lynin, and behind me were Towyn || pursue my way to Dolgelley. My and the sea.

sagacious companion seemed to have “I had not ridden more than two discovered my design, for I had scarcemiles before the wind arose, at firstly conceived it, before he set off at a sighing plaintively amongst the fo- round trot, and in a few minutes liage of the trees, and afterwards brought me safely to the door of the rocking them to their very roots with | humble pot-house of the hamlet. violent and fitful gusts. The sky, too, Pont Vathew, or Mathew's Bridge, was overcast with black clouds, and is merely an asseinblage of some half I had the very comfortable prospect a dozen huts, near a rapid mountainof being overtaken by one of those | river, about four miles from Towyn, sudden and tremendous storms which and can boast of no place of public sometimes agitate our mountainous entertainment, except the miserable districts.

house before which my horse instinc«• Loneliness

tively stopped. But this house, humHung o'er the hills and valleys like a shroud, And all was still; sombre the forest lay,

ble as it was, was quite sufficient to A mass of pitchy darkness in the scowl shelter me from the storm; and givOf that dark sky-a solitude of death!' ing my horse in charge to the host,

“ I had already arrived opposite I entered it. to Craig Aderyn, or the Birds' Rock, “ The principal apartment of a so called from being nightly frequent-Welch pot-house is, like that of most ed by an innumerable flight of birds, others, the kitchen; and into the when a few drops of rain fell; and kitchen of the Blue Lion at Pont my horse, startled at the discordant Vathew I proceeded, and found screams of the birds on the rock, be- there several persons, some, like mygan to plunge in a way not very self, seeking shelter from the storm, agreeable to the rider. I had in- others prevented from quitting their deed no small difficulty in guiding carousals - by the fury of the raging the terrified animal through this de tempest. I was known to most of solate defile; for the birds on Craig them; three or four indeed were Aderyn were so clamorous, as if in tenants of my mother's; so that upon deprecation of the coming tempest, my entrance I was respectfully greetthat my spirited horse became almost ed, and the seat of honour was imunmanageable. I succeeded, how-mediately ceded to me: thus I soon ever, in gaining the extremity of the found myself in the large settle by pass, and, wrapping my riding-cloak the fire, with a jug of capital ale on around me, rode on as briskly as the a small round table before me. There rocky road would permit. But I is always a sort of freemasonry could not escape the tempest. The amongst the guests in an inn-kitchen, thunder soon began to rumble at a which is admirably conducive to con distance, each clap becoming louder || viviality and good-humour; and this and louder, and being preceded by is more particularly the case on a a more vivid Aash of lightning. The stormy night, when the churlish temrain too fell in such torrents, that I pest levels all distinctions, and redetermined, if possible, to reach the spects the poorest peasant quite as rude village of Pont Vathew, which much as the proudest patrician. The was about a mile distant, rather than I conversation, therefore, goes on un

interrupted by the arrival of a new. '' vain: the maiden loved him not, and comer, and every one who has been so his addresses were rejected. Inbenighted on a tempestuous even- deed he was one whom very few ing is well acquainted with the usu- maidens could love. His disposition al conversation in an inn-kitchen on was as brutal and passionate as his a stormy night, more especially in manners were boisterous and dissothose pastoral districts where su- lute; and it is said that he was conperstition so powerfully sways the nected with a gang of smugglers, minds and manners of the people who frequented the neighbouring All the horrible incidents of the dis-coast. In the secluded districts of trict are revived, and duly comment- North Wales--and this is one of the ed upon; all imminent perils by most secluded as well as one of the flood and field, from time immemo- most romantic-all the inhabitants of rial, are related; and the time is be such districts are well and intimately guiled by strange stories of ghosts known to each other; and so are all and goblins, of black spirits and their virtues and vices. Ellen Owen white, blue spirits and gray, with all therefore was no stranger to the protheir trumpery, all are solemnly at- figacy of Evan Davies, and she betested, and all implicitly believed. gan to be alarmed for the result of “« Meanwhile the landlord rouses up the fire, || his persevering attentions. While well attested and as well believed, Jleard solemn, goes the goblin story round,

“She had gone one day to Towyn Till superstitious horror creeps o'er all.'

