418 A TOIJK ROUND NORTH WALES. 



and the whole garrifon confifted b.ut of 

 twenty-eight men.* 



Edward I. made the town into a free 

 borough, and confirmed to it feveral grants 

 of lands and other emoluments. The 

 amzes for Merionethfhire, which ufed for- 

 merly to be held here, are now holden at 

 Bala and Dolgelle alternately. 



In the winter of 1694, this neighbour- 

 hood was much alarmed by a kind of T 

 kindled exhalation, which came from a 

 fandy marfhy trad: of land, called Morfa 

 Bychan, acrofs the channel, eight miles 

 towards Harlech, and injured much of the 

 country, by poifoning the grafs in fuch a 

 manner as to kill the cattle, and firing hay 

 and corn ricks for near a mile from the 

 coaft. It is reprefented to have had the 

 appearance of a weak blue flame, which, 

 by any great noife, fuch as the firing of 



* Whitelock's Memorials, p. 243. 



guns, 



