wild wales-第65章

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whereabouts；　and　threatened　to　arrest　him。　　Tom；　after　trying　in　
vain　to　arrange　matters　with　him；　fled　into　South　Wales；　to　
Carmarthenshire；　where　he　carried　wood　for　a　timber…merchant；　and　
kept　a　turnpike　gate；　which　belonged　to　the　same　individual。　　But　
the　〃old　cancer〃　still　followed　him；　and　his　horses　were　seized　for　
the　debt。　　His　neighbours；　however；　assisted　him；　and　bought　the　
horses　in　at　a　low　price　when　they　were　put　up　for　sale；　and　
restored　them　to　him　for　what　they　had　given。　　Even　then　the　matter　
was　not　satisfactorily　settled；　for；　years　afterwards；　on　the　
decease　of　Tom's　father；　the　lawyer　seized　upon　the　property；　which　
by　law　descended　to　Tom　O'r　Nant；　and　turned　his　poor　old　mother　
out　upon　the　cold　mountain's　side。

Many　strange　adventures　occurred　to　Tom　in　South　Wales；　but　those　
which　befell　him　whilst　officiating　as　a　turnpike…keeper　were　
certainly　the　most　extraordinary。　　If　what　he　says　be　true；　as　of　
course　it　is　…　for　who　shall　presume　to　doubt　Tom　O'　the　Dingle's　
veracity？　…　whosoever　fills　the　office　of　turnpike…keeper　in　Wild　
Wales　should　be　a　person　of　very　considerable　nerve。

〃We　were　in　the　habit　of　seeing；〃　says　Tom；　〃plenty　of　passengers　
going　through　the　gate　without　paying　toll；　I　mean　such　things　as　
are　called　phantoms　or　illusions　…　sometimes　there　were　hearses　and　
mourning　coaches；　sometimes　funeral　processions　on　foot；　the　whole　
to　be　seen　as　distinctly　as　anything　could　be　seen；　especially　at　
night…time。　　I　saw　myself　on　a　certain　night　a　hearse　go　through　
the　gate　whilst　it　was　shut；　I　saw　the　horses　and　the　harness；　the　
postillion；　and　the　coachman；　and　the　tufts　of　hair　such　as　are　
seen　on　the　tops　of　hearses；　and　I　saw　the　wheels　scattering　the　
stones　in　the　road；　just　as　other　wheels　would　have　done。　　Then　I　
saw　a　funeral　of　the　same　character；　for　all　the　world　like　a　real　
funeral；　there　was　the　bier　and　the　black　drapery。　　I　have　seen　
more　than　one。　　If　a　young　man　was　to　be　buried　there　would　be　a　
white　sheet；　or　something　that　looked　like　one　…　and　sometimes　I　
have　seen　a　flaring　candle　going　past。

〃Once　a　traveller　passing　through　the　gate　called　out　to　me：　　
'Look！　yonder　is　a　corpse　candle　coming　through　the　fields　beside　
the　highway。'　　So　we　paid　attention　to　it　as　it　moved；　making　
apparently　towards　the　church　from　the　other　side。　　Sometimes　it　
would　be　quite　near　the　road；　another　time　some　way　into　the　
fields。　　And　sure　enough　after　the　lapse　of　a　little　time　a　body　
was　brought　by　exactly　the　same　route　by　which　the　candle　had　come；　
owing　to　the　proper　road　being　blocked　up　with　snow。

〃Another　time　there　happened　a　great　wonder　connected　with　an　old　
man　of　Carmarthen；　who　was　in　the　habit　of　carrying　fish　to　Brecon；　
Menny；　and　Monmouth；　and　returning　with　the　poorer　kind　of　
Gloucester　cheese：　　my　people　knew　he　was　on　the　road　and　had　made　
ready　for　him；　the　weather　being　dreadful；　wind　blowing　and　snow　
drifting。　　Well；　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　my　daughters　heard　the　
voice　of　the　old　man　at　the　gate；　and　their　mother　called　to　them　
to　open　it　quick；　and　invite　the　old　man　to　come　in　to　the　fire！　　
One　of　the　girls　got　up　forthwith；　but　when　she　went　out　there　was　
nobody　to　be　seen。　　On　the　morrow；　lo　and　behold！　the　body　of　the　
old　man　was　brought　past　on　a　couch；　he　having　perished　in　the　snow　
on　the　mountain　of　Tre　'r　Castell。　　Now　this　is　the　truth　of　the　
matter。〃

Many　wonderful　feats　did　Tom　perform　connected　with　loading　and　
carrying；　which　acquired　for　him　the　reputation　of　being　the　best　
wood　carter　of　the　south。　　His　dexterity　at　moving　huge　bodies　was　
probably　never　equalled。　　Robinson　Crusoe　was　not　half　so　handy。　　
Only　see　how　he　moved　a　ship　into　the　water；　which　a　multitude　of　
people　were　unable　to　do。

