THE RIVER SOMME. 215 



as Walter Scott somewhere says, "of this species of 

 reputation." 



In the Hotel de Ville are some curious old banners well 

 worth inspection. The chateau or castle is a very grim 

 and ancient structure, in one of the towers of which it is 

 supposed Charles IV. lost his life ; and Philip Augustus 

 confined the count of Boulogne after the battle of Bovines. 

 It is also conjectured, that this was the veritable tower in 

 which Louis XI. was detained by the duke of Burgundy, 

 during his memorable visit to Peronne. 



The ancient forti fied chateau of Applincourt is the place 

 in which the famous association called " The League" was 

 proposed and organised in 1557. 



The river from Ham to Peronne is very favourable for 

 angling; and when the water is in good condition, and 

 the season favourable, considerable sport maybe obtained. 

 Peronne is full of remarkable stories about the magnitude 

 of the fish caught in the waters which surround the town, 

 especially pike, eels, perch, etc. We have seen large pike 

 and eels here, but nothing to justify these accounts, 

 which may, nevertheless, be founded on fact; but what- 

 ever maybe their size, one thing is certain immense 

 quantities of these fish are sent off every week to the 

 markets of Paris; and so abundant is the produce in this 

 very favourable vicinity, that a regular and most extensive 

 traffic is carried on in this article alone; affording per- 

 manent employment to numerous families, and yielding 

 considerable profits; and yet, notwithstanding all this, 

 owing to the admirable regulations of the laws with 

 reference to fishing, and the inflexible manner in which 

 they are enforced in certain districts, there seems to be no 

 perceptible diminution of the enormous supply. 



Amiens is a large city through which the Sommc 



