hundred and fifty being the
price of the boat, her stores, and carriage, and two hundred and fifty
pounds that of a substantial boat-house, while the annual cost is about
seventy pounds.

The weather was remarkably fine, and the sea smooth, as the wind was off
shore. We were generally in sight of the cliffs, which extend along the
coast, and had occasional glimpses of blue mountains beyond, Snowdon
towering above them all, with the Isle of Anglesea on our port side, and
the county of Caernarvon on the starboard. After passing the entrance,
the Straits widen out into a lake-like expanse; but the shores again
close in where the town of Caernarvon is situated.

Except its far-famed castle, there is nothing very, particular to see in
the town itself, which is not so picturesque as many we have visited. A
small river, the Seiont, passes close to it. The whole town is
surrounded by walks united to the castle. The streets, though rather
narrow, are laid out at right angles to each other, and are well paved
and lighted. We landed, and traversed the town. We presently made our
way to the castle. The external walls are ten feet thick, are nearly
entire, and enclose a space of three acres. Within them is a gallery
running right round, with loop-holes for the discharge of arrows. We
clambered up two or three of the towers, which had turrets on their
summits; the most important of them is called the Eagle Tower. We were
shown a dark chamber, twelve feet by eight; and our guide declared that
it was the room in which the first Prince of Wales was born; but, as
papa observed, that could not have been the case, as the tower was not
built at the time; besides, it was not at all the sort of place the
queen would have selected as her bed-chamber; it was far more likely to
have been a prison or guard-room. The castle was built by Edward the
First, soon after his conquest of Wales; and it was finished about the
year 1293. We all considered it the finest ruin we had yet seen. About
the time it was finished, the Welsh, led by Prince Madoc, attacked and
captured the castle; when, according to the customs of the times, they
put its garrison to death, and burnt the town.

Rather more than a century after, Owen Glendower attempted to take the
castle, which was so gallantly defended by the governor placed in it by
Henry the Fourth, that he was compelled to raise the siege. During the
Civil Wars it was captured by the Parliamentary