〃After　keeping　the　gate　for　two　or　three　years；〃　says　he；　〃I　took　
the　lease　of　a　piece　of　ground　in　Llandeilo　Fawr　and　built　a　house　
upon　it；　which　I　got　licensed　as　a　tavern　for　my　daughters　to　keep。　　
I　myself　went　on　carrying　wood　as　usual。　　Now　it　happened　that　my　
employer；　the　merchant　at　Abermarlais；　had　built　a　small　ship　of　
about　thirty　or　forty　tons　in　the　wood　about　a　mile　and　a　quarter　
from　the　river　Towy；　which　is　capable　of　floating　small　vessels　as　
far　as　Carmarthen。　　He　had　resolved　that　the　people　should　draw　it　
to　the　river　by　way　of　sport；　and　had　caused　proclamation　to　be　
made　in　four　parish　churches；　that　on　such　a　day　a　ship　would　be　
launched　at　Abermarlais；　and　that　food　and　drink　would　be　given　to　
any　one　who　would　come　and　lend　a　hand　at　the　work。　　Four　hogsheads　
of　ale　were　broached；　a　great　oven　full　of　bread　was　baked；　plenty　
of　cheese　and　butter　bought；　and　meat　cooked　for　the　more　
respectable　people。　　The　ship　was　provided　with　four　wheels；　or　
rather　four　great　rolling　stocks；　fenced　about　with　iron；　with　
great　big　axle…trees　in　them；　well　greased　against　the　appointed　
day。　　I　had　been　loading　in　the　wood　that　day；　and　sending　the　team　
forward；　I　went　to　see　the　business　…　and　a　pretty　piece　of　
business　it　turned　out。　　All　the　food　was　eaten；　the　drink　
swallowed　to　the　last　drop；　the　ship　drawn　about　three　roods；　and　
then　left　in　a　deep　ditch。　　By　this　time　night　was　coming　on；　and　
the　multitude　went　away；　some　drunk；　some　hungry　for　want　of　food；　
but　the　greater　part　laughing　as　if　they　would　split　their　sides。　　
The　merchant　cried　like　a　child；　bitterly　lamenting　his　folly；　and　
told　me　that　he　should　have　to　take　the　ship　to　pieces　before　he　
could　ever　get　it　out　of　the　ditch。

〃I　told　him　that　I　could　take　it　to　the　river；　provided　I　could　but　
get　three　or　four　men　to　help　me；　whereupon　he　said　that　if　I　could　
but　get　the　vessel　to　the　water　he　would　give　me　anything　I　asked；　
and　earnestly　begged　me　to　come　the　next　morning；　if　possible。　　I　
did　come　with　the　lad　and　four　horses。　　I　went　before　the　team；　and　
set　the　men　to　work　to　break　a　hole　through　a　great　old　wall；　which　
stood　as　it　were　before　the　ship。　　We　then　laid　a　piece　of　timber　
across　the　hole　from　which　was　a　chain；　to　which　the　tackle；　that　
is　the　rope　and　pulleys；　was　hooked。　　We　then　hooked　one　end　of　the　
rope　to　the　ship；　and　set　the　horses　to　pull　at　the　other。　　The　
ship　came　out　of　the　hole　prosperously　enough；　and　then　we　had　to　
hook　the　tackle　to　a　tree；　which　was　growing　near；　and　by　this　
means　we　got　the　ship　forward；　but　when　we　came　to　soft　ground　we　
were　obliged　to　put　planks　under　the　wheels　to　prevent　their　
sinking　under　the　immense　weight；　when　we　came　to　the　end　of　the　
foremost　planks　we　put　the　hinder　ones　before；　and　so　on；　when　
there　was　no　tree　at　hand　to　which　we　could　hook　the　tackle；　we　
were　obliged　to　drive　a　post　down　to　hook　it　to。　　So　from　tree　to　
post　it　got　down　to　the　river　in　a　few　days。　　I　was　promised　noble　
wages　by　the　merchant；　but　I　never　got　anything　from　him　but　
promises　and　praises。　　Some　people　came　to　look　at　us；　and　gave　us　
money　to　get　ale；　and　that　was　all。〃

The　merchant　subsequently　turned　out　a　very　great　knave；　cheating　
Tom　on　various　occasions；　and　finally　broke　very　much　in　his　debt。　　
Tom　was　obliged　to　sell　off　everything；　and　left　South　Wales　
without　horses　or　waggon；　his　old　friend　the　Muse；　however；　stood　
him　in　good　stead。

