THE RIVER AUTHIE. 213 



and has a winding run of more than fifty miles before it 

 enters the sea, near the village of Grofliers. It receives 

 its name from the village of Authie, where a small branch 

 of the stream takes its rise. 



The best method of fishing this stream is to start from 

 Doulens, which is situated on the main road from Arras 

 to Paris ; and then the angler commands the most eligible 

 part of the water for fly-fishing. 



There is scarcely any thing worth the rambler's notice 

 at Doulens. The small stream called the Grouche enters 

 the Authie on the west side of the town, and a few trout 

 will be found in it. If, however, the angler has fixed 

 his head-quarters at Hesdin, then he may cross over to 

 the Authie, by a smart walk of about seven miles, near 

 a village called Dompierre, where good fishing streams 

 are to be met with. With the exception of the river 

 Grouche, the Authie has no tributaries deserving of 

 notice. 



Light-coloured flies for May and June will be found 

 the most successful in this river. The " coachman" and 

 the May-fly are also good. The French use all manner of 

 flies in these waters, and of nearly all the colours of the 

 rainbow; but French fly-fishing, properly so called, is 

 altogether a mistake. The minnow and red-worm are 

 also good baits ; perhaps we might say the best, as small 

 trout do not abound, in this river, owing to the presence 

 of pike. 



A short distance from the Authie, in the direction of 

 Abbeville, lies the battle-field of Crecy, so famed in 

 French and English history. 



