Taking a south-easterly direction, the Usk flows away from the county town, and soon receives a tiny river that comes from the towering heights of the Beacons, locally called "Arthur's Chair," and forming one of the finest of the sights which Wales offers to her lovers. "Artures Hille," says Leland, "is three good Walche miles south-west from Brekenok, and in the veri toppe of the hille is a faire welle spring. This Hille of summe is countid the hiest Hille of Wales, and in a veri cleere day a mannne may see from hit a part of Malvern hilles, and Glocester, and Bristow, and part of Devenshire and Cornwale. There be divers other hilles by Artures Hille, the wich, with hit, be communely caullid Banne Brekeniane." Wood, in his "Rivers of Wales," declares that "the well here mentioned does not exist," so that it would have been better, perhaps, if Leland had done as Churchyard did, who wrote of nothing he had not seen--if his verse is to be taken quite literally. He says:-- "Nere Breaknoke Towne, there is a mountaine hye, Which shewes so huge, it is full hard to clime. The mountaine seemes so monstrous to the eye, Yet thousands doe repayre to that sometime. And they that stand right on the top shal see A wonder great, as people doe report; Which common brute and saying true may bee, But since, in deede, I did not there resort, I write no more, then world will witnesse well." From the Brecknock Beacons there is a truly remarkable view; and for those unable or unwilling to climb, there is the sight of the mountains themselves. [Illustration: THE USK AT BRECKNOCK.] Continuing its course to the east and south, the Usk passes on, skirting Bwlch, a mountain over which the main road runs, offering glimpses on one hand of the valley of the Wye, and on the other of the valley of the Usk. Presently, our stream passes by the meagre remains of Dinas Castle, which had the honour of being stormed by Alfred the Great's daughter, Ethelfleda, and taken too, although garrisoned at the time by three-and-thirty valiant Welsh women; for the men were all fighting far afield. Through a lovely valley the Usk reaches its second town of consequence--Crickhowell. This "preatie tounlet stondith as in a valley upon Wisk," Leland says; and, indeed, its situation on the north-east bank of the river is beautiful. Whichever way one looks, the scenery is charming in its attractiveness and rich in the romantic and the picturesque. Close to the Abergavenny road stand the ruins of what once must have been a castle of very considerable dimensions, which covered as much as eight acres of ground. Even in the days of Elizabeth this castle was nothing more than a ruin. No great distance from Crickhowell is the Well of St. Cenau, eagerly sought for by the newly-married, for to drink its waters first was to secure command of the house for life:--