian (CentrantJius niber), and the 



