I be so bold as to ask?" said Mr. Denman, greatly interested.

"Well," said the Captain, "you and I are old friends, and I know you will not let the thing go further, for the present, at all events. Remember that now is not the first time that the place has come into my mind. No, it has been in my mind for years, I have dreamt a lot about it. So far as my thoughts are concerned the matter is quite old, the puddling is going on briskly, the engine is puffing, trollies are carrying the lead to Llannerch y Môr, and yet the grass is green on the face of the soil. You understand what I mean, Mr. Denman? In my mind the mine is old, but in reality the turf is uncut. In my mind (and the Captain shut his eyes for a minute) I see it all in full work, it is old, old, in my mind; but to the world it is new, indeed unknown,-a perfect secret."

"Perhaps I am too bold," said Mr Denman, "but you have not yet mentioned

"Mr. Denman," said the Captain, turning round," do not make use of words such as those. It is not possible for you to be too bold with me. As I said, we are old friends, and I need not keep anything back from you,-nothing, nothing. I would not talk like this with anyone else. If there is anyone more than another who knows my secrets, it is Mr. Denman. I will say more,-I have never even thought of the mine I have spoken about, I call it a mine, though it has not yet been commenced, for that is merely a matter of time,-I have never even thought of the venture that my eyes are set on, without your being in my thoughts at the same time. I would say to myself, Richard Trevor, no one else knows, but you know, that there is a lot of lead in such and such a place, who shall share the treasure with you? Well, if anyone shall, Mr. Denman shall,' say to myself."

I

I am very much obliged, Captain," said Mr. Denman, "but I am afraid I can't venture any more. I have not another ten pounds to spend without doing a wrong to my family."

"That consideration chiefly, though not entirely," said the Captain, "obliged me to put you on the same ground as myself in this new venture. Remember there will be no English to rule us in this case, you and I up to the present time have spent our money to please ignorant English people, and as I have said it would not be a surprise if they were in the end to throw up the mine and all its cost; and it is time for you and me to turn our eyes to some other place where we can get our money back. The mine will be,-stop though,—I have not yet told you the name of the place I have my eye on, have I, not yet? Well the place is, it won't go further for the present will it, Mr.

Denman? Well the name of the place is,-Coed Madog! Coed Madog!! Coed Madog !!!" (said the Captain, repeating the name in a whisper and confidentially, when he saw, from Mr. Denman's face, signs that every letter in the name was as it were trickling down his back between his flesh and his skin). "Yes, Coed Madog will be a mine for making money and not for throwing it away on every wilderness. You and I, Mr. Denman, have spent enough, and it is time for us to begin making something. Between you and me, I have not ten pounds to throw away either, but I don't want everybody to know that. Of course it will be necessary to spend something before the mine will pay, and that is why I said we must have a few friends with us. Now Mr. Denman, we will look at the matter in this way. You and I, so to speak, own the mine of Coed Madog. We are on the same footing. We neither of us have any money to throw away. Some money must be spent. Therefore it is necessary to get someone or some people to take shares. You know more people than I do, and know all about their circumstances. If we can benefit the folk of our chapel, all the better, but if we must go to the others,-well, --there is no help for it. Who shall they be, Mr. Donman ?"

Well, Captain," said Mr. Denman, "of our own people I can't think of any one more likely than Mr. Enoch Hughes of the Cross Shop, and Mr. Lloyd the attorney."

"Wonderful!" said the Captain. "How our thoughts coincide! I thought of Mr. Hughes first of anybody, I don't know anything about Mr. Lloyd; but Mr. Hughes, it is said, is a man who has made a lot of money. He is a respectable young man, and in a high position as a tradesman, and he beyond doubt is religious; and if we can put anything in his way by the mine, we shall at the same time be doing good to the cause of religion, because I myself reckon that Mr. Hughes is the best man we have in the chapel,-that is, the best young man. The question is whether we can get him to see the thing in the same light as we do. Mining, no doubt, is strange to him, and with that sort of people it is not easy to put things in their proper light. Will you see him, Mr. Denman ?"

"I think," said Mr. Denman, "that the best plan will be for you to send for him here now."

"You have the art of hitting the nail on the head," said the Captain; and sitting down at the table, he wrote a courteous letter to Enoch Hughes, asking him to come as far as Ty'nyrardd. Whilst the Captain is writing the note, and the maid subsequently taking it to the Cross Shop, perhaps it will be as well for me to give the reader a glimpse of the surroundings and thoughts of Enoch, poor fellow.

TENBY, including the old and new town,

ENBY, including the old and new town,

is of no small extent. The former, a place of considerable trade and wealth in the sixteenth century, is now the least respectable. Its streets are narrow, steep, and rugged, and the habitations very indifferent. This is the part chiefly occupied by petty shop-keepers, mariners, and the labouring part of the community. In the upper town, if it may so be named, are many genteel houses, fitted up for the reception of strangers, who resort hither in great numbers during the summer season for the benefit of sea bathing, or to enjoy the company of their friends, and the amusements of the place. The best houses are situated upon the brow of an abrupt precipice, the windows of which command the prospect of the bay in an admirable point of view.

