But that this was the survival of a sacrifice of a horned animal is possible enough. The custom at Clynnog spoken of fell into disuse only in the nineteenth century; till a little over a hundred years ago it was usual to make offerings of calves and lambs which happened to be born with a slit in the ear, popularly called _Nôd Beuno_, or Beuno’s mark. They were brought to church on Trinity Sunday, and delivered to the churchwardens, who sold them and put the proceeds into Beuno’s chest. Something of the same sort of thing continues to this day at Carnac, in Brittany, on the feast of S. Cornelius (September 13th). After High Mass horned beasts are blessed at the door of the church. These beasts, donations of the peasants to Cornelly, are then conducted, with a banner borne before them, to the fair, where they are sold for the profit of the church, and are eagerly purchased, for the presence of one in a stable is thought to guarantee the health of the rest for a twelvemonth. We have recourse to other expedients to raise money for church expenses. I have heard of curates at a bazaar entering into washing competitions, of exhibitions of babies, of beauty competitions as well, of wags grinning through horse-collars, running races carrying eggs in spoons, to raise a few shillings. A short time ago a bazaar in aid of the funds of a hospital was held in a garrison town in one of the eastern counties. The rector of a certain village not far distant appeared in the costume of an East End costermonger, presided at a stall, and conducted an “auction sale” in the “patter” of the street salesman, to the great disgust of decent-minded people. At harvest festivals we have donations of fowls, butter, legs of mutton, and hams, to be sold for the good of the church. The donation of bullocks is to be ranked in the same category, and it was a more decent exhibition for a good end than that of curates making tomfools of themselves at bazaars. [Illustration: CONWAY CASTLE] CHAPTER VIII CONWAY The town of Conway--The castle--Title of Prince of Wales--Archbishop Williams--The church and its screen--Plas Mawr--Caer Seiont--Deganwy--The Yellow Plague--The Sweating Sickness--Llandudno--Overflow of the sea--Gwyddno and Seithenin--Cave with prehistoric relics--The Steward’s Bench--New invasion of North Wales--The tripper--The railway--The Cursing Well--Penmaenmawr--King Helig--The Headland of Wailing--Similar stories--Submarine forests--Chronology of the prehistoric ages--Conovium--Pen-y-Gaer--The purposes of these camps--Underground retreats--Örvar Odd--The salmon-weir of Gwyddno--Elphin--Taliessin. CONWAY is an interesting and eminently picturesque town, surrounded, as it still is, by its old walls, and possessing the ruins of the finest castle in Wales--it may perhaps be said in England. This castle occupies one point of the triangle that encloses the town, and has the harbour on one side and the River Gyffin on the other.