noise　which　I　had　heard　the　night　before；　on　the　other　side　of
  Merthyr　Tydvil。　　The　cry　of　the　owl　afar　off　in　the　woodlands。　　Oh
  that　strange　bird！　　Oh　that　strange　cry！　　The　Welsh；　as　I　have　said
  on　a　former　occasion；　call　the　owl　Dylluan。　　Amongst　the　cowydds　of
  Ab　Gwilym　there　is　one　to　the　dylluan。　　It　is　full　of　abuse　against
  the　bird；　with　whom　the　poet　is　very　angry　for　having　with　its　cry
  frightened　Morfydd　back；　who　was　coming　to　the　wood　to　keep　an
  assignation　with　him；　but　not　a　little　of　this　abuse　is　wonderfully
  expressive　and　truthful。　　He　calls　the　owl　a　grey　thief　…　the
  haunter　of　the　ivy　bush　…　the　chick　of　the　oak；　a　blinking　eyed
  witch；　greedy　of　mice；　with　a　visage　like　the　bald　forehead　of　a
  big　ram；　or　the　dirty　face　of　an　old　abbess；　which　bears　no　little
  resemblance　to　the　chine　of　an　ape。　　Of　its　cry　he　says　that　it　is
  as　great　a　torment　as　an　agonizing　recollection；　a　cold　shrill
  laugh　from　the　midst　of　a　kettle　of　ice；　the　rattling　of　sea…
  pebbles　in　an　old　sheep…skin；　on　which　account　many　call　the　owl
  the　hag　of　the　Rhugylgroen。　　The　Rhugylgroen；　it　will　be　as　well　to
  observe；　is　a　dry　sheepskin　containing　a　number　of　pebbles；　and　is
  used　as　a　rattle　for　frightening　crows。　　The　likening　the　visage　of
  the　owl　to　the　dirty　face　of　an　old　abbess　is　capital；　and　the
  likening　the　cry　to　the　noise　of　the　rhugylgroen　is　anything　but
  unfortunate。　　For；　after　all；　what　does　the　voice　of　the　owl　so
  much　resemble　as　a　diabolical　rattle。　　I'm　sure　I　don't　know。
  Reader；　do　you？
  I　reached　Caerfili　at　about　seven　o'clock；　and　went　to　the　〃Boar's
  Head；〃　near　the　ruins　of　a　stupendous　castle；　on　which　the　beams　of
  the　moon　were　falling。
  CHAPTER　CVII
  Caerfili　Castle　…　Sir　Charles　…　The　Waiter　…　Inkerman。
  I　SLEPT　well　during　the　night。　　In　the　morning　after　breakfast　I
  went　to　see　the　castle；　over　which　I　was　conducted　by　a　woman　who
  was　intrusted　with　its　care。　　It　stands　on　the　eastern　side　of　the
  little　town；　and　is　a　truly　enormous　structure；　which　brought　to　my
  recollection　a　saying　of　our　great　Johnson；　to　be　found　in　the
  account　of　his　journey　to　the　Western　Islands；　namely　〃that　for　all
  the　castles　which　he　had　seen　beyond　the　Tweed　the　ruins　yet
  remaining　of　some　one　of　those　which　the　English　built　in　Wales
  would　find　materials。〃　　The　original　founder　was　one　John　De　Bryse；
  a　powerful　Norman　who　married　the　daughter　of　Llewellyn　Ap
  Jorwerth；　the　son…in…law　of　King　John；　and　the　most　war…like　of　all
  the　Welsh　princes；　whose　exploits；　and　particularly　a　victory　which
  he　obtained　over　his　father…in…law；　with　whom　he　was　always　at　war；
  have　been　immortalized　by　the　great　war…bard；　Dafydd　Benfras。　　It
  was　one　of　the　strongholds　which　belonged　to　the　Spencers；　and
  served　for　a　short　time　as　a　retreat　to　the　unfortunate　Edward　the
  Second。　　It　was　ruined　by　Cromwell；　the　grand　foe　of　the　baronial
  castles　of　Britain；　but　not　in　so　thorough　and　sweeping　a　manner　as
  to　leave　it　a　mere　heap　of　stones。　　There　is　a　noble　entrance　porch
