470 A TOUR ROUND NORTH WALES. 



within two miles of Machynlleth, when in 

 the evening, the weather became quite 

 clear, and I entered the fine vale in which 

 the town ftands. I did not come in light 

 of the place till I was within a. mile of it ; 

 for being feated in a vale, and hidden by 

 intervening mountains, it only became vi(i- 

 ble on a fudden turn in the road juft before 

 I got to the river. 



I obferved in the Dovey, two of the 

 boats, called Coracles ; thefe are ufed chiefly 

 in fiming ; they are five or fix feet long, 

 and three or four broad, of an oval fhape, 

 and fo light that one man may with eafe 

 carry them on his moulders. They were 

 the vt'ti/ta navigia of Pliny, and were much 

 in ufe amongft the antient Britons. Their 

 name was taken from their being formerly 

 covered with coria, or hides. Camden * 

 fays, " they were made of fplit fallow 



* Catnden's Britannia. 



'* twigs, 



