74 REMINISCENCES, ETC. 



coming down serves to raise those going up. This cable is 

 no less than a thousand yards in length. There can be 

 imagined no grander scene than is beheld from the railway 

 leading to these inclines. Immediately in front is the 

 majestic range of Snowdon, and a few miles distant to the 

 right of the traveller, as he makes his pilgrimage upwards, 

 is Bethgelert, famous for its being the centre of many a 

 lovely valley, and for its romantic legend of the death of 

 Gelert, most faithful of hounds : — 



** And till great Snowdon's rocks grow old, 

 And cease the storm to brave. 

 The consecrated spot shall hold 

 The name of Gelert's grave.'* 



Quitting the harbour of Dinorwic, where thousands of 

 slates are stacked in every direction ready for embarkation, 

 we either mount immediately the first incline, at the top of 

 which is the railway terminus, or taking the route across the 

 open country, we pass through the centre of the slate dis- 

 trict into the bowels of the black rock (Allt Du), over- 

 hanging the Upper Lake of Llanberris. 



On our arrival at the quarries we make the best use 

 of our time, in acquiring information as to the mode in 

 which the works are carried on. The slate is cut by piece- 

 work, the *• bargainers," as they are called, taking each a certain 

 number of feet in width, and to such a nicety can they blast 

 the sides of the quarry, that they have been known to con- 

 tinue " on their lines" for twenty-five years without en- 

 croaching an inch on the adjoining bargainer's tenure. The 

 steam-engine (by David Brothers, Sheffield) has been at 

 work ten years, and not unfrequently both day and night, 

 and yet it was never known to be out of order. The quar- 

 rymen have such faith in it that they affirm it would work 

 just as well on slates as on coal or coke. The machine for 

 dressing the slates, styled the guillotine, the invention of 

 Morin, from the same country as came its formidable name- 



