A FOREST TOUR AMONG THE DUNES 
OF GASCONY. 
By Major F. Battery, R.E. 
CHAPTER L 
THE LANDES AND DUNES OF GASCONY. 
(With Map.) 
INTRODUCTION, 
Our party, consisting of M. Boppe, five English students, Mr 
Beckington, an American gentleman interested in forest questions, 
M. Borel, a Swiss student, M. Takasima, and the writer, left 
Bordeaux early on the 26th April 1886 for Arcachon, We were 
accompanied by MM. de Monteil and Moyse, Inspectors, and M. 
Foulon, Assistant Inspector, who were so kind as to conduct us to 
the various points of interest we had come to study. Leaving the 
train at La Teste, we spent some time in going over a resin factory 
close to the railway station ; and we then walked two miles across 
the dunes to Arcachon. After breakfast, we made an excursion to 
the Mouleau block of the forest of La Teste, and passing through 
it, we gained the beach, which we followed, in a southerly direc- 
tion, for a considerable distance, until we reached a portion of the 
dunes, where a forest—which had- previously been established—was 
sold in 1863 to a private proprietor. He has neglected to maintain 
the works, and the result is, that the forests are being gradually 
ingulfed. Our long walk home over the deep sandy track, in a 
heavy shower of rain, the last few miles being in almost total 
darkness, was the least enjoyable part of the day. 
Next morning we travelled some miles by train, and then walked 
into a portion of the forest containing a number of old cluster pines 
(Pinus pinaster), which have been worked for resin for the last 
150 or 200 years. We then walked to the village of La Teste, 
and caught the evening omnibus to Arcachon, 
On the 23th we travelled by train to Labouheyre, where we 
were met by M. Morch, Assistant Inspector, and M. Lamarque, 
