I entered into conversation with him.

He told me that the canal and its branches extended over a great part of England.

That the boats carried slates--that he had frequently gone as far as Paddington by the canal--that he was generally three weeks on the journey--that the boatmen and their families lived in the little cabins aft--that the boatmen were all Welsh--that they could read English, but little or no Welsh--that English was a much more easy language to read than Welsh--that they passed by many towns, among others Northampton, and that he liked no place so much as Llangollen.

I proceeded till I came to a place where some people were putting huge slates into a canal boat.

It was near a bridge which crossed the Dee, which was on the left.