〃Before　I　left；〃　says　he；　〃I　went　to　Brecon；　and　printed　the　
'Interlude　of　the　King；　the　Justice；　the　Bishop；　and　the　
Husbandman；'　and　got　an　old　acquaintance　of　mine　to　play　it　with　
me；　and　help　me　to　sell　the　books。　　I　likewise　busied　myself　in　
getting　subscribers　to　a　book　of　songs　called　the　'Garden　of　
Minstrelsy。'　　It　was　printed　at　Trefecca。　　The　expense　attending　
the　printing　amounted　to　fifty…two　pounds；　but　I　was　fortunate　
enough　to　dispose　of　two　thousand　copies。　　I　subsequently　composed　
an　interlude　called　'Pleasure　and　Care；'　and　printed　it；　and　after　
that　I　made　an　interlude　called　the　'Three　Powerful　Ones　of　the　
World：　　Poverty；　Love；　and　Death。'〃

The　poet's　daughters　were　not　successful　in　the　tavern　speculation　
at　Llandeilo；　and　followed　their　father　into　North　Wales。　　The　
second　he　apprenticed　to　a　milliner；　the　other　two　lived　with　him　
till　the　day　of　his　death。　　He　settled　at　Denbigh　in　a　small　house　
which　he　was　enabled　to　furnish　by　means　of　two　or　three　small　sums　
which　he　recovered　for　work　done　a　long　time　before。　　Shortly　after　
his　return；　his　father　died；　and　the　lawyer　seized　the　little　
property　〃for　the　old　curse；〃　and　turned　Tom's　mother　out。

After　his　return　from　the　South　Tom　went　about　for　some　time　
playing　interludes；　and　then　turned　his　hand　to　many　things。　　He　
learnt　the　trade　of　stonemason；　took　jobs；　and　kept　workmen。　　He　
then　went　amongst　certain　bricklayers；　and　induced　them　to　teach　
him　their　craft；　〃and　shortly；〃　as　he　says；　〃became　a　very　lion　at　
bricklaying。　　For　the　last　four　or　five　years；〃　says　he；　towards　
the　conclusion　of　his　history；　〃my　work　has　been　to　put　up　iron　
ovens　and　likewise　furnaces　of　all　kinds；　also　grates；　stoves　and　
boilers；　and　not　unfrequently　I　have　practised　as　a　smoke　doctor。〃

The　following　feats　of　strength　he　performed　after　his　return　from　
South　Wales；　when　he　was　probably　about　sixty　years　of　age：…

〃About　a　year　after　my　return　from　the　South；〃　says　he；　〃I　met　with　
an　old　carrier　of　wood；　who　had　many　a　time　worked　along　with　me。　　
He　and　I　were　at　the　Hand　at　Ruthyn　along　with　various　others；　and　
in　the　course　of　discourse　my　friend　said　to　me：　　'Tom；　thou　art　
much　weaker　than　thou　wast　when　we　carted　wood　together。'　　I　
answered　that　in　my　opinion　I　was　not　a　bit　weaker　than　I　was　then。　　
Now　it　happened　that　at　the　moment　we　were　talking　there　were　some　
sacks　of　wheat　in　the　hall　which　were　going　to　Chester　by　the　
carrier's　waggon。　　They　might　hold　about　three　bushels　each；　and　I　
said　that　if　I　could　get　three　of　the　sacks　upon　the　table；　and　had　
them　tied　together；　I　would　carry　them　into　the　street　and　back　
again；　and　so　I　did；　many　who　were　present　tried　to　do　the　same　
thing；　but　all　failed。

〃Another　time　when　I　was　at　Chester　I　lifted　a　barrel　of　porter　
from　the　street　to　the　hinder　part　of　the　waggon　solely　by　strength　
of　back　and　arms。〃

He　was　once　run　over　by　a　loaded　waggon；　but　strange　to　say　escaped　
without　the　slightest　injury。

Towards　the　close　of　his　life　he　had　strong　religious　convictions；　
and　felt　a　loathing　for　the　sins　which　he　had　committed。　　〃On　their　
account；〃　says　he　in　the　concluding　page　of　his　biography；　〃there　
is　a　strong　necessity　for　me　to　consider　my　ways　and　to　inquire　
about　a　Saviour；　since　it　is　utterly　impossible　for　me　to　save　
myself　without　obtaining　knowledge　of　the　merits　of　the　Mediator；　
in　which　I　hope　I　shall　terminate　my　short　time　on　earth　in　the　
peace　of　God　enduring　unto　all　eternity。〃

He　died　in　the　year　1810；　at　the　age　of　71；　shortly　after　the　death　
of　his　wife；　who　seems　to　have　been　a　faithful；　loving　partner。　　By　
her　side　he　was　buried　in　the　earth　of　the　graveyard　of　the　White　
Church；　near　Denbigh。　　There　can　be　little　doubt　that　the　souls　of　
both　will　be　accepted　on　the　great　day　when；　as　Gronwy　Owen　says：…


〃Like　corn　from　the