grimy　fellows；　who　said　nothing　to　me　and　to　whom　I　said　nothing　…
  their　discourse　was　in　Welsh　and　English。　　Of　their　Welsh　I
  understood　but　little；　for　it　was　a　strange　corrupt　jargon。　　In
  about　half…an…hour　after　leaving　this　place　I　came　to　the　beginning
  of　a　vast　moor。　　It　was　now　growing　rather　dusk；　and　I　could　see
  blazes　here　and　there；　occasionally　I　heard　horrid　sounds。　　Came　to
  Irvan；　an　enormous　mining…place　with　a　spectral…looking　chapel；
  doubtless　a　Methodist　one。　　The　street　was　crowded　with　rough；
  savage…looking　men。　　〃Is　this　the　way　to　Merthyr　Tydvil？〃　said　I　to
  one。
  〃Yes！〃　bawled　the　fellow　at　the　utmost　stretch　of　his　voice。
  〃Thank　you！〃　said　I；　taking　off　my　hat　and　passing　on。
  Forward　I　went；　up　hill　and　down　dale。　　Night　now　set　in。　　I　passed
  a　grove　of　trees　and　presently　came　to　a　collection　of　small　houses
  at　the　bottom　of　a　little　hollow。　　Hearing　a　step　near　me　I　stopped
  and　said　in　Welsh：　　〃How　far　to　Merthyr　Tydvil？〃
  〃Dim　Cumrag；　sir！〃　said　a　voice；　seemingly　that　of　a　man。
  〃Good　night！〃　said　I；　and　without　staying　to　put　the　question　in
  English；　I　pushed　on　up　an　ascent；　and　was　presently　amongst　trees。
  Heard　for　a　long　time　the　hooting　of　an　owl　or　rather　the　frantic
  hollo。　　Appeared　to　pass　by　where　the　bird　had　its　station。　　Toiled
  up　an　acclivity　and　when　on　the　top　stood　still　and　looked　around
  me。　　There　was　a　glow　on　all　sides　in　the　heaven；　except　in　the
  north…east　quarter。　　Striding　on　I　saw　a　cottage　on　my　left　hand；
  and　standing　at　the　door　the　figure　of　a　woman。　　〃How　far　to
  Merthyr？〃　said　I　in　Welsh。
  〃Tair　milltir　…　three　miles；　sir。〃
  Turning　round　a　corner　at　the　top　of　a　hill　I　saw　blazes　here　and
  there；　and　what　appeared　to　be　a　glowing　mountain　in　the　south…
  east。　　I　went　towards　it　down　a　descent　which　continued　for　a　long；
  long　way；　so　great　was　the　light　cast　by　the　blazes　and　that
  wonderful　glowing　object；　that　I　could　distinctly　see　the　little
  stones　upon　the　road。　　After　walking　about　half…an…hour；　always
  going　downwards；　I　saw　a　house　on　my　left　hand　and　heard　a　noise　of
  water　opposite　to　it。　　It　was　a　pistyll。　　I　went　to　it；　drank
  greedily；　and　then　hurried　on。　　More　and　more　blazes；　and　the
  glowing　object　looking　more　terrible　than　ever。　　It　was　now　above
  me　at　some　distance　to　the　left；　and　I　could　see　that　it　was　an
  immense　quantity　of　heated　matter　like　lava；　occupying　the　upper
  and　middle　parts　of　a　hill；　and　descending　here　and　there　almost　to
  the　bottom　in　a　zigzag　and　tortuous　manner。　　Between　me　and　the
  hill　of　the　burning　object　lay　a　deep　ravine。　　After　a　time　I　came
  to　a　house；　against　the　door　of　which　a　man　was　leaning。　　〃What　is
  all　that　burning　stuff　above；　my　friend？〃
  〃Dross　from　the　iron　forges；　sir！〃
  I　now　perceived　a　valley　below　me　full　of　lights；　and　descending
  reached　houses　and　a　tramway。　　I　had　blazes　now　all　around　me。　　I
  went　through　a　filthy　slough；　over　a　bridge；　and　up　a　street；　from
  which　dirty　lanes　branched　off　on　either　side；　passed　throngs　of
