1903 Elatine hydropiper in Denbighshire 63 



were probably only on the margin of a greater quantity, 

 and unfortunately I had not the opportunity of going again 

 to the lake during our short stay, always promising myself 

 another hunt for the little plant at a future time. I sent 

 a specimen to Kew and had corroborative information as 

 to the exact identity of the plant. This, of course, was the 

 crowning joy among the plants of the district, where many 

 others of rather less rare note grew luxuriantly. 



The Aled, after its origin in its lake-mother, wanders 

 over the moor until it plunges headlong into a deep valley 

 over a series of rocky ledges. The " Rhaiadr-fawr," or 

 great falls, are most picturesque, at the head of a deep 

 rock-strewn gorge. To follow the course of the river to 

 within a short distance of Llansannan is quite possible, 

 but a very rough undertaking, and unless you have the 

 guidance of some one who knows every foot of the way, 

 certainly foolish to try. Very soon the steep rocky banks 

 become thickly wooded and not easily negotiated, although 

 the shady places harbour many plants, and groves of wild 

 raspberries with their crimson luscious fruit make it worth 

 while to risk a little rough climbing. 



The ordinary road from the falls back into civilisation 

 runs along the top of the hills, which gently slope down 

 towards the river. On the way thither the road may be 

 left for a detour to inspect the site of the house where 

 William Salesbury (1520 ?-i6oo ?) was born, and where prob- 

 ably much of his work as a translator of the Bible, Prayer- 

 book, &c, into the Welsh language was accomplished. 

 In his later years he wrote a work on Welsh botany, the 

 MS. of which is now lost ; but a transcript of it was within 

 recent years in existence. Cae Du, literally Black Field, 

 lies on the slope of the hillside, with the Aled, now a meek 

 stream, flowing in pastoral quietude at the base. A few 

 remnants of walls, outlining what was once a comfortable 

 homestead, is all that remains of Salesbury's home, and 

 goats and pigs wander about the ruins. Of the garden, 

 laid out in a sort of terrace, nothing remains but two in- 

 terrupted rows of ancient plum-trees ; but whether these 

 were coeval with Salesbury's residence there is open to 

 doubt. The wild Artemisia absinthium is the only herba- 



