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                 George Hotel – Bangor Ferry
                    Wednesday night – 30 April 1862

Dear Ann

                I wrote you a few lines from the

office yesterday afternoon to wind up my letter for the Etna which sailed from L’pool today. And Elizabeth Bold9Who is much pleased with your present of my namesake’s photograph) wrote a letter yesterday to Miss Barbara Jones, saying we hoped she would join us on board the steamer today at Beaumaris, with carpet-bag, to spend

       & sleep

the eving. ˄ at the George Hotel & there continue with us on our little tour. – This was only a repe- -tition of the invitation of the day before. – This morng., whilst we were at prayers, the postman left a letter from Miss Jones, to say that she would try & join us at this Hotel; but that she was so full of household duties at this particular time, that it was “quite out of the Question” to think of joining us in our

tour

toure˄ . This was quite a damper. Nevertheless I determined upon a last effort, as follows:

    After breakfast, I wrote out a telegram to

Miss Jones No. 1 Castle St. Beaumaris. Not- -withstanding your note received this morng., we hope you will accompany us on our

tour & meet us on board the steamer today.

  Rutson Maury.” – 
    On our way down to the steamer (Mary

accompanying us as far as Horsfall & Addison’s) I called at the office at 35 or 40 minutes past 10, & gave the above telegram to Mr. Weed, who undertook to dispatch & pay for it, & if possible pay every thing in advance, until it was in Miss Jones’ hands. –

    The steamer “Druid,” with us on board, sailed

from the Prince’s-pier-landing-stage soon after 11; the river then being in a stormy state with a strong S.S.E wind meeting a strong flood-tide; but is was smooth enough when we got outside, & is so continued throughout the voyage. Nevertheless E.B., to guard against all risk of sea sickness, after once taking her seat, never stirred from it until we were inside of the Menai Straits. – It was a very frne day, but too hazz to give a clear & distinct view of distant objects. – We called at Landud- -no, a new watering place, a miniature of Torquay. It is in the bay, & on the low ground between the two Ormsheads. A couple of row boats came alongside to land passengers & then goods & chattels; & after 20 minutes detention, we proceeded on our voyage, sailing close under

the Great Ormshead, which looked very grand & very beautiful in its varied tints on rocks & sward.

    Indeed it ahs been most beautiful ever since

Often as I have been in these parts, it is the first time I have ever been in No. Wales in the spring – so that at least it is a novelty, & not unpleasing.

                                  all       beginning
    You would have greatly enjoyed ˄ the scenery ˄ from

the Ormshead & until darkness threw its veil around.

     We reached the Beaumaris Pier at 3½ p.m. &

the Menai Bridge landing (on the Anglesea shore) about 4 p.m. – At the former we saw Miss Barbara & her sister; & in due time the former came on board; & I was glad to see she had a good sized carpet bag along with her. On enquiry, she sold me shi ad recd my telegram at noon, &

         quite

said it had ˄ alarmed her, until she had read its contents. - She still seemed in the mood, however, of merely staying the night with us, & returning home tomorrow. – This house fronts the steamboat landing i.e. it is on the Bangor side, & about 1/3 to ½ a mile N or N.E. of the Suspension Bridge & 2 miles from Britannia, or Tubular, Bridge

    We rode over the former in a car with all our

effects, & were delighted with the aspect of the George Hotel when we drove with the grounds

                                               rich

adjoining it. It looked like the approach to a ˄ gentleman’s mansion rather than a hotel; all about the grounds & the [slafery?] gardens in front of the house being laid out with so much taste, & kept in such admirable order. – Both bridges are in view, & both in the same direction, the Britannia, contrary to my idea of it, being the nearer to Caernarvon.

We entered the house thro’ a glazed conservatory, filled with rare & beautiful flowers! - & there we bespoke a parlour & two bed-rooms – both in the older part of the house. My bed room, which is next door to that of the two ladies, is called the Duke of Wellington’s apartment, because he over slept in it; & there is a small bust of him on the chimney piece. The small size of the a- -partment & the compactness of all within seem to me in accord with his taste in such matters; but the bed itself he would have pronounced too soft.

