Part 4

The afternoon was waxing apace--we had lost time in attending to our horses, for ostler there was none--and in musing amongst the simply decorated graves in the humble churchyard;[9] after discussing with great relish our repast of eggs and bacon, and Welsh ale, the best the village afforded, (by the way, we shall not readily forget the fluster of our Welsh hostess when we talked of dining on our arrival at the little hostelrie) we then rode down to the sea-shore, intending to cross the sandy beach of Oxwich, which extends several miles, on our return to the Gower Inn. The tide flows with great rapidity on this coast, and it had already advanced to the foot of a stupendous headland, which juts into the beach about half way. We waded our horses through the surf--but how can we do justice to the splendour of the scenery around us. The alternations of stern and savage beauty--the gigantic masses of "fantastic cliffs," and caverns, that have stood the combat of the mighty Atlantic for countless ages? Oxwich is almost unknown to the traveller, and there are few coast scenes in these islands that surpass it in beauty. We lingered long on the shore. There is a perpetual "jabble" against the cliffs on this coast--and we have seldom met with a soul save an aged and solitary fisherwoman--a study for a Bonington--pursuing her precarious calling of crab or shrimp fishing, or of pulling lobsters from their retreats in the savage cliffs.

[9] See _Mirror_, vol. xvi. p. 253.

A holy peace, Pervades this _sea-shore solitude_--The world And all who love that world, are far away. N.T. CARRINGTON.

It was getting dusk when we ascended from the shore, on our way homewards, past the wild--the truly shattered, and desolate ruins of Pennard Castle; which bear, we think, decided marks of having been erected long prior to the Norman era. The country people tell you its origin was supernatural; and some writers ascribe it to that great castle-builder, Henry de Newburgh. Pennard stands in a situation of extreme beauty, and deeply rivets the attention:

"The stones have voices, and the walls do live, It is the House of Memory!" MATAIRE.

Our favourite mare and her companion were in high spirits, (horses are generally so on returning) exhilarated by the rapid motion; and our hearts elate with the "songs of spring," we returned home on as sweet an April evening as ever blessed man.

Another interesting excursion maybe made to Cefyn-bryn, the most elevated hill in the district, about twelve miles from Swansea. The road to Western Gower is carried over it; the summit is level, and a carriage may be driven in safety for a couple of miles to the southern point; which commands, on a clear day, in one direction, a vast and unbounded view of the Bristol Channel, the whitened houses of Ilfracombe, with the hills of Devon and Somerset, Lundy Island, and the scenery of Swansea Bay. And on the reverse of the picture, almost the whole peninsula of Gower, the extensive estuary of the Burry River, and part of the beautiful expanse of the County and Bay of Carmarthen, is spread out like a map before you. King Arthur's Stone, an immense rock of _lapis molaris_, twenty tons weight, supported by a circle of others--the remains of Druidism--invites the attention of the antiquary, on the north-west point of Cefyn-bryn. We may here remark that this district, especially the coast, offers a rich harvest to the geologist. The general substratum of the peninsula is limestone and marble, bounded to the north by an immense iron and coalfield. The limestone stratum is continually "cropping out" in the interior, and of course it can be worked at a trifling expense. This may account for the general healthiness of the district. Though rain in consequence of the western exposure, falls frequently, and sometimes with great violence, yet it speedily runs off, leaving none of the bad effects which would be produced in a tenacious soil. Marble of valuable quality is worked at Oystermouth.

