206 



MY LIFE 



[Chap. 



its picturesque scenery. The chief differences that I saw are 

 that some of the smaller farm houses and cottages are in ruins, 

 and that the farms seem to be somewhat larger. Where the 

 ground is fairly level the mowing machine is now used, but in 

 the condition of the farm-yards and the style of the houses I 

 see no advance whatever. Some of the old customs have 

 vanished, for I was unable to obtain any flummery, and on my 

 inquiry for bake-stone bread I found that it was now rarely 

 made. A cake was, however, prepared specially for me, but 

 being made of white American flour it had not the flavour of 

 that which I used so much to enjoy made from the brown 

 flour of home-grown wheat. 



THE SOUTH-WALES FARMER 



Introductory Remarks 



In the following pages I have endeavoured to give a correct idea of 

 the habits, manners, and mode of life of the Welsh hill farmer, a class 

 which,' on account of the late Rebecca disturbances, has excited much 

 interest. Having spent some years in Radnorshire, Brecknockshire, 

 Glamorganshire, and other parts of South Wales, and been frequently 

 in the dwellings of the farmers and country people, and had many 

 opportunities of observing their customs and manners, all that I here 

 mention is from my own observation, or obtained by conversation with 

 the parties. I have taken Glamorganshire as the locality of most of 

 what I describe, as I am best acquainted with that part and the borders 

 of Carmarthenshire, where the recent disturbances have been most 

 prominent. 



Whenever there is any great difference in neighbouring counties I 

 have noticed it. I may here observe that in Radnorshire the Welsh 

 manners are in a great measure lost with the language, which is entirely 

 English, spoken with more purity than in many parts of England, with 

 the exception of those parts bordering Cardiganshire and Brecknock- 

 shire, where the Welsh is still used among the old people, the River Wye, 

 which is the boundary of the latter county and Radnorshire, in its 

 course between Rhayader Gwy and the Hay, also separates the two lan- 

 guages. On the Radnorshire side of the river you will find in nine houses 



