SECTION I.
From a small spring near the summit of Plinlimmon Hill, the boundary of the northern part of Cardiganshire, our river Wye derives its source. Issuing from a spacious hollow in this mountain, the water falls in a narrow streamlet several hundred yards nearly perpendicular, till meeting with various small currents, it soon presents itself in the shape of an immense cataract, rolling with astonishing rapidity over the rocky prominencies which seem to impede its course. The name of this river appears anciently to have been a common appellation, either for river or water. Camden says, that the word gwy or wy signifies water, and instances the following names which have that termination, as proofs of his opinion; viz. Lhugwy, Dowrdwy, Edwy, Conwy, Elwy, Towy, Tawy, &c. &c. From the same ridge of mountains, within two miles of the source of the Wye, the rivers Severn and Rydall derive their origin: the latter of which empties itself into the Irish sea at Aberystwith. The views from this huge and dreary hill are wild and extensive beyond description; they exhibit mountains, rolling as it were, over each other, and under the most sublime forms and beautiful hues, varying and shifting till they insensibly lose themselves and melt into the horizon. We were peculiarly fortunate in having a bright and clear day to view in all its grandeur this sublime and picturesque scenery; an advantage which an experienced guide informed us had scarce ever occurred during a course of many years in those airy regions, where it was almost invariably his fate to encounter a heavy and hazy atmosphere, commonly attended with rain. On this lofty mountain the famous Owen Glyndwr, in the summer of 1401, posted himself, says the historian, “with great policy at the head of a hundred and twenty men of arms.” The situation of Plinlimmon Hill being on the limits of Cardiganshire and Montgomeryshire, was admirably adapted for receiving the succours of his vassals and friends from every part of the principality. From this fastness his adherents, who were the terror of all that opposed him, were perpetually making excursions, and plundering the neighbouring counties; amongst which Montgomeryshire appears to have been the greatest sufferer.
The birth of this renowned hero, of Wales, which happened on the 28th of May, 1354, appears by Hollingshed and others, to have been marked with strange presages of celebrity: he says, that his cruelty was foretold at his nativity, by the wonderful circumstance of “his father’s horses being found standing that night in the stable up to their bellies in blood;” and Shakspeare, in the following lines, put into the mouth of Glyndwr, thus describes the vain glorious chieftain,
A still more extraordinary circumstance is attached to the history of this Welch phenomenon. Jolo Goch, a celebrated bard, has not hesitated to consider the great event of his birth, as equal in importance to mankind with that of Jesus Christ.
The river Wye, in this its earliest stage, is peculiarly marked with features of the grand and sublime: its amazing rapidity is perpetually interrupted by immense large stones and rocky substances, and the rush of its waters produces a solemn noise, that seems as if they were
The spots of verdure and broken ground in the vicinity of this rude scene, the dark shades of rock, and beetling brows of the hills with which it is bounded on either side, form a spectacle as majestic and awful as the untaught imagination can paint, or that can present itself to the eye throughout the range of this island.
It is simple nature in her purest and grandest form, and without a trace of her handmaid art, without either castle, church, or ruin: objects that more than form the beautiful in picture, that are essentially necessary, and can alone give dignity to the feeble works of man; without these the scenery is here complete.
For several miles the country wears nearly the same aspect; one continued undulating line of hills forms the distance; and the river, though of no considerable width, continues gently to roll over its rocky and gravelly bed, “making sweet music with the enamelled stones;”
At a distance of about six miles from its source, in a village called Cumergar, the Wye receives a considerable body of water from the river Castal. This River is full in view, and forms a beautiful object from the road, on the way to what is called the Devil’s Bridge. At Cumergar is a wooden bridge called Pont-rhyd Gallad: it is the first that is thrown across this river, and the scenery around it is extensive and beautiful. The Wye here loses much of its impetuosity and consequently of its grandeur: its rocky bed is softened and in many places spread with a mere gravelly substance, and at this summer season is considerably narrowed, and frequently left perfectly dry. From the continual accession, however, of springs and rills, that issue from the neighbouring mountains, it is not known to remain long in that state. From hence, on an easy ascent, a tolerable road leading to Llanidlos runs parallel with the stream, and affords a beautiful ride till we approach the wretched village of Llangerig: amongst whose clay cottages without chimneys, churlish boors, and sour milk and black bread, the only refreshment it supplied, our weary spirits were filled with rapture at the beauties of that situation, to which extreme penury, savage nature, or insensibility could alone be indifferent: They were so impressive, that within a mile of this village we determined to stop, flattering ourselves with the hope that by the aid of the pencil, we might be enabled to give the characteristic features of a country, which we utterly despair by any powers of language that we could command in any adequate manner to communicate.
About three miles below Llangerig, in a southern direction, the river Darnel, which derives its source from the hills that bear its name, empties itself into the Wye. Pursuing the course of the river, the Nanerth rocks in an extent of near three miles, form a beautiful screen to its northern bank.
On this spot the Wye, in an easy bend, gently rolls over its rugged bed, while the ascending road, girting the immense hills that are enriched with spreading oaks and luxuriant underwood, peculiarly invited the pencil: Through these, the rocks in various fantastic forms, perpetually break upon the eye, and the cottages interspersed among the distant hills, relieve the wide-spread and extended scenery. On the brow of a rising hill, in the fore ground, a group of cattle which covered it, seemed at the instant, as if placed there by design to complete the view. Beneath, the gentle river Marteg, the receptacle of many smaller streams that arise in the vicinity of Llanidlos, rippling over its pebbly bed, loses its name and its current in the broader channel of the Wye.