I

I was rather fortunate in surveying the enchanting scenery of this bay, for the first time in my life, under the favour of a glorious autumnal sky, whose radiance, tempered with light fleecy clouds, richly harmonized with the prospect stretched below. The situation is peculiar. paused for some few moments in silent rapture with it, fearless of being disturbed in my meditations, and enjoyed in tranquility that calm serenity of pleasure with which the soul dilates in the contemplation of nature. A more lovely prospect I have seldom seen. Nor were these impressions of a transitory kind; often as I have gazed from the cliffs upon it, I have experienced the same pleasure, and indulged the same sentiments. Never have I been weary of admiring the majestic simplicity of the scenery it commands, the outline of which I shall attempt to trace. From a viction that the original, in all its beauties, would defy the powers of verbal description, I dare not presume to offer a more finished picture.

con

Every desirable feature of a romantic sea coast is embraced within the range of the spectator's observation from different points of the cliffs contiguous to the town. The bay is spacious, and forms an area

amidst the wildest assemblage of rocks the imagination can conceive. These are lofty, affording security and shelter to the bay they enclose. The dilapidated ruin of an old castle emerges upon the hill above the pier that skirts the south side of the bay and below it are seen a little fort, and harbour crowded with shipping employed in the coasting trade, or fisheries of the Severn sea. The sands and bay adjacent present a busy spectacle of bathers and bathing machines, with the fishing boats of the town, near the water's edge, pursuing their customary occupations. Numerous vessels, skimming the surface of the translucent sea, enliven the remoter view, while the closing distance, half lost in hazy uncertainty, includes the pale features of the Worms Head; those three gigantic rocky eminences that form the extremity of the rude promontory of Rosilly, about nine leagues distant from the Tenby shore.

It must excite some little astonishment that a situation which boasts such a variety of attractions, and so many advantages for sea bathing in comfort and security, should have remained neglected till within the last twenty years; and further still, that at a period much later the elevated spot, on which the new town has partly risen, should be only occupied by the cottages of a few fishermen.

The circumstances that conspired in the outset to exalt Tenby to consideration as a bathing place, are rather extraordinary, and may be best explained by the recital of a local anecdote that came to our knowledge while we remained for a few days in the town. It appears from this relation that the ancient Welsh custom, of reading prayers for the success of the fishery before the men ventured to cast their nets into the sea, was observed at this port, with much religious scruple, till about five and twenty, or at most thirty years ago. There was a small chapel, stationed on a rocky projection of the shore, that was appropriated solely to the performance of this singular service. Thither the parish priest repaired before the fishery

began, to invoke a benediction on the draught, and there his deputy remained to receive the tithe of the capture when the fishery was over. This custom, which had prevailed in monastic times throughout the Principality, had been sensibly on the decline for the last sixty years. In most of the fishing towns it became extinct by degrees, till at length, about the time before mentioned, it only remained in force at Tenby. The worthy incumbent, aware of this, conceived it might as well be laid aside in his district. To this the fishermen had no objection, provided he should waive his tithe with the ceremony. But, if the tongue of rumour reports true, he tenaciously insisted this could not be right. Although the prayers were deemed superfluous, he seems to have considered it as a matter both of conscience and of duty to demand his share of the capture as before. At last the altercation was happily terminated by mutual compromise, the clergyman consented to receive a moderate compensation in lieu of his tithe of fish; and, the custom being abolished, the chapel was no longer useful to either party.

Thus the building remained deserted for some years, till an intelligent apothecary of Haverfordwest, Mr. Esau Jones, struck with its admirable situation for a bathing house, applied for leave to fit it up to his

mind, for the accommodation of a few patients, to whom he had prescribed the use of the sea waters. This permission was no sooner obtained than put in execution, and thus the ci-devant chapel was transformed into a bathing house; the first regular establishment of that kind ever projected at this fashionable watering place.

This event took place rather better than twenty years ago. In the first season the

adventurer so far succeeded to his wishes that, on the summer following, he enlarged his scheme, and was able to accommodate a greater number of patients than in the year preceding. Other speculative strangers, encouraged by his example, erected two or three houses on the cliffs for the use of the summer visitors; then the hotel arose, and speedily after the new range of lodging houses began to assume a more important figure. The inference is natural; some of the adventurers have already retired in easy circumstances, acquired by their judicious and well-timed speculations, the place has increased in respectability, and, rising every year into higher consideration, promises, at no very distant period, to become a spot of greater resort in the summer season than perhaps any other bathing place on the coast of Wales.

A man living at Dôl y Garrog had dreamt a very ugly dream,-that he was killed by the "Garrog." There was a general hunt day to to take place on the morrow,with the intention of exterminating the Garrog, and thereby putting an effectual stop to the ravages it used to make. People from all parts had gathered together for the event, armed with all kinds of weap from a club to a spear, and from a hook to a cross bow.

