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The mineral wells of Builth, like the most valuable springs on the 

 Continent — and, indeed, almost everywhere else — arise near the point of 

 contact of the igneous with the stratified rocks. Here, as at Llandrindod and 

 Llanwrtyd, they issue on the western side. 



The road to the springs is as uninteresting as well can be ; through 

 narrow, dusty lanes, and between high hedges ; but there is a way from 

 the common by the banks of the Wye and the Irfon, and round through the 

 woods, which is exceedingly pretty. It goes over a foot suspension bridge 

 across the river Irfon, which is very picturesque but rather a shaky affair 

 nevertheless, when any larkish person causes it to vibrate, as was done on 



. the present occasion, to the dismay of some frightened damsels coming over 

 the bridge. The grounds of the Wells might be made varied and beautiful. 

 In fact, everything relating to the Wells makes a stranger wonder what the 

 proprietors of these powerful waters are about that they should be so little 



■ alive to their own interest. A few hundred pounds laid out with judgment 

 and taste would do more than thousands in many other places. Builth itself 

 is alive and progressing with the times ; but why should all the attraction of 

 its mineral springs be solely left to the virtues of the water ? 



There are some strangely named places in the vicinity of Builth, one of 

 ■which, on the road to Hay, is called the "Devil's Pitch," though to mortal 

 eye there does not appear to be anything very demoniacal about it. It is 

 said to be connected with tales of olden sheep-stealing times, with which 

 Breconians of the last century were connected, to the peril of their necks, 

 and hereabouts some informer was " pitched," it has been whispered, into 

 the Wye, and, some thought, to the devil too. This is one of those local 

 stories that may or may not be true. However, in the present day, as the 

 Wenlock shale is here exposed by a cutting in the road, the " Devil's Pitch " 

 has received geological attention from a new trilobite, called Phacops Daviesii, 

 having been found here, with an abundance of Ortlwceratites ; and at this 

 point Dr. Bull, with a band of ardent geologists, laboured for some time 

 before the club arrived, and not without success, to extract specimens from the 

 fractured rock. 



The train from Hereford reached' Builth about twenty minutes past 

 twelve, and, without any loss of time, the active President marshalled his 

 forces, which numbered about fifty gentlemen, and reminded them of the value 

 of time in a district of such great geological interest. He told them that it 

 was arranged that four quarries would be visited in succession that day, and 

 that since every succeeding one would advance in interest, they must not lose 

 time at the beginning. He hoped they would promptly obey orders, and, 

 instead of thinking him rude, would remember that he was only taking them 

 to better things. They would first visit the Cwm-Henllan Dingle, close to 

 Wellfield Lodge. The march then began ; a brief pause being made at Gwen- 

 stone quarry, where the volcanic grit of the Campddau rocks is worked for 

 building stone. A man had been sent forward with a pick to the Cwm-Henllan 