market to dispose of some eggs and “ Precisely thus was it with us at butter from her mother's little farm, Pont Vathew, and divers strange where it was Ellen's delight to carry its and marvellous narrations were feel- || humble produce; for Morgan Wilingly related by my untutored and liams, her own true love, was genehonest companions. The principal rally at the market, and a meeting subject, however, was a murder,

| with him always increased the innowhich had been perpetrated many cent pleasures of this virtuous girl. years ago close to the spot where we On the present' occasion, however, were assembled, and under circum- Morgan was not there, for he had stances of peculiar mystery and atro- gone to another part of the country city. A young man, the son of a | upon business for his father. Ellen neighbouring farmer, had for some sold her little stock, and then went time paid his addresses to the daugh- to see a kind old aunt who lived in ter of a widow, whose husband had the town. Now, kind old aunts are acted as a sort of bailiff to the Owens proverbially given to gossiping, and of Ynysymaengwyn. She was as the time passed away so pleasantly, pretty, modest, and good a girl as that evening had already arrived becould be found on the hill-side from fore Ellen quitted the cottage; and, Towyn to Dolgelley; and had, un | oh! how she wished that her dear fortunately for our young farmer, al Morgan was with her, as she thought ready fixed her affections upon an- of the long lonely way which she had other individual. Nothing daunted to traverse! But thinking how deat this, however, Evan Davies still lighted her good mother would feel preferred his suit with unremitting when she wrapped round her the ardour and perseverance. But in warm woollen shawl which she had

purchased with a portion of her own || thick darkness, and hcar nought but little savings, and it may be not the plashing of the troubled waters wholly unmindful of the affectionate and the soughing of the furious wind. kindnesses of her lover, she tripped. The next morning, however, a peamerrily on her way, aud hoped to | sant from a neighbouring cottage reach her home before the night was going over the bridge, when his should overtake her. She was seen attention was attracted by someto cross the brook which runs across thing in the river, which appeared the road just at the entrance to to him like the carcase of a drown. Towyn, by one of the persons who ed sheep. It had passed under the was present with me at Pont Va- bridge, and just beyond it was stopthew; and he spoke to her as she ped by the depending branches of passed, cautioning her to speed quick- an osier. As he approached it he ly on her way, as there would be a || was undeceived in his expectation, storm that evening, and it might come and found, to his utmost horror and suddenly. Ellen thanked him for astonishment, that it was the dead his advice, and passed on. But she body of a female, and lifting it out had not left Towyn long before a of the water, he discovered the welltempest-such as is rarely seen in | known features of poor Ellen Owen. that district of storms-arose, agi- Running to the hamlet, he made tating earth and heaven with its vio-known his discovery, and the corpse lence. The peasant who spoke to of the ill-fated girl was conveyed to Ellen as she entered the town hoped the Blue Lion, till her unhappy mothat she might reach her home in ther could be apprised of the event. safety, but shuddered when heOn looking at the body, a bystander thought of the long, dreary, rugged | perceived an unusual appearance path which led thither.

about the neck. It seemed as if it “ Dreadful indeed was the devas had been violently grasped, for it tation wrought by that sudden tem- was nearly encircled by livid streaks, pest. Houses, cattle, and trees were plainly indicating the indigitations of carried away by the mountain tor- | a large and powerful hand. In a rents, and the woods and meadows country like North Wales murder by the river's side were overflowed || is a crime so rarely perpetrated, that with water for many a day after the very idea of it is held in fearful wards. But what became of the horror ; and on this occasion the poor solitary maiden in that dreadful simple peasants could scarcely percommotion? Alas! she never reached suade themselves that any one could her happy home again!

exist sufficiently brutal and wicked “ On that terrible evening there to destroy the life of so meek and were assembled at the Blue Lion at blameless a being as Ellen Owen. Pont Vathew several individuals, who The proof, however, was before them, took shelter from the tempest as they and they soon found an individual were returning from Towyn market. upon whom they could fix the comOnce they thought, when the storm | mission of that most foul and horriwas at its height, that they heard a ble deed. First one recollected, shriek near the house; but looking then another, that he had seen Evan out, they could see nothing in the Davies loitering on the road to Towyn on that terrible evening; and fire, and commenting upon the horrithe suspicion that he was the mur ble narration which I have just relatderer was powerfully corroborated | ed, when in one of those intervals of by his total disappearance from that tranquillity, where the tempest seemday to the one on which I heard the ed, as it were, to pause for breath, story at Pont Vathew. No one saw we heard a long, loud, and almost or even heard of him afterwards, unearthly scream, and then a plashalthough Morgan Williams used eve- ing of waters, as if some one was ry effort for his discovery and ap- struggling in the river. There, prehension. So the corpse of the sir!' exclaimed several voices simulmaiden was consigned to the silent | taneously,' hear the ghost! The dust amidst the tears and lamenta- | Lord have mercy upon us!' and we tions of those who knew and loved were all instantly and completely sie her.