    When we had seen our apartments, I ordered dinner

for 6½ o’clock, & a car to convey me meanwhile to the Britannia bridge. – I gave the ladies the choice of accompanying me or remaining behind; and they adopted the latter. – Seated alone in my open car, I recrossed the suspension bridge, because it gave me the fine view; and the view, with Snowden & all the rest in sharp [?] fronting me, was fine indeed: but the heat of the sun was ruin -ing my complexion, & I came home with my face looking like a lobster, or like Walker’s after a visit to “Turnus” – I had expected to walk thro’ the tube from end to end, tho’ not particu- -larly desirous to do so; but I found that his was forbidden except to those who had a written pass.

    I saw all I wanted.  When I had ascended by 

steps to the top of the Bridge, & stood on the roof, I found 2 gentlemen – father & son – in conversa -tion with the policeman. – I recognised the older as one of our fellow passengers via “Druid,” & intro- -duced myself accordingly. He was a very

                     5

pleasant, intelligent man, nearer 70 than 60.

    We got into talke about America, beginning with 

some remarks on my part about the tubular bridge at Montreal, & it ended in himself & son accepting my invitation to ride back with me as far as the suspension bridge. The old man told me he had been 50 years in the British Navy. He spoke very feelingly, & in a way that won my heart, as to the deplorable contest between No. & So. He seemed much interested in what I had to say on this subject; & when he bid me good bye a the S bridge, he said “God be with you wherever you go.” – which, as we know, is the full meaning of the term “good bye,” but still it had a freshness & earn- -estness about it that left quite a pleasant im -pression, -

    The Britannia tube is 1,500 feet long.  The 

effect of the bridge is of course grand & impressive

                        is

from its vastness; but it ˄ not beautiful; whereas the suspension Bridge is both beautiful & grand.

    As I gazed a the latter this evening & saw

men & carriages passing over it, looking scarcely larger that smaller & larger insects or flees, it added greatly to the grandeur of the effect – in short it was sublime.

    As we stood close beside the tube of the Britan

-nia, just what I wanted to see came about. A very long freight train from Holyhead came up & shot thro’ it. The crashing noise was so overpowering, even to me, that I close both my ears to exclude it.

I got back ½ an hour before dinner, & joined Elizabeth & Miss Jones who were seated in the garden. – The latter said she had long wished to spend a day at this house; & so she had been gratified. – I asked Elizabeth whether she had yet succeeded in prevailing upon Miss Jones to bear us company in our further rambles.

 She said she had not.  I then put in my motto,

& said I was sorry, & selfishly so, because her absence would be so great a drawback. Before we came into dinner, Elizabeth told me that Barbara had consented to remain with us until Saturday eveng. – I was of course pleased; & I communicated this victory, & the tidings of our safe arrival, in a 2 paged note to Mary Bold, which she ought to get at breakfast tomorrow, but I was unable to tell he how we proposed to pass the next 3 days. – for it had not yet been determined.

    We had a very nice dinner; soup, some

small fish like minnows (something of the white bait order, which we ate with a little [?] juice & thin slices of brown bread & butter) a pair of boiled [spicy?] chickens, with boiled [bacon?], a real Welsh [?] roast let of mutton (now a rarity) which was very juicy & tender. - & some pie & pudding, & cream to pour on them. – a ping of Port wine, & some bitter-ale. – The ladies declined the Wine, but partook of the rest, & like myself seem-

-ed quite satisfied with the repast. The dinner service was very handsome, all the knives & forks having silver handles, & the porcelain was in keeping. – At tea it was the same thing, when we ordered it in at ¼ past 9. – the kettle being silver – at least it looked such. –

    Shortly after 10, the ladies retired, to be called

at 7, for breakfast a 8, & to start at 9 in the omnibus to the Railway from Bangor to Caer- -narvon. – We settled this programme at T. We are to reach Caernarvon about 10, & take a carriage for the post turnpike road thence to Beddgelert, where we propose to sleep tomor- -row night, after riding about in the vicinity of B.gelert. – We may ride through the Pass of Lanberis & back on Friday & sleep Friday night at Cassel Curig, & return this way via Lake Ogeven on Saturday, as Miss Jones must be at home on Saturday evening. – If so, I shall propose to Elizabeth to remain in the house (the George Hotel) on Saturday night, & all Sunday, going to church at Bangor Cathedral and taking the Railway from Bangor to Lpool on Monday. – But the only think absolutely settled as yet, is that we steer tomorrow for Beddgelert.

   I send this for Mary Bold to forward

to you by steamer on Saturday.

                    your affectionately
                         Rutson Maury.