BALA Td SHREWSBURY. 10^ 



this neighbourhood is celebrated through all the ad- 

 jacent counties *. The quarries are fituated high up 

 in the mountain. I obferved that the mode of con- 

 veying them to the vale was different from that prac- 

 tifed near Llanberis, which I have already defcribedj 

 but it appeared much more dangerous. The flates 

 are loaded on fmall fledges, which are to be con- 

 veyed down the fide of the mountain, along winding 

 paths formed for the purpofe. Each of thefe fledges 

 has a rope by which it is faflened to the flioulders 

 of a man who has the care of conveying it. Ha 

 lays firm hold with his hands, and thus, with his 

 face towards it, begins to defcend. The velocity 

 which the fletlge acquires in its defcent is counter- 

 afted by the man^s jflriking forcibly againft the 

 prominences with his feet. This manoeuvre, (mce 

 he goes backward, and has at the fame time fome 

 attention to pay to the fledge to keep it in the track, 

 muft be difficult to attain, and long praftice alone 

 can render k eafy. The danger to an obferver feems 

 very great : on inquiry at the village,' I v.as, how- 

 ever, informed that a ferious accident had fcareely 

 ever been known to occur from it. 



* Betwixt November 1775 and November 1776, upwards 

 of 904,000 flates were fent from hence at different rates of be- 

 twixt fix fliillings and twenty (hillings per thoufand. Pennant, 

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Lead 



