238 WATERSIDE SKETCHES. 



belching forth serpent coils of dense smoke. This I pointed 

 out to my trusty and, alas ! trusting companions, with the 

 laudable desire to divert their attention from numerous ugly 

 appearances overhead. For the turn of noon was stealthily 

 lowering a curtain, first of gauze, then of more thickly spun 

 veilwork, till hill and vale, streamlet and lake, were alike 

 hidden from view. 



A little local knowledge, or any improvised plausibleness 

 that will pass as such, is a boon under such circumstances, 

 though one is apt to find out that a little knowledge is, as 

 forsooth it has been from the time of Adam, a dangerous 

 thing. All I know of Llangorst Pool I nevertheless place 

 at the disposal of my companions, but my data, even when 

 drawn out like thin wire, do not go far. The Welsh name 

 of this water is Llyn Savaddon ; it is three miles long, and 

 a mile across at the widest place. Although there are 

 numerous legends connected with it, the only one I can 

 recall, now that of all times they are needed, is that the 

 waters rest upon a deeply-buried city. One of my com- 

 panions has heard the same story of an Irish lake, and 

 makes game of the whole pretence. 



He gets more interested at the stores of eels, perch, and 

 pike, which I vouch have roamed the pool since the days of 

 the good monks of Llanthony, and becomes almost hopeful 

 when informed that the place is credited with pike of any 

 size up to 5olb. He remembers, he says, a paragraph not 

 a fortnight since in a London paper recording the capture 

 of one of 24lb. from Llangorst; hopes I have been careful 

 to bring the gaff; thinks if my bag is too small we may 

 borrow or purchase a market basket or potato-sack. 



Dissembling, however, could be continued no longer. It 



