52 LOCALITIES OF RARER BRITISH PLANTS 
the north. After breakfasting here, we started for the Pass of 
Llanberis, which we entered at a house recently erected, called 
Gorphwysfa, the half-way house on one of the ways from Llan- 
beris to the top of Snowdon. This is the summit of the pass, 
and from this spot there is a gradual descent through the pass to 
the village. This place is quite unlike every other scene we had 
viewed in Wales. Its wild sterility and picturesque grandeur 
must be seen to be appreciated. We have seen many pictorial 
representations of this tremendously dismal glen, but they fail 
in conveying any adequate idea of its gloomy and savage aspect. 
The pen should not attempt to describe what the pencil cannot 
portray. We soon came in sight of the old tower, the remains 
of Dolbadern Castle, and were speedily at the extremity of our 
tour, for we purposed staying a few days at Llanberis and then 
to retrace our steps towards home. 
The first object we visited was the castle, which is described 
by tourists as standing in a meadow between the two lakes. We 
found that the meadow had degenerated into a bog, which co- 
vered most part of the rock overhanging the lake. Neither this 
bog, nor the ruins themselves, afforded any interesting plants. 
The roadside, adjacent to Dolbadern, produces plenty of Poly- 
podium Phegopteris. The moss-grown village of Lilanberis has 
gradually disappeared within the last fifty years, or since Bing- 
ley’s visit. It was so, no doubt, when he visited it. Many of 
the ancient habitations have disappeared, and have been suc- 
ceeded by erections of a more permanent and commodious, if not 
of so picturesque an appearance as those that were described 
half a century ago. It is however still destitute of trees: the 
march of improvement has not yet softened this grim feature. 
All the houses are built in the same direction, to humour, as we 
may say, the pass, due north and south, having their fronts either 
towards Snowdon or toward Glyder Vawr. The inhabitants say 
that they are so built to preserve them from the effects of north 
winds, which are very violent at certain seasons. It is indeed 
always lable to violent gusts of wind. The houses, with the ex- 
ception of a very few, appear to have been rebuilt within the last 
half-century or so. We noticed two or three that probably were 
unaltered since Bingley’s visit. The two inns still exist, but they 
have been altered ; for several persons have slept in one of them 
at least, during late years. When Bingley visited the village a 
