THE WATERS OF CADER IDRIS 



are verdant. There are touches also of meadow and 

 woodland ; a little farm at the upper and two more at 

 the lower end strike a harmonious note of pastoral 

 life, while the outpouring river plunges down into 

 the green vale of Abergynolwyn beneath the walls 

 of a rude and ancient little church. The two farms 

 at this end of the lake are the regular resorts of the 

 visiting angler, the notable one, an inn, already alluded 

 to, and a smaller house, which in my day at least was 

 of slight account. The former, the Tyn-y-cornel, had 

 then, I fancy, the sole right of putting boats on the 

 water. Any one, I believe, could fish from the 

 shore, but there were very few people in those parts 

 to exercise the right. The Tyn-y-cornel, however, 

 in my time, was more usually known as ' Jones's,' and 

 possibly is so still. For though this worthy has been 

 gathered to his fathers, his daughters, I believe, still 

 maintain the ancient ways of the pleasant if un- 

 pretentious snuggery. The waters of the lake lap 

 up close to the door, before which the coaches from 

 Dolgelly in the tourist season, which is not, however, 

 the trouting season, unburdened themselves betimes, 

 and for a brief hour disturbed the blessed calm, causing 

 the colonels in residence, of whom anon, to swear 

 §R horribly. The garden at the back opens straight on 

 to the mountain, and the prospect all round is glorious. 

 On a fine May day it is a spot for the gods. 



There were some half-dozen boats attached to the 

 inn, and I don't think the latter held more than a 

 dozen people, so even if all were fisher-folk the pro- 

 cedure was simpHcity itself. Moreover there was no 

 charge and no boatmen, the latter omission, from my 



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