But we must hasten to close our Notes on Gower--_to proceed with our circuit of the coast:--West from Oxwich is Porteyron_, where there is an extensive lobster and oyster fishery, near which is Landewy Castle. There is a wonderful precipice here. Further west we come to the village of Rossilly, near the Worms-Head, the termination of a range of rocks, which form the western point of the peninsula, being connected with it by a low isthmus. It extends more than a mile into the ocean, and at half-flood becomes an island. The name arose by mariners comparing it to a worm with its head erect, between the Nass Point and St. Gower's Head, in Pembrokeshire. The scenery here is deeply interesting. This wild and desolate coast has proved fatal to numberless ships; the recent erection of the light-house on Caldy Island, near Tenby, on the opposite point of Carmarthen Bay, has, however, been most important. Several Indiamen have been wrecked here, and about fifty years since, a quantity of Spanish dollars, date 1625, were found amongst the sand, when the tide had receded unusually far, supposed to be part of the cargo of the "Scanderoon galley" lost on this coast nearly two centuries ago. This would do for the "Vigo Bay Company." We proceed along the western shore of Carmarthen Bay, till we pass Whitford Point, a singular _peninsula of sand_, covered with reeds, which stands the fury of the tide, forming one side of the wide estuary of Barry, along the coast of which we pass a Roman encampment at Llanmadoc--the striking Castle of Llanridian, and other ruins, as we return eastward to Swansea; till we arrive at the village--we forget ourselves, the _Borough_ of Castell Llwchyr, or Loughor, the _Leucarum_ of Antoninus, and the fifth Roman station on the _Via Julia._ It is seven miles from Swansea. Upon a mount, the supposed work of the Romans, is a square tower, the remains of a castle built by Henry, Earl of Warwick. Three miles to the east are two Roman encampments; many Roman coins have been found at Loughor, from whence there is a ferry to the Carmarthenshire side opposite, which is fordable at low water. There is a large colliery here. It is a delightful sail from this village down the Burry River to Whitford Point, or round the coast to Worms-Head.

VYVYAN.

* * * * *

THE GATHERER.

"A snapper-up of unconsidered trifles." SHAKSPEARE.

_The following curious letter was found among the papers of a Mr. Goldwyre, Surgeon, of Salisbury._

To Mr. Edward Goldwyre, at his house on the Close of Salisbury.

Sir,--Being informed that you are the only surgeon in this city (or country) that anatomises men, and I being under the present unhappy circumstances, and in a very mean condition, would gladly live as long as I can, but by all appearances I am to be executed next March, but having no friends on earth that will speak a word to save my life, nor send me a morsel of bread to keep life and soul together until that fatal day; so if you will vouchsafe to come hither, I will gladly sell you my body (being whole and sound) to be ordered at your discretion, knowing that it will rise again at the general resurrection, as well from your house as from the grave. Your answer will highly oblige, yours, &c.

JAMES BROOKE. _Fisherton-Auger Gaol_, _Oct._ 3, 1736.

* * * * *

A farmer walking out one day, by chance met Jack Ketch, and jocosely asked him whether he could tell him the difference between their trades. "That I can," said Jack, "the only difference is _utility_--you till, I tie."

WALTER.

* * * * *

What is the most suitable motto for a doctor's carriage? Live or die.

Why is the _carver_ in a cook-shop like a naval officer? Because he commands a _cutter._

W.G.C.

* * * * *

EPITAPHS.

Here lies poor Thomas, and his Wife, Who led a pretty jarring life; But all is ended--do you see? He holds his tongue, and so does she.

If drugs and physic could but save Us mortals from the dreary grave, 'Tis known that I took full enough Of the apothecaries' stuff To have prolong'd life's busy feast To a full century at least; But spite of all the doctors' skill, Of daily draught and nightly pill, Reader, as sure as you're alive, I was sent here at twenty-five.

* * * * *

FOR ALL FAMILIES.

This Day, Second Edition, price 5s.

FAMILY MANUAL and SERVANTS' GUIDE, With upwards of One Thousand New and Approved Receipts, arranged and adapted for Families and all Classes of Servants.

"We shall recommend this book every where, if it were only for the sake of the excellent suggestions on the 'self-improvement' of house-servants."--_Gardeners' Magazine_, June 1830.

"It should find a place in the kitchen or servants' hall of those who desire to blend comfort with elegance, and prudence with luxury."--_New Monthly Magazine_, Feb. 1831.

"This book contains a mass of information that cannot fail to be useful in the conduct of household affairs."--_Atlas_, May 22.

"No servant should he without it."--_Morning Advertiser_, April 27.

Printed for JOHN LIMBIRD, 143. Strand.

* * * * *

_Printed and Published by J. LIMBIRD, 143, Strand, (near Somerset House,) London; sold by ERNEST FLEISCHER, 626, New Market, Leipsic; G.G. BENNIS, 55, Rue Neuve, St. Augustin, Paris; and by all Newsmen and Booksellers._