2ET. 64-65.] THE BOULONNAIS. 267 



This morning we purpose driving to Doesvres, Brunembert, and 

 Lottinghen, thence per rail to St Omer, and then probably to 

 Lillers returning to-morrow night here. 



To Ms Wife. BOULOGNE, Friday, 8 P.M. 



We have just returned from our Bethune and Lillers excursion, 

 which has been highly successful. We accomplished all we went 

 to see, and have suffered no inconveniences. We started early 

 yesterday and drove to Doesvres ; thence to Mennenville, to call 

 on the curd there, an archaeologist, and rather a stout opponent 

 of the Eepublic. Thence to Brunembert to see the Wealden iron- 

 ores, and then to the station at Lottinghen to catch the train for 

 St Omer and Bethune, where we arrived at 6. We stopt at an 

 old Spanish-built hotel had a very fair dinner at 7, good rooms 

 and coffee in the morning, and our bill was 7 francs each that, 

 by the bye, included a bottle of margaux at 5 francs. . . . This 

 morning we started at 5 A.M. and drove to Pernes another 

 unspoilt place, our dejeuner' there costing us 1.50 each. We there 

 saw the sections we wanted, and then proceeded to Auchy-au- 

 bois, where we introduced ourselves to the engineer an excellent 

 fellow, who gave us all the particulars, and they were extremely 

 curious. He wanted and pressed us to stop to lunch, but time did 

 not allow. We made ourselves perfectly acquainted with this, 

 the most western, prolongation of the North of France coal-field, 

 and with some geological phenomena of great interest. He 

 offered to send us on to Lillers per coal railway-engine, but as we 

 had already experienced a mile of this travelling we declined, 

 and managed to drive to Lillers just in time to catch the 

 train. To-morrow we start at 7 for Guines and Belinghen, but 

 shall return early. I am also looking forward now to travel 

 home. 



He generally returned from an Easter excursion 

 refreshed and invigorated. 



In a letter of 6th March 1877, Captain Petrie, the 

 courteous Secretary of the Victoria Institute and editor 

 of its journal, requested Prestwich to authorise the 



