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

92 MY LIFEfirst went to Senni Bridge, where both districtsterminate in the Usk valley ;but after a short timeI went to stay in a little public-house at Senni in themidst of my work, while my brother stayed at Devynockor at Trallong, which latter was quite as nearfor half the work.When I went up to Senni Street (Heol Senni, asit is called in Welsh) I greatly enjoyed wanderingover the pretty valley which extended a long wayinto the mountains, flowing over nearly level meadowsand with an unusually twisted course. This I foundwas so erroneously mapped, the numerous bendshaving been inserted at random as if of no importance,that I had to survey its course afresh. Above thevillage there were several lateral tributaries descendingin deep woody dingles, often very picturesque,and these had usually one or more waterfalls in theircourse, or deep rocky chasms ; and as these came uponme unexpectedly, and I had seen very few like themRadnorshire, they were more especially attractiveinto me.One Sunday afternoon I walked up the valley andover a mountain-ridge to the head waters of the Lliariver, one of the tributaries of the river Neath, to seean ancient stone, named Maen Llia on the ordnancemap. I was much pleased to find a huge erect slab ofOld Red Sandstone nearly twelve feet high, a photographof which I am able to give through the kindnessof Miss Florence Neale of Penarth. These strangerelics of antiquity have always greatly interested me,and this, being the first I had ever seen, produced animpression which is still clear and vivid.The people here were all thoroughly Welsh, butthe landlord of the inn, and a young man who livedwith him, spoke English fairly well.