NOTICED IN NORTH WALES. 3] 
This day the rain detained us till between four and five o’clock 
in the afternoon, when we again started for Trawsfynydd, about 
a dozen or fourteen miles from Dolgelly. On this part of our 
walk the only interesting plants gathered were Cotyledon Umbi- 
licus and Vicia Orobus, in the station given by Bingley near 
Dolymelynllyn, about six miles from Dolgelly. From this spot 
(the bridge over the Mawddach) the road stretches in a right line 
to Trawsfynydd, constautly ascending, or with a long acclivity and 
a short level alternately for about eight miles, most of the 
country open, cheerless, and barren, no houses, except a cottage 
and cowshed here and there; but there are miles where there is 
no erection whatever. Trawsfynydd is situated in a bleak, moun- 
tainous district, on the road from Dolgelly to Maentwrog, being 
about thirteen miles from the former and five from the latter 
place. There is here little or no cultivation. The parish, which 
is very large, consists chiefly of barren mountains with some cow 
pasture round the village. Sheep and cows are the chief sub- 
stance of the inhabitants. We believe this is one of the most 
elevated villages in Wales. The inhabitants are pure ancient 
Britons, sturdy, well-grown persons, as mountaineers usually are. 
They retain their peculiar costume, 7.e. the women do, the most 
characteristic feature of which is the broad-brimmed, high, but 
not steeple-crowned, hats. In church, where this black beaver 
is very conspicuous, the females are the most distinguished per- 
sons. The language spoken here is Welsh, and Welsh only. 
There was only one person in the village (the clergyman and 
schoolmaster excepted) who could speak English, and he, being a 
seafaring man in his earlier days, knew several languages besides 
English and his vernacular. He informed us that goats, once so 
common in Wales, were nearly extinct as stock ; but he said that 
they abounded when he was young. Several well-dressed people 
were accosted with the English salutations, but invariably dim 
Sassenach (no English) were the only words spoken, and we were~ 
able to rejoin dim Cumraig (no Welsh). The vegetation about 
Trawsfynydd is but scanty, yet we noticed here a few plants of 
interest to botanists, viz. Vicia Orobus, Hieracium rigidum, H. 
boreale, and Serratula tinctoria. There are said to be remains 
of an ancient military way not far from this village, and on the 
right-hand side of the road to Maentwrog, about two miles from 
Trawsfynydd there are evident remains of what may have once 
been a British castle and fort of some extent and strength. 
