HOURS AMONG ROCKS AND CLOUDS. 361 



The river above the wier is reduced to a mere rural brook, where little of the 

 romantic is presented to view, the stream being shallow and flowing through green 

 meadows fringed with Alders. At the eastern end of the town is a stone bridge 

 of three arches, just above which a brook called the Clwidd disembogues itself into 

 the Severn, with a stream almost superior to that of the latter, so that I think a 

 stranger would be inclined to trace the Clwidd as the more legitimate origin of 

 the Severn. Here, on the bank, is a large old umbrageous Sycamore, a favourite 

 tree in Wales, and opposite to it, on the southern bank, is the plain church of 

 Llanidloes, with its low pent-house tower and battered Yew-tree. 



We proceeded by the road up the acclivity that leads to Felindref-gate, leaving 

 the Severn and another tributary called the Dylais, that here breaks into its 

 southern bank, on the left. On reaching the top of the hill a somewhat pleasing 

 scene presents itself — a bold eminence opposite is well-clothed with Oaks, on the 

 left rise some Heathy hills planted partially with Larch, and in the depression 

 below appears the infant Severn here termed " Hafren," almost hidden from view, 

 and fretting itself over several wiers that obstruct its course. Many pleasing 

 cottages half hidden[in rising shrubberies, and mills for the manufacture of flannel, 

 now present themselves to view, and in various spots long lines of railing are 

 white with flannels exposed to bleach in the open air. 



A little beyond is Melin Felindre mill, and a wooden bridge over the river, and 

 on the right a farm-house called Old Hall. At rather more than three miles is 

 another old farm-house on the left called Glyn Hafren, with a tottering wooden 

 bridge across the stream, which here begins to assume an Alpine aspect, brawling 

 over stones and rocks, though within very narrow dimensions. The view now 

 improves considerably, the southern eminences putting on a bolder aspect, and 

 being much dotted with wood. Birch now appears on the side of the river, inter- 

 mixed with Alders and Aspens. A natural Birch-wood some distance farther 

 on the sloping southern bank has a very picturesque effect, many of the trees being 

 deeply furrowed at their bases from age, grey with Lichens, and bearded with 

 Mosses, and the silver colonnade stretches up the hill in peculiar beauty. 



The road at four miles enters upon rocky scenery, though the mountain is not 

 very lofty, but the disjointed masses of several of the cliffs, decorated with Ivy 

 by the hand of Nature, seem to invite attention. I here observed a mass of 

 rubbish on the side of the hill, and found a Lead-mine was in progress by a level 

 driven into the heart of the rock. This I understood had been lately commenced, 

 A vein had evidently been arrived at, for I picked up several specimens of Copper- 

 ore and Quartz. The fundamental rock is Slate, in the mass of which the veins 

 of ore are interspersed, probably by the agency of Trap throwing up the Slate, 

 and forming the various romantic eminences here unfolding themselves in con- 

 tinued succession ; for a little farther on several Trappoid rocks appeared, and 



