Noyelle (7 miles). Branch Rail of 6 miles to St. Valery-sur-Somme, a small bathingplace, from which William the Conqueror sailed to England in 1066. Population, 3,700. Notice the fishermen's Chapel and the ruins of Tour de Harold. Anoyster culture here. Hotel.-De France. CAYEUX, with good sands and three hotels, is near it.

Coach to Tréport. Both it and Eu may be reached by rail from Longpré (page 16). [Eu (21 miles west-south-west), a small town on the Bresle, 2 miles from Tréport, which is its port. It has a picturesque Church restored by Louis Philippe, in which the Conquerer married Matilda; some buscuit and other mills; and the Château d'Eu, the noble seat, first of the Dukes of Guise, and then of Louis Phillipe, who here received Queen Victoria, 1843. The Château with its 300 rooms stands in a vast park, and after being dismantled, is again occupied by the Orleans family, who are restoring it. It has stables for 130 horses. One building is styled the Pavilion of La Grande Mademoiselle (Mademoiselle de Montpensier). Population, 4,420. Hotel.-Du Commerce. Tréport, a growing watering place and small fishing town at the mouth of the Bresle. Population, 3,700. Here is a Church of the 14th century, on a height, reached by a ladder from the outside. It has been proposed as a landing place from Folkestone (63 miles), in connection with a rail to Paris, 115 miles long, now open, via Eu, Gamaches, Longroy, Aumale (page 8), Abancourt, St. Omer-en-Chaussée, and Beauvais. Hotel.-De la Plage. To Ault or Bourg d'Ault (5 miles), a pleasant spot on the east, with good bathing, and two hotels.

At 18 kil. further is Dieppe (see Route 8.)]
From Noyelle it is 7 miles to

ABBEVILLE. HOTELS.-Tête de Boeuf; de France; du Commerce. Station Buffet.

A sous-préfecture and large fortified town, of 20,060 inhabitants, on the river Somme, in department Somme, and in the old province of Picardy, about 18 miles from the sea. Under the name of Abbatis Villa, it belonged to St. Riquier's Abbey;

and was given up to the English as part of King John's ransom, after the battle of Crécy; but it soon returned to the possession of its own sovereign. The Germans held it 1870-1.

Some of the streets are pretty good, but the greater part are old-fashioned, narrow, and illpaved. Its houses are chiefly brick, with a few stone buildings, and several ancient-looking ones, of wood. Trees are planted on the ramparts, but the view is not very enticing; yet at one time its reputation as an agreeable resort drew many persons of rank hither, whose houses have lately disappeared. Some traces of the castle of the Counts of Ponthieu are seen in the prison. Here Hugh Capet, the founder of the Capets, once resided. It has an old salt-house, once used for the gabelle, a communal college, theatre, foundling hospital, &c., and a public Library of 25,000 volumes. At the latter are busts of natives (Sanson the geographer, Millevoye the poet, Lesueur the composer), and a copy of the Gospels, in gold letters, on purple vellum, which Charlemagne gave to St. Riquier's Abbey.

At the house of M. Boucher de Perthes is a fine collection of spear-heads, hatchets, animal remains, and other marks of pre-historic ages, discovered in the valley of the Somme.

But the Gothic Cathedral of St Wulfran is the most remarkable object. It has two towers, 171 feet high, in its noble west front, built by Cardinal d'Amboise, in the flamboyant style of the 16th century, and decorated with niched figures of saints. The triple portal is enriched with carvings of the apostles, the Annunciation of the Virgin, &c. The arches of the nave are also good, but the rest of

the building is inferior.

Manufactures of fine linen (at the Champ de Foire, or Fair Field), first established by Colbert, velvets, carpets, muslins, cordage, leather; and a brisk trade in grain, wine, cider, linen, and woollen goods.

Diligences from Abbeville to Dieppe, at 11 morn. and 3 aft.; also conveyances to Auxy-le-Château, Hesdin, Blangly, Crécy, and Agincourt. Boat to St. Valery.

[From Abbeville, along the road to Arras, we pass ST. RIQUIER (6 miles east-north-east) and the re

mains of its abbey, founded by Dagobert, in the 7th century; enlarged by Charlemagne, and called Centule, from its hundred towers; now a college. The Church, partly restored, is worth notice for its beautiful front, full of niches and carvings, as well as for its carved stalls, iron gates, and curious frescoes (of the 16th century) in the treasury, including the Dance of the Three Dead and Three Living. An old belfry, and remains of the great town walls, are seen.

From Abbeville, along the road to St. Omer, you pass near the field of

CRESCY, or Crécy (10 miles north-east), in Ponthieu, in a Forest, where the Black Prince (1346) defeated the French, 30,000 being slain. The walls of the windmill, in which they say Edward III. stood to watch the battle, as related by Froissart, are crowded with names of English visitors to this famous spot.

Hesdin (22 miles) from Abbeville, 29 from St. Pol by rail), in department Pas-de-Calais, on the Canche, was founded (1544) by the Dukes of Savoy, in the midst of a beautiful country, flat, but well wooded and cultivated. The air is healthy; there is good fishing. Hôtel de Ville. Abbé Prévost was a native. Population, 3,500. Near it are traces of Old Hesdin, or Hidisnum. From Blangy-sur-Termoise, a Station near Hesdin, it is only a short distance to Agincourt, or AZINCOUR, in the old province of Picardy, a small village, with traces of a castle, 16 miles from Crescy, and equally memorable for a great victory gained by Henry V., 25th October, 1415, with 9,000 men, against a French force of about 55,000, chiefly by means of his archers, with their clothyard shafts, stationed in a wood still here. Shakspere's Henry V. speaks of 8,400 "knights, esquires, and gallant gentlemen," who fell, besides others. Fluellen, in that play, is the David Gam, or Squinting David, of Welsh history, who told the king on this occasion, after counting the enemy, that "there were enough to kill, enough to make prisoners, and enough to run away." This victory left Henry V. master of the best part of France, which was

quickly overrun by the English, but as quickly lost in the next reign.

