Jon Gower is one of our greatest literary talents - a rarity among authors who is equally successful writing in Welsh or English, and in both factual and creative genres. His latest offering, Gwalia Patagonia , which tells the familiar tale of the Welsh colony in Argentina, established 150 years ago in 1865, is another master stroke which will bring so much pleasure to those who read it. The narrative leans heavily on well-established secondary sources, all cited in an appended bibliography, to which is added a new and highly relevant dimension in the form of contemporary oral evidence provided by a wide range of Patagonians encountered by the author on his travels from the coastal resort of Puerto Madryn, where the Welsh first disembarked, to the Andean settlement of Esquel, some 500 miles west on the border of Chile.The literary chemistry between the historical and more creative elements of this work have fused to form a refreshing addition to the extensive literature on this most extraordinary of tales. Much of this literature is also evaluated by Gower, paying especial attention to the writings of Eluned Morgan, Y Wladfa ''s most eminent literary figure, and Bruce Chatwin, the controversial author of the travelogue In Patagonia . Jon Gower also includes references to some hitherto largely ignored facets of Patagonian culture, notably the study of Welsh place-names and stories from its rich folklore. The author''s obvious interest in the natural history of this wonderful land is reflected in some interesting references to the Welsh names given to birds which were native to the region and unfamiliar to the new settlers.My personal experience of the Welsh colony is confined to a flying four-day visit in 2004 after a conference in Buenos Aires.

It was an opportunity too good to miss, and an experience I will never forget. I was familiar with the story of the Mimosa from my primary-school days, but nothing can really prepare you for Y Wladfa . In contrast to most Welsh visitors, who tend to travel in groups for special occasions such as the annual eisteddfod, I travelled alone, which probably gave me a truer picture of the strength of the Welsh language in the community. Like John Gower, I found myself standing in front of the granite cenotaph on the sea shore at Puerto Madryn, which lists all the passengers of the Mimosa , an incredibly moving experience which brought tears to my eyes. I was left wondering how on earth these poor people managed to transform such a hostile landscape into a sustainable community? But with the help of the native Tehuelche Indians, possibly bribed by the Argentine government, they managed to survive, before going on to irrigate the land, fund and build a railway, and establish several communities along the Chubut Valley, each one served by a purpose-built chapel.I came across many Welsh speakers in Puerto Madryn and elsewhere, but my most memorable moment in that town was when purchasing a new lock for my suitcase from a middle-aged ironmonger of native Indian extraction. When he established that I was a Welshman, he immediately launched into a rendering of the chorus of C'n y Mochyn Du , a song he claimed he had been taught at school! John Gower relates his encounter with a taxi driver in Puerto Madryn whose Taid was Welsh, and I had a similar experience in Trelew. (Maybe many Patagonian taxi drivers use this tack with visitors from Wales!) But my taxi driver of Welsh descent was surely a Cardi, as he managed to run out of petrol when taking me to the Gaiman, apologetically leaving me on the paith for an hour whilst he hitch-hiked back to Trelew to refill his can.

However, he did come back to pick me up from the Ysgol Feithrin after I had enjoyed a cup of traditional Te Cymreig (Welsh tea) to the strains of Dafydd Iwan! Gwalia Patagonia is a thoroughly enjoyable book, and our thanks must go to Jon Gower for such a pleasurable read. I would have liked to have seen more illustrations and an index, and the inclusion of a sketch map would have been useful, but these are only minor gripes. I only wish I could have had the opportunity of reading this book before visiting this remarkable land, which our forebears, with great sacrifice and fortitude, successfully tamed and made home. It is such a wonderful story, which never ceases to amaze and entertain.