All

They met together at early dawn, and started on their perilous expedition with trembling hearts and a mixture of courage

and bravado. The "Garrog" was known to be a terrible and dangerous customer to deal with. His bite was as poisonous as that of the cobra, and his courage and savageness in a fight were simply indescribable. The dreamer took the very wise precaution, on that eventful day, of locking himself up in the house all day. He had placed strong pieces of wood across the flue of the chimney,-inside,for fear the "Garrog," wounded and exasperated, should happen to fly and fall down through the chimney into his house; and so, falling upon him, make short work of him. He went to bed, having barricaded every access to his house, wrapped the bed clothes over his head, and remained there all day. This he did because his dream had such a mysterious effect upon him, and because he had such ugly forebodings of some coming evil.

However, on the evening of that day, the huntsmen returned, and they had been very fortunate. They had succeeded in

slaying the last "Garrog" in existence, and they had dragged the dead body down with them to Dôl y Garrog,-dead as a milestone!

He

The glorious news soon spread throughout the neighbourhood, and the terrified dreamer heard that the "Garrog" was really dead, and that its dead body was inspected by the amazed populace on the meadow nigh, which, from that event, took its everlasting name of Dôl y Garrog. ventured out of bed and out of his house, and joined the throng which inspected the dead body. Feeling now entirely relieved from his fears, he ventured near the dead monster, and gave it a kick with all his might. But in doing so he gave it a kick in the mouth, and, as doom would have it, one of the teeth penetrated his shoe, and into his big toe, and he died instantaneously from the effect of the poison. So ends the story of the "Garrog," and my yarn,-Yours truly,

W. J. ROBERTS.

EDITOR'S

THE Rev. John Morgan, rector of Llanilid and

Llanharan in Glamorgan, sends me a copy of his little book of restful thoughts,-"My Welsh Home." It is published by Elliot Stock, and contains 196 pages in a blue wrapper. The theme is described in the following stanza,

"On a bleak and barren coast,

Beside a town. remote, unknown, Stood what awakes these strains alone, The Cambrian Home, my theme and boast."

The Welsh literary awakening has reached Welshmen in America. W. D. Davies' America gives many glimpses of our countrymen's homes in the Far West. With this month's packet of Welsh periodicals from America comes a new one,-Yr Ymdrechydd,-beautifully printed, well illustrated, and smartly bright.

The danger of most Welsh magazines is dulness. Bright, chatty descriptions of existing conditions are regarded as shallow and superficial; while articles on theology and philosophy, often as dull as they are uncritical and devoid of originality,

are welcomed. In the old Welsh magazines the dead part consists of disquisitions on theology and philosophy, now antiquated, and one looks in vain for graphic descriptions of contemporary persons and scenes. The new journalism strikes many as being too personal and too shallow, but its pages will be regarded as of the greatest

NOTES.

interest and of the greatest historical value in years to come. Most people can write an interesting diary; it is only a few of the greatest and freshest thinkers that can hope to find posterity taking an interest in their mental exercises.

As a general rule, anything that appears in WALES is at the service of anyone who desires to reprint it in any other paper. One of the few exceptions is Miss Kate Price's "Ballad of Conway" in this number.

Old_Aberystwythians will be grateful to the Rev. E. D. Priestly Evans for bringing up old memories by means of his "In fear of a ghost.' I remember those evenings well, for I was there. The bugle was a lovely harrier bugle, emitting a most powerful sound. It was the Nanteos bugle, and had been bequeathed to the college with other treasures by G. E. Powell. A mischievous child,— now a grave professional man,-had got hold of it while the magnificent bequest was being arranged in the college museum.

The queries and replies promise to be interesting and valuable. The last page of WALES is in type before the fifteenth of each month,--perhaps contributors will kindly remember this. Replies concerning Mr. Law's "Little England beyond Wales," and by Mr. Hamer Jones, will appear,

commuted; so were purveyance and pre-emption. I have no books by me, but I believe that the mise paid by Wales for the prince's progress was embraced in the same commutation.

3. Catholicism had greatly declined in Wales by the end of the last century, owing to the rigour of the fearful persecution which continued so long after the trials of the "Popish plot," and owing to the strengthening of Protestant zeal by patriotic hatred of France. Catholicism had completely died out of the bishopric of Bangor, I doubt whether one Catholic was left in it. The Jesuit Residence of St. Winefrid,-with missions at Holywell, Plowden Hall, Powis Castle, and Welshpool,-made Catholicism die more hardly in the diocese of St. Asaph. In South Wales Catholicism had the powerful help of the Jesuit College of St. Francis Xavier. Many of the missions lingered on to this century, and some, I believe, flourish still.

About the connection between Catholicism and the Revival, I know nothing; but I believe that Peter Williams' family are partly Jesuit and partly Calvinistic,-receiving the persecution that was meted out to both.

There is much interesting information in Henry Foley's "Records of the English Province of the Society of Jesus," series IX, X, XI, XIII. I hope to be able to give, from time to time, Catholic and Protestant versions of the history of Catholicism in Wales during the eighteenth century.

4. WELSH AMERICANS.-In answer to J. J., I may say that no less than seventeen Welshmen signed the Declaration of Independence. These I briefly enumerate. First and certainly foremost