A TOUR ROUND NORTH WALES. 313 



fufficiently repay their want of verdure, by 

 the pleafing and fantaftic appearance of the 

 rocks which compofe them. Thefe rife 

 abruptly from their bafe, and ftretch their 

 barren points into the clouds, unvaried with 

 fhrubs, and uncheered by the cottager's hut. 

 In the year 1685, part of a rock of one of 

 the impending cliffs became fo undermined 

 by florins and rain, that loofmg it's hold, it 

 fell down in feveral pieces, and in it's pafTage 

 down a fteep and craggy cliff, diflodged fome 

 thoufands of other ftones, of which many 

 were intercepted in their progrefs into the 

 valley ; but as much forced it's way as en- 

 tirely ruined a fmall piece of meadow 

 ground at the bottom, and feveral pieces 

 were thrown at leaft two hundred yards 

 afunder. In this accident, one great ftone, 

 the biggeft remaining piece of the broken 

 rock, made a trench in it's defcent as large 

 as the mountain ftreams ufually run in, 



and 



