green mossy-looking ground to the left, and
had scarcely done so when I found myself immersed to the knees in a bog.
I, however, pushed forward, and with some difficulty got to the path on
the other side of the slough. I followed the path, and in about
half-an-hour saw what appeared to be houses at a distance. "God grant
that I maybe drawing near some inhabited place!" said I. The path now
grew very miry, and there were pools of water on either side. I moved
along slowly. At length I came to a place where some men were busy in
erecting a kind of building. I went up to the nearest and asked him the
name of the place. He had a crowbar in his hand, was half naked, had a
wry mouth and only one eye. He made me no answer, but mowed and gibbered
at me.

"For God's sake," said I, "don't do so, but tell me where I am!" He
still uttered no word, but mowed and gibbered yet more frightfully than
before. As I stood staring at him another man came to me and said in
broken English: "It is of no use speaking to him, sir, he is deaf and
dumb."

"I am glad he is no worse," said I, "for I really thought he was
possessed with the evil one. My good person, can you tell me the name of
this place?"

"Esgyrn Hirion, sir," said he.

"Esgyrn Hirion," said I to myself; "Esgyrn means 'bones,' and Hirion
means 'long.' I am doubtless at the place which the old ostler called
Long Bones. I shouldn't wonder if I get to the Devil's Bridge to-night
after all." I then asked the man if he could tell me the way to the
bridge of the evil man, but he shook his head and said that he had never
heard of such a place, adding, however, that he would go with me to one
of the overseers, who could perhaps direct me. He then proceeded towards
a row of buildings, which were, in fact, those objects which I had
guessed to be houses in the distance. He led me to a corner house, at
the door of which stood a middle-aged man, dressed in a grey coat, and
saying to me, "This person is an overseer," returned to his labour. I
went up to the man, and, saluting him in English, asked whether he could
direct me to the Devil's Bridge, or rather to Pont Erwyd.

"It would be of no use directing you, sir," said he, "for with all the
directions in the world it would be impossible for you to find the way.
You would not have left these premises five minutes before you would be
in a maze without knowing which way to turn. Where do you come from?"

"From Machynlleth