tance from the central point, so as to leave the pier between them, hears it well. Thus, in the reflection of sound, there is an evident approach to the law of equality between the angles of incidence and reflection which obtains in that of light, and a tendency in the reflected sound to confine itself to the direction which a ray of light regularly reflected at the echoing surface would follow, and not be spread into the surrounding air equally in all directions."

Mr. Provis has published an account of the Menai bridge, which is extremely interesting throughout; from this work the following description of the opening of the bridge is extracted, but it should first be premised that the Parliamentary Commissioners had determined upon opening the bridge on the 30th of January, 1826, and that in the earlier part of that month violent gales had been experienced.

"The effect of these gales," says Mr. Provis, "was seriously to retard our operations; however, as the day had been fixed for opening the bridge, no exertion was spared to have it in as complete a state as possible. The toll gates were hung and ten powerful lamps put up on the 28th, and where the side railing had not been permanently fixed it was temporarily secured. The roadways were dressed up, the scaffolding, machinery, tools, &c. cleared off the ground, the toll collectors were placed at their posts, and a few men ordered to be in attendance in case their assistance should be required.

"As the work had been effected by a loan from the public purse, it was decided that a public carriage should go first across. Accordingly the London and Holyhead down mail was fixed upon. The time for its arrival at Bangor Ferry was about half-past one in the morning.

"On Sunday, the 29th, the works were examined by Mr. Telford and Sir Henry Parnell, Bart, when seeing that all was right, they determined as the hour for the opening was

rather unseasonable and the night threatened to be stormy, to give up their original intention of passing over in the mail. In the evening the lamps were lighted and every thing else put in readiness.

"Aware that the mail would be well filled before it reached the bridge, and thinking that I had some claim to be one of the first carriage-load that should cross, I went with my brother, John Provis, and met the mail before it reached Bangor. Taking my seat by the coachman, he and the guard were then informed that instead of stopping at Bangor Ferry as usual, they were to drive over the Menai Bridge, where their horses would meet and take them forward. The guard's objection, that he had no official instructions, was removed on being informed that Mr. Akers, the mail coach superintendent, was then at Bangor Ferry, and would give him the necessary authority by going along with him. There were four passengers inside the mail, namely, Messrs. Tierney, Smith, Palmer and Monterloney, who were much pleased at hearing that they were to cross the bridge instead of being exposed on the ferry. When opposite the ferry inn, Mr. Akers and several others joined us, and on stopping for a moment at the end of the bridge, the mail was instantly crowded by Messrs. Hazledine, Rhodes, the young Wilsons, and as many more as could find a place to stand on or hang by. Thus loaded, a crack of the whip put the horses in motion and we were quickly conveyed to the opposite end, amidst the cheers of the men around us. and the shrill whistling of the gale.

"At half-past past three the Chester and Holyhead down mail followed, and at day-light the next morning the national flags were waving from the summits of the pyramids to announce that the Menai Bridge was opened."

A very favourable view of the Menai Bridge may be had by taking a boat at high water from Garth Ferry, near the

Penrhyn Arms Hotel, and proceeding from thence towards the bridge.

The scenery accompanying the road from the Menai Bridge to Beaumaris is lovely in the extreme, provided the sky is clear and the tide at its full.

CHAPTER V.

ANGLESEY-HOLYHEAD ISLAND-THE SKERRIES.

Ferries-Battle near Bangor Ferry—Llanddwyn Abbey—Llanedwen— Battle at Moel y Don-Plas Newydd—List of Cromlechs in Anglesey -Wine Houses-Amlwch-Parys Copper Mines-Llanelian-Goronwy Owen-Pentraeth—Plas Gwynn-Beaumaris-Beaumaris Castle— History of Beaumaris Castle-Bay of Beaumaris-Baron Hill-Llanvaes- —Penmon-Holyhead-South Stack Lighthouse-The Skerries.

THE Country throughout Anglesey is devoid of those beauties, those varieties of mountains, vales, lakes and falls, which characterize the greater part of North Wales; nevertheless there are many objects in this island worthy of mention, and some which will prove generally interesting.

Prior to the invasion of the Romans this island had the name of Mon, which signified merely an insulation from the continent of Wales; this name was latinized into Mona. It received its first appellation of Anglesey on its reduction to the Saxon yoke. The princes of North Wales had their residences here (except during their expulsion for the space of two centuries by the Irish and Picts) until the close of the reign of their last prince. The palace was at Aberffraw.

FERRIES.

There were formerly six ferries from Caernarvonshire into Anglesey; of these but five now exist, viz. Abermenai, about three miles to the south-west of Caernarvon; Tal y Moel, from Caernarvon; Moel y Don, about half way be

F

tween Caernarvon and the Menai Bridge; Garth, between Bangor and the Penhryn Arms Hotel; and Aber, across the Lavan sands to Beaumaris.

The sixth, called by the Welsh Porthaethwy, the ferry of the confined waters, was near the Menai Bridge, on the Bangor side. This property descended to Lady Erskine, wife of Sir David Erskine, of whom it was purchased by government at the time of the construction of the bridge for the sum of 26,3941.

In the thirteenth century a battle was fought near Bangor Ferry, which none of the historians have mentioned. It is, however, described by a bard who lived about the time, Llywarch Brydydd y Moch, in a poem on the death of Llewelyn ap Iorwerth. His language is animated and expressive, and may be taken as a specimen of the Welsh bardic style of that period: "Dark ran the purple gore over the breasts of the warriors; loud was the shout; havoc and carnage stalked around. The blood-stained waves flowed over the broken spear, and mournful silence hung on the brows of the warrior. The briny wave, rolling into the channel, mingled with waves of blood. Furiously raged the spear, and the tide of blood rushed with force. Our attack was sudden and fierce. Death was displayed in all its horrors. Noble troops, in the fatal hour, trampled on the dead, like prancing steeds. Before Rodri was subdued the church-yard became like fallow ground."

At the extreme south point of Anglesey are the ruins of

LLANDDWYN ABBEY,

Which was situated about the middle of a sandy flat surrounded by rocks, and also, except on one side, by the sea. Some of the walls are yet standing, but they possess nothing whatever of interest or elegance. To judge from the present traces of its site, the erection altogether has never been of any considerable magnitude.