lent. Now the Welch are a highly “ Time passed on, and twenty superstitious people; but they are years had elapsed since the perpe- | also generous and heroic; and upon tration of a crime which was yet my representing that it might have fresh in the memory of all, and the bcen the shout of some drowning relation of which never failed to be person which we had heard, with guile the winter's evening in many a one accord we all rushed out towards peasant's cottage. But Pont Vathew the river. It was as dark as pitch, was haunted ever after by the beau- excepting that part of the river imtiful apparition of Ellen Owen; a mediately above the bridge, and this storm never occurred without bring- was illumined by a broad red light, ing with it the troubled spirit of the which threw a lurid reflection upon murdered maiden; and there are few the opposite bank, and encircled the of the peasants of that rude district | body of a man, who seemed striving who have not seen it struggling amidst with some unseen and terrible power the foam of the flooded river, or in the troubled waters. In an inheard its shrieks rising high above stant the light was quenched, and the roar of the rushing waters. I the struggling ceased; but in hastenwas particularly interested by this ing to the river-side, we saw the body narrative, and this interest was aug- of a man floating down with the cur. mented, when I found that it was rent. A boat-hook being at hand, exactly two and twenty years ago wê succeeded in arresting its prothat very day that the murder was gress, and, eventually, in bringing it committed. The coincidence was to land. We carried it into the remarkable; but the sequel was yet house, and used every means to remore so.

store animation. But all in vain: " The evening had become far life had been utterly extinguished, advanced, and the storm was still and the swollen and distorted fearaging with violence. The lightning, tures of the corpse indicated the sehowever, was less vivid and frequent, vere struggle of the final contest. and the thunder-claps were not so The deceased appeared to be a stranloud nor so prolonged. We were ger. He was a middle-aged man, rasitting very comfortably round the ther genteelly dressed; and as no one

Vol. VI. No. XXXV.

00

knew him, his pockets were searched, that for twenty pounds he could efto lead to the requisite discovery. | fect his release, and he had written Several papers were produced, most to the deceased, urging him to come of them relating to nautical affairs, forward with the money, and arrange and nearly all of them indorsed. John matters for his liberation; at the same Oliver.' In a pocket-book were also time threatening, in the event of his found bank-notes to the amount of refusal, to disclose the particulars of nearly forty pounds; and, upon a | a certain murder which John Oliver more careful scrutiny, a letter was had committed some twenty years discovered, which cleared up all the ago at Pont Vathew. The horrible mystery incident to the stranger's | truth now flashed upon us: the drownname and destination. It was very | ed stranger was Evan Davies; but illegibly written, and evidently the not one of us dared to ask what was production of a sailor, who was then the lurid light which we had seen on a prisoner in the county-gaol at Dol- | the river.” gelley for smuggling. It seemed ||

IRISH CHIVALRY. CHIVALRY flourished in Ireland | who seemed to demand it as a right. from the remotest antiquity: there He was not to go out of his road for were five orders of it; four for the any menace. He could not decline provinces, and one confined to the the combat with any knight, how inblood royal; and so highly was this trepid soever. And still further to profession respected, that a princeshew to what a pitch of elevation could not become a candidate for they carried their ideas of military the monarchy who had not the glory, even in death they were to Gradh Gaoisge, or order of knight-face this destroyer of mankind, arnhood, conferred upon him. At a ed and ready to oppose force to very tender age the intended cava- | force. This is so true, that on Culier had a golden chain hung round chullin's being mortally wounded at his neck, and a sword and spear put the battle of Muirthieven, he had into his hands. At seven years old || his back placed against a rock, with he was taken from the care of women, his sword and spear in his hands, &c.; and deeply instructed in philosophy, and Eagain-more, after the battle history, poetry, and genealogy. The of Lena, was laid out completely using his weapons with judgment, || armed, as history has recorded. See elegance, and address, was also care- also how these accounts illustrate fully attended to; principles of mo- || later periods. De Saint Palaye, in rality were sedulously inculcated; his " Memoirs of Ancient Chivalry," and a reverence and tender respect tells us, that always on the decease for the fair completed the education of a knight he was laid out in comof the young hero. By his vows he plete armour; and Hume mentions was obliged to protect and redress an English knight, who, dying, orthe injured and the oppressed. He dered himself to be armed, with his was not to reveal his name or his lance and sword by him, as if ready country to any uncourteous knight to encounter death. The Chevalier