HOURS AMONG ROCKS AND CLOUDS. 
SGI 
The river above the wier is reduced to a mere rural brook, where little of the 
romantic is presented to view, the stream being shallow and flowing through green 
meadows fringed with Alders. At the eastern end of the town is a stone bridge 
of three arches, just above which a brook called the Clwidd disembogues itself into 
the Severn, with a stream almost superior to that of the latter, so that I think a 
stranger would be inclined to trace the Clwidd as the more legitimate origin of 
the Severn. Here, on the bank, is a large old umbrageous Sycamore, a favourite 
tree in Wales, and opposite to it, on the southern bank, is the plain church of 
Llanidloes, with its low pent-house tower and battered Yew-tree. 
We proceeded by the road up the acclivity that leads to Felindref-gate, leaving 
the Severn and another tributary called the Dylais, that here breaks into its 
southern bank, on the left. On reaching the top of the hill a somewhat pleasing 
scene presents itself—a bold eminence opposite is well-clothed with Oaks, on the 
left rise some Heathy hills planted partially with Larch, and in the depression 
below appears the infant Severn here termed “ Hafren,” almost hidden from view, 
and fretting itself over several wiers that obstruct its course. Many pleasing 
cottages half hiddeYin rising shrubberies, and mills for the manufacture of flannel, 
now present themselves to view, and in various spots long lines of railing are 
white with flannels exposed to bleach in the open air. 
A little beyond is Melin Felindre mill, and a wooden bridge over the river, and 
on the right a farm-house called Old Hall. At rather more than three miles is 
another old farm-house on the left called Glyn Hafren, with a tottering wooden 
bridge across the stream, which here begins to assume an Alpine aspect, brawlirtg 
over stones and rocks, though within very narrow dimensions. The view now 
improves considerably, the southern eminences putting on a bolder aspect, and 
being much dotted with wood. Birch now appears on the side of the river, inter¬ 
mixed with Alders and Aspens. A natural Birch-wood some distance farther 
on the sloping southern bank has a very picturesque effect, many of the trees being 
deeply furrowed at their bases from age, grey with Lichens, and bearded with 
Mosses, and the silver colonnade stretches up the hill in peculiar beauty. 
The road at four miles enters upon rocky scenery, though the mountain is not 
very lofty, but the disjointed masses of several of the cliffs, decorated with Ivy 
by the hand of Nature, seem to invite attention. I here observed a mass of 
rubbish on the side of the hill, and found a Lead-mine was in progress by a level 
driven into the heart of the rock. This I understood had been lately commenced. 
A vein had evidently been arrived at, for I picked, up several specimens of Copper- 
ore and Quartz. The fundamental rock is Slate, in the mass of which the veins 
of ore are interspersed, probably by the agency of Trap throwing up the Slate, 
and forming the various romantic eminences here unfolding themselves in con¬ 
tinued succession; for a little farther on several Trappoid rocks appeared, and 
