id my bill, and having sauntered a little about
the hotel garden, which is situated on the border of a small lake and
from which, through the vista of the pass, Snowdon may be seen towering
in majesty at the distance of about six miles, I started for Bangor,
which is fourteen miles from Capel Curig.

The road to Bangor from Capel Curig is almost due west. An hour's
walking brought me to a bleak moor, extending for a long way amidst wild
sterile hills.

The first of a chain on the left, was a huge lumpy hill with a precipice
towards the road probably three hundred feet high. When I had come
nearly parallel with the commencement of this precipice, I saw on the
left-hand side of the road two children looking over a low wall behind
which at a little distance stood a wretched hovel. On coming up I
stopped and looked at them; they were a boy and girl; the first about
twelve, the latter a year or two younger; both wretchedly dressed and
looking very sickly.

"Have you any English?" said I, addressing the boy in Welsh.

"Dim gair," said the boy; "not a word; there is no Saesneg near here."

"What is the name of this place?"

"The name of our house is Helyg."

"And what is the name of that hill?" said I, pointing to the hill of the
precipice.

"Allt y Gog--the high place of the cuckoo."

"Have you a father and mother?"

"We have."

"Are they in the house?"

"They are gone to Capel Curig."

"And they left you alone?"

"They did. With the cat and the trin-wire."

"Do your father and mother make wire-work?"

"They do. They live by making it."

"What is the wire-work for?"

"It is for hedges to fence the fields with."

"Do you help your father and mother?"

"We do; as far as we can."

"You both look unwell."

"We have lately had the cryd" (ague).

"Is there much cryd about here?"

"Plenty."

"Do you live well?"

"When we have bread we live well."

"If I give you a penny will you bring me some water?"

"We will, whether you give us a penny or not. Come, sister, let us go
and fetch the gentleman water."

They ran into the house and presently returned, the girl bearing a pan of
water. After I had drunk I gave each of the children a penny, and
received in return from each a diolch or thanks.

"Can either of you read?"

"Neither one nor the other."

"Can your father and mother read?"

"My father cannot, my mother can a little."

"Are there books in the house?"

"There are not."