sh forget that the English
have conquered them.

CHAPTER L

The Breakfast--The Tomen Bala--El Punto de la Vana.

I slept soundly that night, as well I might, my bed being good and my
body weary. I arose about nine, dressed and went down to the parlour
which was vacant. I rang the bell, and on Tom Jenkins making his
appearance I ordered breakfast, and then asked for the Welsh American,
and learned that he had breakfasted very early and had set out in a gig
on a journey to some distance. In about twenty minutes after I had
ordered it my breakfast made its appearance. A noble breakfast it was;
such indeed as I might have read of, but had never before seen. There
was tea and coffee, a goodly white loaf and butter; there were a couple
of eggs and two mutton chops. There was broiled and pickled
salmon--there was fried trout--there were also potted trout and potted
shrimps. Mercy upon me! I had never previously seen such a breakfast
set before me, nor indeed have I subsequently. Yes, I have subsequently,
and at that very house when I visited it some months after.

After breakfast I called for the bill. I forget the exact amount of the
bill, but remember that it was very moderate. I paid it and gave the
noble Thomas a shilling, which he received with a bow and truly French
smile, that is a grimace. When I departed the landlord and landlady,
highly respectable-looking elderly people, were standing at the door, one
on each side, and dismissed me with suitable honour, he with a low bow,
she with a profound curtsey.

Having seen little of the town on the preceding evening, I determined
before setting out for Llangollen to become better acquainted with it,
and accordingly took another stroll about it.

Bala is a town containing three or four thousand inhabitants, situated
near the northern end of an oblong valley, at least two-thirds of which
are occupied by Llyn Tegid. It has two long streets, extending from
north to south, a few narrow cross ones, an ancient church, partly
overgrown with ivy, with a very pointed steeple, and a town-hall of some
antiquity, in which Welsh interludes used to be performed. After
gratifying my curiosity with respect to the town, I visited the
mound--the wondrous Tomen Bala.

The Tomen Bala stands at the northern end of the town. It is apparently
formed of clay, is steep and of difficult ascent. In height it is about
thirty feet, and in diameter at the top about fifty. O