  savage…looking　people　talking　clamorously；　shrank　from　addressing
  any　of　them；　and　finally；　undirected；　found　myself　before　the
  Castle　Inn　at　Merthyr　Tydvil。
  CHAPTER　CIV
  Iron　and　Coal　…　The　Martyred　Princess　…　Cyfartha　Fawr　…　Diabolical
  Structure。
  MERTHYR　TYDVIL　is　situated　in　a　broad　valley　through　which　roll　the
  waters　of　the　Taf。　　It　was　till　late　an　inconsiderable　village；　but
  is　at　present　the　greatest　mining　place　in　Britain；　and　may　be
  called　with　much　propriety　the　capital　of　the　iron　and　coal。
  It　bears　the　name　of　Merthyr　Tydvil；　which　signifies　the　Martyr
  Tydvil；　because　in　the　old　time　a　Christian　British　princess　was
  slain　in　the　locality　which　it　occupies。　　Tydvil　was　the　daughter
  of　Brychan；　Prince　of　Brecon；　surnamed　Brycheiniawg；　or　the
  Breconian；　who　flourished　in　the　fifth　century　and　was　a
  contemporary　of　Hengist。　　He　was　a　man　full　of　Christian　zeal；　and
  a　great　preacher　of　the　Gospel；　and　gave　his　children；　of　which　he
  had　many；　both　male　and　female；　by　various　wives；　an　education
  which　he　hoped　would　not　only　make　them　Christians；　but　enable　them
  to　preach　the　Gospel　to　their　countrymen。　　They　proved　themselves
  worthy　of　his　care；　all　of　them　without　one　exception　becoming
  exemplary　Christians；　and　useful　preachers。　　In　his　latter　days　he
  retired　to　a　hermitage　in　Glamorganshire　near　the　Taf；　and　passed
  his　time　in　devotion；　receiving　occasionally　visits　from　his
  children。　　Once；　when　he　and　several　of　them；　amongst　whom　was
  Tydvil；　were　engaged　in　prayer；　a　band　of　heathen　Saxons　rushed　in
  upon　them　and　slew　Tydvil　with　three　of　her　brothers。　　Ever　since
  that　time　the　place　has　borne　the　name　of　Martyr　Tydvil。　（21）
  The　Taf；　which　runs　to　the　south　of　Merthyr；　comes　down　from
  Breconshire；　and　enters　the　Bristol　Channel　at　Cardiff；　a　place　the
  name　of　which　in　English　is　the　city　on　the　Taf。　　It　is　one　of　the
  most　beautiful　of　rivers；　but　is　not　navigable　on　account　of　its
  numerous　shallows。　　The　only　service　which　it　renders　to　commerce
  is　feeding　a　canal　which　extends　from　Merthyr　to　Cardiff。　　It　is
  surprising　how　similar　many　of　the　Welsh　rivers　are　in　name：　　Taf；
  Tawey；　Towey；　Teivi；　and　Duffy　differ　but　very　little　in　sound。
  Taf　and　Teivi　have　both　the　same　meaning；　namely　a　tendency　to
  spread　out。　　The　other　names；　though　probably　expressive　of　the
  properties　or　peculiarities　of　the　streams　to　which　they
  respectively　belong；　I　know　not　how　to　translate。
  The　morning　of　the　fourteenth　was　very　fine。　　After　breakfast　I
  went　to　see　the　Cyfartha　Fawr　iron　works；　generally　considered　to
  be　the　great　wonder　of　the　place。　　After　some　slight　demur　I
  obtained　permission　from　the　superintendent　to　inspect　them。　　I　was
  attended　by　an　intelligent　mechanic。　　What　shall　I　say　about　the
  Cyfartha　Fawr？　　I　had　best　say　but　very　little。　　I　saw　enormous
  furnaces。　　I　saw　streams　of　molten　metal。　　I　saw　a　long　ductile
  piece　of　red…hot　iron　being　operated　upon。　　I　saw　millions　of
  sparks　flying　about。　　I　saw　an　immense　wheel　impelled　round　with
