Wild Wales: The People, Language, & SceneryBorrow, George
General
Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery
Borrow, George
Borrow, George, 1803-1881 -- Travel -- Wales; Wales -- Description and travel
I soon reached Rhiwabon. There was a prodigious noise in the
public-houses as I passed through it. “Colliers carousing,” said I.
“Well, I shall not go amongst them to preach temperance, though perhaps
in strict duty I ought.” At the end of the town, instead of taking the
road on the left side of the church, I took that on the right. It was
not till I had proceeded nearly a mile that I began to be apprehensive
that I had mistaken the way. Hearing some people coming towards me on
the road, I waited till they came up; they proved to be a man and a
woman. On my inquiring whether I was right for Llangollen, the former
told me that I was not, and in order to get there it was necessary that I
should return to Rhiwabon. I instantly turned round. About half-way
back I met a man who asked me in English where I was hurrying to. I said
to Rhiwabon, in order to get to Llangollen. “Well, then,” said he, “you
need not return to Rhiwabon—yonder is a short cut across the fields,” and
he pointed to a gate. I thanked him, and said I would go by it; before
leaving him, I asked to what place the road led which I had been
following.
“To Pentre Castren,” he replied. I struck across the fields, and should
probably have tumbled half-a-dozen times over pales and the like, but for
the light of the Cefn furnaces before me, which cast their red glow upon
my path. I debouched upon the Llangollen road near to the tramway
leading to the collieries. Two enormous sheets of flame shot up high
into the air from ovens, illumining two spectral chimneys as high as
steeples, also smoky buildings, and grimy figures moving about. There
was a clanging of engines, a noise of shovels and a falling of coals
truly horrible. The glare was so great that I could distinctly see the
minutest lines upon my hand. Advancing along the tramway, I obtained a
nearer view of the hellish buildings, the chimneys and the demoniac
figures. It was just such a scene as one of those described by Ellis
Wynn in his Vision of Hell. Feeling my eyes scorching, I turned away,
and proceeded towards Llangollen, sometimes on the muddy road, sometimes
on the dangerous causeway. For three miles at least I met nobody. Near
Llangollen, as I was walking on the causeway, three men came swiftly
towards me. I kept the hedge, which was my right; the two first brushed
roughly past me, the third came full upon me, and was tumbled into the
road. There was a laugh from the two first, and a loud curse from the
last as he sprawled in the mire. I merely said “Nos Da’ki,” and passed
on, and in about a quarter of an hour reached home, where I found my wife
awaiting me alone, Henrietta having gone to bed, being slightly
indisposed. My wife received me with a cheerful smile. I looked at her,
and the good wife of the Triad came to my mind.
“She is modest, void of deceit, and obedient.
“Pure of conscience, gracious of tongue, and true to her husband.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account