  fronting　the　west　…　a　spacious　courtyard；　a　grand　banqueting　room；
  a　corridor　of　vast　length；　several　lofty　towers；　a　chapel；　a　sally…
  port；　a　guard…room　and　a　strange　underground　vaulted　place　called
  the　mint；　in　which　Caerfili's　barons　once　coined　money；　and　in
  which　the　furnaces　still　exist　which　were　used　for　melting　metal。
  The　name　Caerfili　is　said　to　signify　the　Castle　of　Haste；　and　to
  have　been　bestowed　on　the　pile　because　it　was　built　in　a　hurry。
  Caerfili；　however；　was　never　built　in　a　hurry；　as　the　remains　show。
  Moreover；　the　Welsh　word　for　haste　is　not　fil　but　ffrwst。　　Fil
  means　a　scudding　or　darting　through　the　air；　which　can　have　nothing
  to　do　with　the　building　of　a　castle。　　Caerfili　signifies　Philip's
  City；　and　was　called　so　after　one　Philip　a　saint。　　It　no　more　means
  the　castle　of　haste　than　Tintagel　in　Cornwall　signifies　the　castle
  of　guile；　as　the　learned　have　said　it　does；　for　Tintagel　simply
  means　the　house　in　the　gill　of　the　hill；　a　term　admirably
  descriptive　of　the　situation　of　the　building。
  I　started　from　Caerfili　at　eleven　for　Newport；　distant　about
  seventeen　miles。　　Passing　through　a　toll…gate　I　ascended　an
  acclivity；　from　the　top　of　which　I　obtained　a　full　view　of　the
  castle；　looking　stern；　dark　and　majestic。　　Descending　the　hill　I
  came　to　a　bridge　over　a　river　called　the　Rhymni　or　Rumney；　much
  celebrated　in　Welsh　and　English　song　…　thence　to　Pentref　Bettws；　or
  the　village　of　the　bead…house；　doubtless　so　called　from　its　having
  contained　in　old　times　a　house　in　which　pilgrims　might　tell　their
  beads。
  The　scenery　soon　became　very　beautiful　…　its　beauty；　however；　was
  to　a　certain　extent　marred　by　a　horrid　black　object；　a　huge　coal
  work；　the　chimneys　of　which　were　belching　forth　smoke　of　the
  densest　description。　　〃Whom　does　that　work　belong　to？〃　said　I　to　a
  man　nearly　as　black　as　a　chimney　sweep。
  〃Who　does　it　belong　to？　　Why；　to　Sir　Charles。〃
  〃Do　you　mean　Sir　Charles　Morgan？〃
  〃I　don't　know。　　I　only　know　that　it　belongs　to　Sir　Charles；　the
  kindest…hearted　and　richest　man　in　Wales　and　in　England　too。〃
  Passing　some　cottages　I　heard　a　group　of　children　speaking　English。
  Asked　an　intelligent…looking　girl　if　she　could　speak　Welsh。
  〃Yes；〃　said　she；　〃I　can　speak　it；　but　not　very　well。〃　　There　is　not
  much　Welsh　spoken　by　the　children　hereabout。　　The　old　folks　hold
  more　to　it。
  I　saw　again　the　Rhymni　river；　and　crossed　it　by　a　bridge；　the　river
  here　was　filthy　and　turbid；　owing　of　course　to　its　having　received
  the　foul　drainings　of　the　neighbouring　coal　works。　　Shortly
  afterwards　I　emerged　from　the　coom　or　valley　of　the　Rhymni；　and
  entered　upon　a　fertile　and　tolerably　level　district。　　Passed　by
  Llanawst　and　Machen。　　The　day　which　had　been　very　fine　now　became
  dark　and　gloomy。　　Suddenly；　as　I　was　descending　a　slope；　a
  brilliant　party；　consisting　of　four　young　ladies　in　riding…habits；
  a　youthful　cavalier　and　a　servant　in　splendid　livery　…　all　on　noble
  horses；　swept　past　me　at　full　gallop　down　the　hill。　　Almost
