There are several quarries of slate in different parts of Wales. This is chiefly used for the roofs of houses, and is carried to all parts of England, Scotland and Wales. It is also brought to the United States, though in smaller quantities than formerly, because slate is now found in America.

There is an amazing number of writing slates manufactured in Wales. All of you have got writing slates, I dare say; well! most likely every one of them was brought from Wales.

The Island of Anglesea, off the coast of North Wales, was anciently the chief resort of the Druids, and the remains of their altars, &c. are more numerous in this island, than in any other part of Britain. Anglesea derives its principal importance from a famous copper mine, in a mountain called Parys. This mountain originally consisted of an entire mass of copper ore; but the greater part has been extracted, and the mine if not quite so productive as formerly. The interior so the mountain has been excavated in every direction, and, standing upon the edge, the spectator sees a range of gloomy caverns and hollows, and the miners busily

employed in obtaining the ore. The mine is worked by blasting the rocks with gunpowder, eight tons of which are supposed to be used there every year. Holyhead, situated upon this island, is the resort of all the packets that sail between Ireland and Wales.

Anglesea is separated from Wales by the Menai Strait, which was formerly crossed by several ferries, and many accidents occurred, till it was determined to build a bridge over from the island to the main land. Owing to the tides and the depth of the channel, it was nearly impossible to build a bridge in the usual manner upon arches; and besides, it was necessary that there should be sufficient space for the ships, which are often passing through the strait. The roadway is therefore suspended from huge chains, fastened into the rock on each side of the river, instead of resting upon arches. There are sixteen chains fastened in this manner, from side to side; from these are hung upright rods to support the road, which is made of three layers of planks, well covered with pitch, and with granite broken very small, spread over the whole. At Merthyr Tydvil, in Glamorganshire, are some

very extensive iron works, which have raised that place from a mere village, to be the most populous town in Wales. The neighbourhood abounds with coal and iron, and, owing to the abundance of fuel, the copper dug out of the mines of Anglesea, Cornwall, and Ireland, is brought here to be smelted.

The view on entering Merthyr Tydvil by night is very striking; the columns of flame and smoke issuing from the furnaces, have the appearance of numberless volcanoes in irruption; and the immense hammers used in hammering out the iron, and other machinery, moved by steam engines or water, add to the strangeness of the scene.

I must just say a word or two more, particularly of the mountains of Wales.

CHAPTER XXIX.

Peter Parley goes to Snowden, and tells about Cader Idris, Plintimmon, the Beacons, and other places.

THE highest mountain in Wales is Snowden, in Caernarvonshire. It is between three and four thousand feet high. From the top of it you may see a part of England, Scotland and Ireland. I always liked to go up to the top of high places, and down to the bottom of deep ones, but I am not so limber in my joints as I

once was.

It is no easy task to get to the top of Snowden. The Welch people told me they called it Creigiaur Eira, or Snowy Mountain. Try if you can speak this hard word Creigiaur. Well, if you can remember Snowden better, never mind.

The best way of seeing this mountain in perfection is to start a little after midnight, so as to get to the top time enough to behold the rising sun. Ah, that is a sight worth looking at from Snowden!

I got on the back of a stout, shaggy, Welch pony,

and went up the ascent from Dolbadern Castle in the vale of Llanberis, keeping on the side of the lake, and then by the cataract Ceunautmawr, to the vale CwmBrwynog, but you will not like these Welch words. From the top is a noble view, mountains in abundance, and between twenty and thirty glassy lakes. No words of mine could describe the scene.

As I stood on the top ridge, I dropped two stones, one from my right hand and the other from my left, and away they went, running, bouncing and leaping, till they were soon a thousand feet below me, and I dare say half a mile apart, from the other.

I visited many other mountains, both in North and South Wales. Cader Idris much pleased me; it is near three thousand feet high. Plinlimmon is two thousand four hundred and sixty-three, and Brecknock Beacon two thousand eight hundred and sixty-three feet. Glorious prospects from them all. Wales is so mountainous a country, that the views are continually changing as you move along. Those at Cwm Claiw, and Pont Bren, and Castel Dinas Brân, and Great