to 9-ft. 6-in., to an aggregate depth of 68-ft. 8-in., including the topmost bed of washed 

 stone, 1-ft S-in. thick. This quarry is worked to supply flux for the smelting furnaces, 

 and also road metal, and many hands were at the time engaged with pick and powder 

 in the getting of this useful material, indispensable to the reduction of the iron ore. Mr. 

 Green was here waiting for us, ready to give all information on the quality, uses, and 

 distinctive features of this limestone formation. On the spoil banks numerous specimens 

 of encrinite were found, but other fossils were rare. Very pleasing specimens were 

 gathered up, consisting of thousands of encrinital joints, held together by a scarcely per- 

 ceptible and yet very solid cement. Onward we then ascended to the upper quarry, also 

 consisting of a succession of beds of the same limestone, varying from 4-ft. to 20-ft., and 

 attaining an aggregate thickness of 77-ft. 6-in. Between the lowermost bed of this upper 

 quarry and the uppermost bed of the lower quarry, first visited, intervenes a mass of 

 shale 120-ft. thick, giving us as the total thickness of the carboniferous limestone forma- 

 tion, here exposed, not less than 26C-ft. Mr. Green has kindly furnished me with a 

 detailed sketch of this interesting section for the use of the Club. At Llangattock, above 

 Crickhowell, about 16 miles westward as we follow the edge of the basin, the thickness of 

 limestone amounts to 520-ft. which gradually thins out from this point to Camarthen Bay, 

 finally disappearing altogether in Pembrokeshire. At the upper quarry fossils were again 

 diligently sought for, none however but the common sorts, principally fragmentary 

 crinoids, were obtained. Diverging to the right in an upward direction, we were led to 

 the bed of the brook which drains the Cwm, to inspect the millstone gi'it in situ. The 

 torrent, formed at certain seasons by the then trifling water course, has washed away all 

 superincumbent soil, and brought into view thick masses of this remarkably hard and 

 almost imperishable rock, which, forming the bed on which the lowest of the coal measures 

 rest, has received the characteristic name of " Farewell rock," from the miners who know 

 that on reaching down to it they may bid farewell to the coal. Higher up in our ascent we 

 came across broken masses of millstone grit, huge blocks heaped up or scattered over the 

 surface, relicts of many a landfall and many a deluge of the past. The same tale, on a 

 large scale of drift and denundation, is told by such blocks of millstone grit found on 

 the surface or buried in the soil, over many miles of the valley of the Usk, spreading from 

 the escarpment of the range down to the river bed. Leaving the millstone grit we came 

 at once to the coal measures. As it entered not into our programme to lead a forlorn hope 

 into the bowels of the earth, we abstained from courting coal mud and darkness in the pits 

 below, resting satisfied with what might be learnt about them in the light of day ; 

 arriving then at the Blaendare furnaces, we saw an extensive and well-assorted assemblage 

 of smelting furnaces with their appurtenances, locally known as the Race Works. We 

 passed through them under the able and intelligent guidance of their superintendent, 

 Mr. Williams, who pointed out the varying qualities of limestone broken up for flux ; 

 the coke, as made on the yard on the old fashioned but wasteful plan of carbonising the 

 coal in ridges, skilfully built up in the open air, and allowed to burn till the gaseous 

 components have been driven off, when the carbonaceous residue is retained by gradually 

 smothering the fire under a covering of ashes ; the coke as made by the new, less wasteful 

 plan of carbonising in coke ovens, which, however, does not seem to yield so good a 

 product as that obtained on the yard. We saw these coke ovens and, following our guide, 

 we ascended to the platform at the top of the smelting furnaces. Here was a range of ovens 

 for roasting the ores — a useful process preparatory to the smelting. The improved 

 furnaces were exhibited, and the charges of ore, limestone, and coke were seen as they 

 were cast into the burning in due proportions, after which huge iron lids were let down 

 to prevent the escape of the gaseous products of combustion, which formerly was per- 