  frightful　velocity　by　a　steam…engine　of　two　hundred　and　forty　horse
  power。　　I　heard　all　kinds　of　dreadful　sounds。　　The　general　effect
  was　stunning。　　These　works　belong　to　the　Crawshays；　a　family
  distinguished　by　a　strange　kind　of　eccentricity；　but　also　by　genius
  and　enterprising　spirit；　and　by　such　a　strict　feeling　of　honour
  that　it　is　a　common　saying　that　the　word　of　any　one　of　them　is　as
  good　as　the　bond　of　other　people。
  After　seeing　the　Cyfartha　I　roamed　about；　making　general
  observations。　　The　mountain　of　dross　which　had　startled　me　on　the
  preceding　night　with　its　terrific　glare；　and　which　stands　to　the
  north…west　of　the　town；　looked　now　nothing　more　than　an　immense
  dark　heap　of　cinders。　　It　is　only　when　the　shades　of　night　have
  settled　down　that　the　fire　within　manifests　itself；　making　the　hill
  appear　an　immense　glowing　mass。　　All　the　hills　around　the　town；
  some　of　which　are　very　high；　have　a　scorched　and　blackened　look。
  An　old　Anglesea　bard；　rather　given　to　bombast；　wishing　to　extol　the
  abundant　cheer　of　his　native　isle　said：　　〃The　hills　of　Ireland　are
  blackened　by　the　smoke　from　the　kitchens　of　Mona。〃　　With　much　more
  propriety　might　a　bard　of　the　banks　of　the　Taf；　who　should　wish　to
  apologise　for　the　rather　smutty　appearance　of　his　native　vale
  exclaim：　　〃The　hills　around　the　Taf　once　so　green　are　blackened　by
  the　smoke　from　the　chimneys　of　Merthyr。〃　　The　town　is　large　and
  populous。　　The　inhabitants　for　the　most　part　are　Welsh；　and　Welsh
  is　the　language　generally　spoken；　though　all　have　some　knowledge　of
  English。　　The　houses　are　in　general　low　and　mean；　and　built　of
  rough　grey　stone。　　Merthyr；　however；　can　show　several　remarkable
  edifices；　though　of　a　gloomy　horrid　Satanic　character。　　There　is
  the　hall　of　the　Iron；　with　its　arches；　from　whence　proceeds
  incessantly　a　thundering　noise　of　hammers。　　Then　there　is　an
  edifice　at　the　foot　of　a　mountain；　half　way　up　the　side　of　which　is
  a　blasted　forest　and　on　the　top　an　enormous　crag。　　A　truly
  wonderful　edifice　it　is；　such　as　Bos　would　have　imagined　had　he
  wanted　to　paint　the　palace　of　Satan。　　There　it　stands：　　a　house　of
  reddish　brick　with　a　slate　roof　…　four　horrid　black　towers　behind；
  two　of　them　belching　forth　smoke　and　flame　from　their　tops　…　holes
  like　pigeon　holes　here　and　there　…　two　immense　white　chimneys
  standing　by　themselves。　　What　edifice　can　that　be　of　such　strange
  mad　details？　I　ought　to　have　put　that　question　to　some　one　in
  Tydvil；　but　did　not；　though　I　stood　staring　at　the　diabolical
  structure　with　my　mouth　open。　　It　is　of　no　use　putting　the　question
  to　myself　here。
  After　strolling　about　for　some　two　hours　with　my　hands　in　my
  pockets；　I　returned　to　my　inn；　called　for　a　glass　of　ale；　paid　my
  reckoning；　flung　my　satchel　over　my　shoulder；　and　departed。
  CHAPTER　CV
  Start　for　Caerfili　…　Johanna　Colgan　…　Alms…Giving　…　The　Monstrous
  Female　…　The　Evil　Prayer　…　The　Next　Day　…　The　Aifrionn　…　Unclean
  Spirits　…　Expectation　…　Wreaking　Vengeance　…　A　decent　Alms。
  I　LEFT　Merthyr　about　twelve