The Argosy — page 131: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Round about Barmouth. 12! chanced to spend a midsummer night at Linz, by an exquisite com- parison, the hundred fires that burst forth on the hill-tops and valleys of the Danube. As soon as we had quitted Ruabon, and had got clear of its mines —here again we alight on a little bit of Black Country—we entered the valley of Llangollen, with which is ever associated the name of Owain Glendowr; a valley of surpassing beauty: of such beauty that we were fain to forgive the slowness of the train, and ignore the cutting wind. The five miles between Ruabon and Llangollen disclosed at every step a dream of such scenery as is surely not, of its kind, to be surpassed. The capricious River Dee added no little to this charm: a rippling stream, which seemed to delight in winding about, and might be seen now on one side the line, now on the other. By degrees it widened into a running torrent, noisy and shallow, rushing over its bed with a frothy passion that must be infinitely re- freshing at midsummer ; eddying against great stones that impeded its progress, as if inclined to turn aside its picturesque course. Occasion- ally it would take a leap downwards of a few feet, and become 2 miniature cataract or waterfall. Round and about the running water, trees and shrubs of every description grew in abundance and wild beauty, and clothed the hill-sides ; whilst the descending sun threw its warm glow (a warmth much needed) over all ; gleaming and glinting amidst the leaves, and burnishing with living gold those that were just turning into autumn shades. At Llangollen the whole beauty seemed to reach its culminating point. Here the river widened considerably, though it did not deepen ; and was nothing but a scene and succession of small waterfalls, so rocky was its bed, and so uneven. Spanning the river, and adding greatly to the quaint old-fashioned character of the landscape, was the old bridge (one of the seven wonders of Wales) with its low, unequal, pointed arches, built of stone, grey with five centuries of age. The whole scene undoubtedly is a marvellous wonder of nature; but quickly passing, it was difficult to discover anything in the old bridge to entitle it to be considered a wonder of art. In the valley entered immediately after leaving Llangollen, Owain Glendowr, the Welsh chieftain, is said to have been born, in 1359. As we most of us know, he flourished in the reign of Henry IV., and the monarch had good cause to know it also. Never had Henry, amongst all the plotters and conspirators of his thirteen years’ reign, a more troublesome enemy. In 1403 he joined Harry Hotspur at the battle of Shrewsbury ; but though the battle terminated im favour of the King, and though Hotspur lost his life, Owain’s determined rebellion was not put down. For twelve years longer, warfare raged amongst the Welsh mountains: which proved to Owain Glendowr of, greater strength and protection than all the ramparts ever built by man; and then ECOMRRIC OOO Ss (GO) il __»d