CEFYN CREINI. Near the fummit of a hill on the oppofite fide of the river, called Cefyn Creini, The Mountain of Worfhip, there is a vast circle of loose stones, which bears the appearance of having once been a British fortification. This is called Caer Drewyn and Y Caer Wen, The White Fort. It is near half a mile in circumference, but the walls are at prefent in fuch a state, that at a distance they appear like huge heaps of ftones piled round the circumference of a circle. Owen Gwynedd is believed to have occupied this post, whilft Henry II. had his men encamped among the Berwyn mountains, on the oppofite fide of the vale. It is alfo related that Owen Glyndwr made use of this place in his occafional retreats.-The whole circle is perfectly visible from the road leading to Llanrwft, at the distance of about two miles from the town. GLYNN BRIDGE. From Corwen I made an excurfion of fix miles to Pont y Glynn, The Bridge of the Glen, on the road leading to Llanrwft. The scenery along the whole walk had numerous beauties; but from one fituation I had an uncommonly fine view along the beautiful vale of Edeirnion, bounded by the lofty Berwyn mountains, and adorned with the most pleasing cultivation.— The woody glen, at the head of which stands Pont y Glynn, N 4 y Glynn, with its prominent rocks, nearly obfcured by the furrounding foliage, after a while prefented itself; and then, almost in a moment, on a fudden turn of the road, appeared the bridge, thrown over the chafm. Beneath it was the rugged and preci pitous bed of the river, where, amongst immense maffes and huge fragments of rock, the ftream foamed with the most violent impetuoufity. The tranfition to this romantic fcene was fo momentary, as to seem almost the effect of magic. The cataract is not very lofty, but from its being directly under the bridge, where the foam and spray was feen dashing among the dark oppofing rocks, and having the addition of pendant foliage from each fide, a fcene was formed altogether finely picturefque and elegant. The bridge refts on two nearly perpendicular rocks, and appears to be at least fifty feet above the bed of the stream.-The view from thence down the hollow was grand and tremendous. CHAP. XX. CORWEN TO BALA. The Vale of Edeirnion.-The Waterfall at Cynwyd.—Llanderfel. -Account of the Image of Derfel Gadarn, and the Superftitions of the Web People.-Execution of Friar Foreft, and the fingular Completion of a Prophefy.-Memoranda of the Welsh Bard Llywarch Hên.—Bala.-Bala Lake.-Account of a Fish called Gwyniadd found here.-Dreadful Overflowings.-Excurfion round the Lake.-The Phenomenon called by the Welsh Dear dor.-An Adventure of Two Gentlemen at Llanwchllyn. - Caftell Corndo chon.-Caer Gai.-The River Dee. THE distance from Corwen to Bala, along the usual road, is about eleven miles; but as there was another that for fome miles accompanied the Dee, I was induced to prefer it. This road, as I had imagined from my map, extended along the vale of Edeirnion, which I had fo much admired in my late ramble to Glynn Bridge. I found it fo bad, as in fome places to be nearly impaffable. From its very low fituation I had few opportunities of feeing the elegancies of the vale; but whenever the road paffed over an eminence, I found much to admire. WATER WATERFALL OF CYNWYD. At the village of Cynwyd, The Source of Mischief, (probably fo called in confequence of the courts which formerly were held there by the great men of the neighbourhood, to fettle the boundaries of the adjacent commons, and to take cognizance of encroachments *,) I left the road about half a mile, and proceeded along a deep glen that led me to Rhaiadr Cynwyd, The Waterfall of Cynwyd. The water dashed from precipice to precipice, among the wood and rocks, in the wildest and most romantic manner imaginable. The fcene was fo varied from the confufion of the water foaming in every direction, and partly hidden by the fhrubs and trees growing on the ledges of the rocks, that the pen cannot describe it with justice, and even the efforts of the pencil could only give a faint conception of its elegance. Many detached parts of it afford excellent ftudies to the admirers of picturefque beauty. I refumed my journey, paffed Llandrillo, The Church of St. Trillo; and afterwards croffing the river, arrived at Llanderfel, another fmall village, whofe church is dedicated to a British faint, called * Pennant, ii. 72. DERFEL DERFEL GADARN. The church once contained a vaft wooden image of this, its patron faint, which was formerly held in fuch fuperftitious veneration, that people from very diftant parts made pilgrimages to it, and on these occafions offered not only money, but fometimes even horfes or cattle. The Welsh people believed that Derfel Gadarn had the power of once refcuing each of his votaries from the torments of hell. On the 5th of April 1537, the festival day of this faint, no fewer than betwixt five and fix hundred perfons, some of them from a great diftance, came to Llanderfel to make the accustomed offerings.-The letter from Elis Price, commiffary-general of the diocefe of St. Afaph, to Cromwell the vicar-general, of which the following is a copy, was the first cause of this very lucrative antique being deftroyed, to the great displeasure, no doubt, of the monks, who rioted in the produce of its coffers: "Right honorable, and my fyngular good lorde and mayster, all circumftanncys and thankes fett afide pleafithe yt yowre good lordeshipe to be aduifid that where I was conftitute and made by yowre honorable defire and commaundmente comiffarie generall of the dyofefe of Saynte Asaph, I haue done my diligens and dutie for the expulfinge and takynge awaye of certen abufions fuperfticions and ipocryses ufid withyn the faide dyosese of Saynte Affaph accordynge to the kynges honorable rules and injunctions therein made, that notwithstandinge, there ys an image of Darvell Gadarn withyn the faide diofefe in whom the people have fo greate confidence hope and trufte that they come daylye a pill gramage |