romantic beauty, it is infinitely surpassed by the former. Over this Cataract is a bridge, called Pont ar Vynach, or the Mynach Bridge; though the English, probably from its awful situation, have termed it

The Devil's Bridge.*

This Bridge is a single arch, between twenty and thirty feet in the chord, thrown over another arch of less than twenty feet below, which spans the tremendous chasm. The lower arch was thrown over by the Monks of Strata Florida, or Ystrad Flur Abbey, about the year 1087. In the year 1753, the present bridge was built, directly over the original, which was left standing. It is not so much the art of conquering the obstacles of this chasm, that excites our wonder, but the chasm itself, the corresponding sides of which prove

"In a Tour through North Wales, written in the year 1803, at Birmingham! a traveller has coined a tradition of an old woman and her cow, and attributed it to the Welsh Peasantry. Be it said, for the honour of the Welsh Peasantry, that they are ignorant of such a ridiculous story, and that it can only be traced to an Author, the whole of whose composition proves his ignorance of the manners or language of a people he attempts to deride."

MEYRICK.

E

how firmly it must have been united. None but observers can conceive the surpassing beauty and grandeur of the awfully sublime

Falls of the Mynach.

This truly Acherontic stream forces itself through masses and fragments of opposing rocks, hollowing out deep cavities, filled with the awful blackness of unfathomed waters, and thickening the misty gloom of a recess, impervious to sunshine. The first fall takes place about forty yards south-west of the bridge, where the river is confined to narrow limits by the rocks. It is carried about six feet over the ridge, and projected into a basin, at the depth of eighteen feet. Its next leap is sixty feet, where it rages engulphed beneath protruding crags and pendant foliage. The third fall is diminished to twenty, through which it struggles to the edge of the largest cataract, and pours, in one unbroken torrent, down a precipice of one hundred and ten feet. Here, in one volume of foam, bursting into light, which had been before obscured by the hanging branches of the wide spreading beech tree, it seems to threaten, as it breaks against

the opposing rocks, to tear the mountains from their strong foundations. The river therefore falls two hundred and eight perpendicular feet, without allowing for the declivity of the three pools. To this must be added one hundred and fourteen, which makes the perpendicular height three hundred and twenty-two feet; but as the river falls in an inclined direction in many parts, and as there are many interruptions during its passage, its fall may be computed at near five hundred feet. This grand cataract receives no inconsiderable augmentation of terrific appearance from the black stratified rocks, forming the glen down which it thunders. At the jut of the lowest fall in the rock is a cave, called PLANT MATT. Tradition relates this story of the derivation of its name. About a century and a half ago, in the market town of Tregaron, lived one Matthew Evans, a Publican. He was the father of two sons and a daughter, generally known by the name of Plant Matt, or Matthew's Children. They were celebrated robbers, and this cave became their dwelling, which thence has ever since retained their name. The entrance to it admitting only one at a time, these robbers could alone keep out hundreds. Here they

lived for several years, and if either had a friend, he gave him his glove, which served as a passport when stopped by the others. At last, at the instigation of the female, they committed murder, and being taken, were executed pursuant to their sentence. In the rocks about this river, are several nests of the FORMICA HERCULANEA. These are the largest species of Ants that are natives of Britain. Their nests are composed of small ends of twigs, forming a heap, a yard or more across, and from one to two feet high. The insects themselves exceed in size three of the common black kind, and are possessed of uncommon strength; their favourite situation is a wood, in a light and rocky soil. Again we return, and pursue

The Rheidol, from the Fall.

The Rheidol being now reinforced by the waters of the Mynach, continues its course along the valley for a quarter of a mile, when it receives a small stream falling down from the south-west; and shortly after, another, in the same direction, though a little larger. It continues its course down the vale of Rheidol, till it receives the impetuous Frwd from the south;