402 



MY LIFE 



[Chap. 



hour he explored every nook and cranny, and every few 

 minutes cried out to me, " I've got another species I never 

 gathered before/' till I thought he would never tear himself 

 away ; and during several other visits to Wales in the 

 Snowdon and Cader Idris districts, and in the Vale of Neath, 

 I do not think he ever came upon a richer spot for his 

 favourite group of plants. 



The next day we took a much longer ramble along 

 country lanes, which gradually led us on to the ridge of the 

 Berwyn mountains, from 2500 to 2700 feet above sea-level. 

 At the highest summit, where a circle of precipices descends 

 to a little tarn — Llyn-llyne-caws — my friend crept out along 

 the face of the rocks to get some rare mosses, till he made 

 me quite afraid for his safety. But he was very active and 

 sure-footed, and always managed to get what he wanted. 

 On the high peaty moors we found the creeping cloud-berry, 

 and as we had strolled slowly, searching everywhere for 

 plants and enjoying the scenery and the mountain air, it was 

 late in the afternoon before we came to a deep valley where 

 there were some houses, and as we had walked about eight or 

 nine miles over high mountains since we last saw a house, we 

 determined to go down and try to find a night's lodging. We 

 were attracted by glimpses of a waterfall up this valley, and 

 therefore made for the highest house we could see, a rather 

 neat small farmhouse. By the time we had reached it the 

 sun had set, and when we asked if we could have supper 

 and lodging there, we were told it was impossible, as some 

 titled person — I forget the name — was coming next day with 

 some friends to shoot there, and every thing was got ready for 

 him. However, we told them we had walked over the 

 mountains from Corwen and were very tired, and if we went 

 down to the village we should have so much to walk back in 

 the morning, that at last they agreed. I quite forget what 

 kind of accommodation we had, but I rather think we slept 

 on the floor. We had, however, a good supper, and break- 

 fast next morning, when, after getting a view of the water- 

 fall, which Mr. Mitten sketched, we walked about three 

 miles westward over a mountain ridge to a good but very 