FRUGES (3 miles from this), under a slope, has a mineral water. At 19 miles beyond, is St. Omer (see Route 1.)]

The line ascends the Somme, after leaving Abbeville; the next station to which is

Rémy, or Pont-Rémy (5 miles), which has a ruined castle; then

Longpré (5 miles). Here are two branch lines -one way, to Doullens (see page 8) and Bouquemaisons; the other to Gamaches. Tréport, and Eu (see page 14). At Gamaches, a line turns off to Abancourt, on the Amiens and Rouen line. Abancourt is on a line towards Beau vais, which makes part of a direct route to Paris, via Tréport.

Hangest (4 miles), near which is the camp of l'Etoile, an old Roman fort. The next is

Picquigny (5 miles), and its old castle, best known for the treaty signed here between Edward IV. and Louis XI., in 1475.

Ailly (3 miles) belonged to a noble family of that name, two of whom (according to Voltaire), father and son, taking opposite sides, fought hand to hand, at the battle of Ivry. At 6 miles beyond this is Amiens, on the main line; as in Route 1.

ROUTE 3.

Dunkirk to Hazebrouck and Paris. Distance to Hazebrouck, 25 miles.

DUNKIRK, or Dunkerque,

189 miles from Paris; 30 from Calais; about 40 from Dover.

HOTELS.-Casino Hotel; large, comfortable, and moderate; close to the sea.

Chapeau Rouge; de Flandres.

Resident British Consul.

Population, 35,100. A sous-préfecture in department Nord, a bustling port, and military post of the second class, in a flat spot, on the Belgian frontier. Its cleanliness, excellent bathing on the smooth sands, the cheap living, and the good character borne by the Flemish servants, have attracted a number of English here. It grew out of a church founded in the 7th century by St. Eloi, called the "Church of the Dunes," from the dunes, downs, or sand-hillocks, which line this "terribly flat coast. It has an anchorage lying at some distance, in the road, and is as noted for smugglers in peace, as for its privateering exploits during war. Its most special hero is Jean Bart, who was a native, and whose statue is in Place Royale. Jean Gauthier, Jean Lion, who styled himself Godts Vrient, i. e., God's Friend, Koster, and the Jacobsons, are almost equally celebrated personages here.

Canals run inland to Bergues, Ostend, Bruges, &c. White brick houses of two stories make up the neat broad streets, but there is a want of good water. Many of the people, workmen and others, live in cellars. The town is defended by ramparts, the citadel, Fort Risbau, &c.; and has two Basins, from one of which, restored 1794, frigates have been launched. There is a jetty at the quay, besides a long pier over the flats. A Light-tower, 194 feet high, stands near the basin for the chassemarées, at the mouth of the canal which leads up to the Port.

The Hôtel de Ville, built 1644, is an old-fashioned pile, with a low spire. A solid square clock-tower, of brick, 154 feet high, is called Tour de l'Eglise, because one part of the church is now cut off from it by the road. This Church (St. Eloi's) is Gothic, with a handsome Grecian portico of ten pillars, added by Luis, and contains some paintings. At the Church of St. Jean are two pictures by Vandyke and Guido, to be seen for a fee. The Jesuits' church is replaced by the College; the public Library contains 7,000 volumes. The Museum is rich in Flemish pictures. Large barracks are also seen, a salle de spectacle, school of navigation, &c.; and there are sea and other Baths. The Fishermen's Chapel des Dunes, near the shore, is, as usual, crowded with votive offerings. Genuine Flemish is spoken all round Dunkirk

B

Its position has made it the scene of many contests. A castle was built by the Counts of Flanders, which the English burnt, 1388; they took the town, 1538, but gave it up to Spain the next year. The French (under Condé) took it, 1558, but restored it immediately; again, in 1658, it was taken by Turenne at the Battle of the Dunes, given up to Cromwell, but sold in 1662 by Charles II. to Louis XIV., who fortified it. This happened when Clarendon was building his great house in Piccadilly, which the mob nicknamed "Dunkirk House." The fortifications were razed, 1715, but afterwards restored. The Duke of York tried to take it, 1793, but withou success. Admiral Roussin was born here.

Manufactures of ropes, sugar, candles, and jute (which has migrated here from Dundee since the strikes) and a trade in eaux-de-vie, gin, soap, beer, tobacco, butter, fish, grain, and pottery.

Conveyances: By rail, to Lille, Brussels, Paris

[From Dunkirk, along the coast, you pass LAFRENOUCK (3 miles); then Laytcoote, near the Belgian border (6 miles from Dunkirk), across which, the first place you come to is Furnes, with its two churches.]

The first station from Dunkirk, towards Paris, is Bergues (5 miles), a small frontier post, on the Colme, and a canal, which brings vessels of 300 tons up from the sea. It stands among marshes, and has often suffered from war, having been taken or pillaged about sixteen times. It has an Hôtel de Ville, built 1664, with a good collection of pictures; a fine Belfry, 164 feet high, shaped like St. George's new tower at Westminster; two towers of St. Winnoc's abbey, which serve for sea marks; and a good public Library of 5,000 volumes. Cardinal Dubois was abbot of St. Winnoc's, which was destroyed in 1793.

The trade is in butter, cheese, grain (for which there is a large market), lace, eaux-de-vie, &c. Population, 6,030. Hotel-De la Tete d'Or.