142 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



The tide was rising. Scarcely perceptible waves, 

 which were flowing in from the ocean, rose by 

 degrees as they came in contact with these low 

 embankments, and fell into long undulations like 

 extended lines of walls. Broken at their base by 

 these breast-works, they were twisted upwards in 

 coils, which rapidly descended in a shower of white 

 foam and mist. Being soon again lifted up, not to 

 an equal height, but with a greater force, they rose 

 opposite to the Adour like a quadruple barrier, which 

 was perpetually being destroyed and reproduced, 

 until at length they reached the shore, where they 

 broke with fury into a thousand foam-crested lines, 

 dashing their long and rapid jets of white mist to 

 the very top of the incline which had arrested their 

 progress. At the mouth of the river they rushed 

 precipitously through the narrow channel, dashing 

 to the right and left against the jetties, as if they 

 were endeavouring to open a broader passage for the 

 waters of the ocean, and bearing with them in their 

 course masses of yellowish foam, which looked at the 

 distance almost like floating rocks. 



Every stranger on arriving at Bayonne makes a 

 point of visiting Biarritz, and as I was anxious not 

 to depart from the ordinary custom, I lost no time 

 in making inquiries as to the means of accomplishing 

 this journey. Formerly this excursion was always 

 made on the back of some animal, either a horse, 

 mule, or donkey, on which was placed an apparatus 

 very much like a set of double panniers, and this 

 mode of travelling was called riding en cacoleL 

 The traveller seated himself on the one side, while on 



