We continued our way, and presently saw marks of a fire in some grass by the side of the road. “Have the Gipsiaid been there?” said I to my guide. “Hardly, sir; I should rather think that the Gwyddeliad (Irish) have been camping there lately.” “The Gwyddeliad?” “Yes, sir, the vagabond Gwyddeliad, who at present infest these parts much, and do much more harm than the Gipsiaid ever did.” “What do you mean by the Gipsiaid?” “Dark, handsome people, sir, who occasionally used to come about in vans and carts, the men buying and selling horses, and sometimes tinkering, whilst the women told fortunes.” “And they have ceased to come about?” “Nearly so, sir; I believe they have been frightened away by the Gwyddelod.” “What kind of people are these Gwyddelod?” “Savage, brutish people, sir; in general without shoes and stockings, with coarse features and heads of hair like mops.” “How do they live?” “The men tinker a little, sir, but more frequently plunder. The women tell fortunes, and steal whenever they can.” “They live something like the Gipsiaid.” “Something, sir; but the hen Gipsiaid were gentlefolks in comparison.” “You think the Gipsiaid have been frightened away by the Gwyddelians?” “I do, sir; the Gwyddelod made their appearance in these parts about twenty years ago, and since then the Gipsiaid have been rarely seen.” “Are these Gwyddelod poor?” “By no means, sir; they make large sums by plundering and other means, with which, ’tis said, they retire at last to their own country or America, where they buy land and settle down.” “What language do they speak?” “English, sir; they pride themselves on speaking good English, that is to the Welsh. Amongst themselves they discourse in their own Paddy Gwyddel.” “Have they no Welsh?” “Only a few words, sir; I never heard of one of them speaking Welsh, save a young girl—she fell sick by the roadside, as she was wandering by herself—some people at a farm-house took her in, and tended her till she was well. During her sickness she took a fancy to their quiet way of life, and when she was recovered she begged to stay with them and serve them. They consented; she became a very good servant, and hearing nothing but Welsh spoken, soon picked up the tongue.” “Do you know what became of her?” “I do, sir; her own people found her out, and wished to take her away with them, but she refused to let them, for by that time she was perfectly reclaimed, had been to chapel, renounced her heathen crefydd, and formed an acquaintance with a young Methodist who had a great gift of prayer, whom she afterwards married—she and her husband live at present not far from Mineira.” “I almost wonder that her own people did not kill her.” “They threatened to do so, sir, and would doubtless have put their threat into execution, had they not been prevented by the Man on High.” And here my guide pointed with his finger reverently upward. “Is it a long time since you have seen any of these Gwyddeliaid?”