  immediately　afterwards；　seeing　a　road…mender　who　was　standing
  holding　his　cap　in　his　hand　…　which　he　had　no　doubt　just
  reverentially　doffed　…　I　said　in　Welsh：　　〃Who　are　those　ladies？〃
  〃Merched　Sir　Charles　…　the　daughters　of　Sir　Charles；〃　he　replied。
  〃And　is　the　gentleman　their　brother？〃
  〃No！　the　brother　is　in　the　Crim　…　fighting　with　the　Roosiaid。　　I
  don't　know　who　yon　gentleman　be。〃
  〃Where　does　Sir　Charles　live？〃
  〃Down　in　the　Dyfryn；　not　far　from　Basallaig。〃
  〃If　I　were　to　go　and　see　him；〃　I　said；　〃do　you　think　he　would　give
  me　a　cup　of　ale？〃
  〃I　daresay　he　would；　he　has　given　me　one　many　a　time。〃
  I　soon　reached　Basallaig；　a　pleasant　village　standing　in　a　valley
  and　nearly　surrounded　by　the　groves　of　Sir　Charles　Morgan。　　Seeing
  a　decent　public…house　I　said　to　myself；　〃I　think　I　shall　step　in
  and　have　my　ale　here；　and　not　go　running　after　Sir　Charles；　whom
  perhaps　after　all　I　shouldn't　find　at　home。〃　　So　I　went　in　and
  called　for　a　pint　of　ale。　　Over　my　ale　I　trifled　for　about　half…an…
  hour；　then　paying　my　groat　I　got　up　and　set　off　for　Newport；　in　the
  midst　of　a　thick　mist　which　had　suddenly　come　on；　and　which
  speedily　wetted　me　nearly　to　the　skin。
  I　reached　Newport　at　about　half…past　four；　and　put　up　at　a　large
  and　handsome　inn　called　the　King's　Head。　　During　dinner　the　waiter；
  unasked；　related　to　me　his　history。　　He　was　a　short　thick　fellow　of
  about　forty；　with　a　very　disturbed　and　frightened　expression　of
  countenance。　　He　said　that　he　was　a　native　of　Brummagen；　and　had
  lived　very　happily　at　an　inn　there　as　waiter；　but　at　length　had
  allowed　himself　to　be　spirited　away　to　an　establishment　high　up　in
  Wales　amidst　the　scenery。　　That　very　few　visitors　came　to　the
  establishment；　which　was　in　a　place　so　awfully　lonesome　that　he
  soon　became　hipped；　and　was　more　than　once　half　in　a　mind　to　fling
  himself　into　a　river　which　ran　before　the　door　and　moaned　dismally。
  That　at　last　he　thought　his　best　plan　would　be　to　decamp；　and
  accordingly　took　French　leave　early　one　morning。　　That　after　many
  frights　and　much　fatigue　he　had　found　himself　at　Newport；　and　taken
  service　at　the　King's　Head；　but　did　not　feel　comfortable；　and　was
  frequently　visited　at　night　by　dreadful　dreams。　　That　he　should
  take　the　first　opportunity　of　getting　to　Brummagen；　though　he　was
  afraid　that　he　should　not　be　able　to　get　into　his　former　place；
  owing　to　his　ungrateful　behaviour。　　He　then　uttered　a　rather
  eloquent　eulogium　on　the　beauties　of　the　black　capital；　and　wound
  up　all　by　saying　that　he　would　rather　be　a　brazier's　dog　at
  Brummagen　than　head　waiter　at　the　best　establishment　in　Wales。
  After　dinner　I　took　up　a　newspaper　and　found　in　it　an　account　of
  the　battle　of　Inkerman；　which　appeared　to　have　been　fought　on　the
  fifth　of　November；　the　very　day　on　which　I　had　ascended　Plynlimmon。
  I　was　sorry　to　find　that　my　countrymen　had　suffered　dreadfully；　and
  would　have　been　utterly　destroyed　but　for　the　opportune　arrival　of
  the　French。　　〃In　my　childhood；〃　said　I；　〃the　Russians　used　to　help
  us　against　the　French；　now