e in general prefer
ascending Snowdon from that trumpery place Beth Gelert; but those who do
are fools--begging your honour's pardon. The place to ascend Snowdon
from is my house. The way from my house up Snowdon is wonderful for the
romantic scenery which it affords; that from Beth Gelert can't be named
in the same day with it for scenery; moreover, from my house you may have
the best guide in Wales; whereas the guides of Beth Gelert--but I say
nothing. If your honour is bound for the Wyddfa, as I suppose you are,
you had better start from my house to-morrow under my guidance."

"I have already been up the Wyddfa from Llanberis," said I, "and am now
going through Beth Gelert to Llangollen, where my family are; were I
going up Snowdon again I should most certainly start from your house
under your guidance, and were I not in a hurry at present, I would
certainly take up my quarters here for a week, and every day snake
excursions with you into the recesses of Eryri. I suppose you are
acquainted with all the secrets of the hills?"

"Trust the old ranger for that, your honour. I would show your honour
the black lake in the frightful hollow in which the fishes have monstrous
heads and little bodies, the lake on which neither swan, duck nor any
kind of wildfowl was ever seen to light. Then I would show your honour
the fountain of the hopping creatures, where, where--"

"Were you ever at that Wolf's crag, that Castell y Cidwm?" said I.

"Can't say I ever was, your honour. You see it lies so close by, just
across the lake, that--"

"You thought you could see it any day, and so never went," said I. "Can
you tell me whether there are any ruins upon it?"

"I can't, your honour."

"I shouldn't wonder," said I, "if in old times it was the stronghold of
some robber-chieftain; cidwm in the old Welsh is frequently applied to a
ferocious man. Castell Cidwm, I should think, rather ought to be
translated the robber's castle than the wolf's rock. If I ever come into
these parts again you and I will visit it together, and see what kind of
place it is. Now farewell! It is getting late." I then departed.

"What a nice gentleman!" said the younger man, when I was a few yards
distant.

"I never saw a nicer gentleman," said the old ranger.

I sped along, Snowdon on my left, the lake on my right, and the tip of a
mountain peak right before me in the east. After a little time I looked
back; what a scene! The silver lake a