An hour's walking brought me to a bleak moor, extending for a long way amidst wild sterile hills.
The first of a chain on the left, was a huge lumpy hill with a precipice towards the road probably three hundred feet high.

When I had come nearly parallel with the commencement of this precipice, I saw on the left-hand side of the road two children looking over a low wall behind which at a little distance stood a wretched hovel.

On coming up I stopped and looked at them; they were a boy and girl; the first about twelve, the latter a year or two younger; both wretchedly dressed and looking very sickly.
"Have you any English ?" said I, addressing the boy in Welsh.
"Dim gair," said the boy; "not a word; there is no Saesneg near here." "What is the name of this place ?" "The name of our house is Helyg." "And what is the name of that hill ?" said I, pointing to the hill of the precipice.
"Allt y Gog--the high place of the cuckoo." "Have you a father and mother ?" "We have." "Are they in the house ?" "They are gone to Capel Curig." "And they left you alone ?" "They did.

With the cat and the trin-wire." "Do your father and mother make wire-work ?" "They do.

They live by making it." "What is the wire-work for ?" "It is for hedges to fence the fields with." "Do you help your father and mother ?" "We do; as far as we can." "You both look unwell." "We have lately had the cryd" (ague).
"Is there much cryd about here ?" "Plenty." "Do you live well ?" "When we have bread we live well." "If I give you a penny will you bring me some water ?" "We will, whether you give us a penny or not.