My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org

CHAPTER VIIRESIDENCE IN SOUTH WALES : BRECKNOCKSHIREAND GLAMORGANSHIREIt was in the summer or early autumn of 1841 thatwe left Kington for the tiny village of Trallong, afew miles beyond the town of Brecon, the parish wehad to survey, and obtained lodgings in the house ofa shoemaker, where we were very comfortable forsome months. The house was pleasantly situatedabout two hundred and fifty feet above the river,with an uninterrupted view to the south-east overwoody hills of moderate height to the fine range of theGreat Forest, culminating in the double peaks of theBeacons, which were seen here fully separated withthe narrow ridge connecting them. At sunset theywere often beautifully tinted, and my brother made acharming little water-colour sketch of them, which,with most of his best sketches, were placed in analbum by my sister, and this was stolen or lost whileshe was moving in London.I looked daily at the Beacons with longing eyes,and on a fine autumn day one of the shoemaker'ssons with a friend or two and myself started oft" tomake the ascent. Though less than six miles fromus in a straight line, we had to take a rather circuitouscourse over a range of hills, and then up tothe head of a broad valley, which took us within a