Excursion through North Wales. 
[Jan. 1, 
Cynfael. They could scarcely be termed 
cataracts, as the long succession of dry 
weather had rendered their streams ex¬ 
tremely scanty.- However, they were 
in the road to the principal object of 
our ride, viz. a large insulated columna 
rock, situated in the bed of the river, 
the waters of which spumea circum 
saxa fremunt. This rock is called 
Pulpit Hugh Llwyd, from a supposed 
sorcerer of that name, who according 
to tradition, was wont to deliver his 
nocturnal incantations from this place, 
—a place, observes Mr. Pennant, fit 
indeed as the pit cf Acheron. In 
Hugh’s time it was assiduously shunned 
after nightfall by the peasant, who pre¬ 
ferred a walk of some miles in extent, 
to the chance of encountering the ma¬ 
gician in his rostrum. The wizard’s 
seat 
Rough, broken, base, shunn’dby the sim¬ 
ple swain, 
Whose fancy, darkened by his native 
scenes, 
Creates wild images and phantoms dire, 
Strange as his hills, and gloomy as his 
storms. 
Hugh Llwyd, by the way, was no 
insignificant person in his day. He 
possessed abilities far above his situa¬ 
tion in life, and to a mind naturally 
vigorous and enthusiastic, ho added, 
a bold, and enterprising spirit. Hence, 
and from his knowledge so superior to 
that of the simple beings among whom 
he dwelt, he was considered a very 
extraordinary person. Besides, Hugh 
had travelled, had seen a good deal of 
the world, and consequently possessed 
man}'' advantages over his secluded 
and stationary countrymen. 
And he would speak of many a wondrous 
sight 
Seen in great cities, temples, tower and 
spire, 
And winding streets at night-fall blazing 
bright, 
With many a star-like lamp of glimmer¬ 
ing fire. 
The grey hair’d men with deep attention 
heard, 
Viewing the speaker with a solemn face, 
While round their feet the playful children 
stint’d, 
And near their parents took their silent 
place, 
Listening with looks where wonder 
breath’d a glowing grace. 
The outline of Hugh’s life is still 
preserved amongst the tiaditionary.au- 
nals of the remote district where he 
flourished; and although nearly two 
centuries have elapsed since he ruled 
the stubborn hearts of the mountaineers, 
lie is yet remembered by the natives of 
Festiniog, as a wise and an awful man, 
and the grey-headed peasant, as he 
speaks of him, will shake his head, and 
murmur a deprecation of his sinful 
deeds. Hugh, it seems, was a restless 
young man. The narrow boundaries 
of his native glen were too circum¬ 
scribed for his ardent and adventurous 
spirit. He went to London, and en¬ 
listed into the parliamentary army, 
and was under General Monk.at the 
Restoration of Charles the Second. 
After having been from home manv 
years, and at length growing old, he 
returned to his native vale. Arriving 
at his house one fine summer's even¬ 
ing, he saw his sister’s family, seated 
on an old stone bench which he had in 
his younger days placed by the side of 
the house. He asked them in English, 
if they would give him a night’s lodg¬ 
ing ; but none of them understood a 
word of that language. They, how¬ 
ever, conjecturing what he wanted, 
divided their humble fare with him, 
and conducted him to the best bed in 
the cottage. They knew not that it 
was Hugh Llwyd who thus solicited 
this charity, till he disclosed himself; 
and he was then recognised with the 
utmost joy. He had acquired a small 
fortune during his wanderings, which 
he now shared with his happy relatives; 
and it was subsequent to this period that 
he practised those arts which have per¬ 
petuated liis memory. Me reached 
our quarters about 2 o’clock, and were 
confined to the house the remainder of 
the day, by the rain whieh fell in tor¬ 
rents. There was fortunately a toler¬ 
able harper at the inn, who afforded us 
very agreeable entertainment by his 
performance. During the summer, 
there is scarcely an inn of any respec¬ 
tability in North Males, that has not a 
harper to amuse the guests. The per¬ 
formance of these wandering minstrels 
is not confined to the music of Males; 
(hey play the most admired airs of the 
old masters, and sometimes with varia¬ 
tions of their own. Some of them 
play with much taste and feeling, and 
the harper at Tan-y-Bwlch, although 
by no means a first-rate strolling player, 
was by no means a despicable one. 
The following morning was fixed 
for our return to Dolgelley, and it was 
with no little delight that we perceived 
the early sun-beams peering in at our 
chamber window, unobscured by cloud 
or shadow. Me breakfasted betimes, 
and 
