The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-08-23


The colts must be branded before they
leave their dams, and August is the prop
er month. In order to catch the colts and
afix the brand, the whole herd must be
"penned." On Chincoteague Island, the
square in front of the Atlantic Hotel is
used for pen, but on Assateague large
pen has been built on the shore, of stout
pine logs Men and boys mount tame po-
MES and start out to bring in the herds.
They gallop to the pasture grounds, and
after much yelling fast riding and some
little swearing, they manage to drive one
Of the herds down to the shore. Nearly
all the houses on Chincoteague are built
along the sound, aud the yards in front
join each other, thus forming continuous
fence. When the herd gets started down
the shore, the riders press close after, yell
ing and whooping, and there is lively
chase until the avenue that leads to the
pen is reached Here crowd of men are
standing, and they turn the head Of the
flying column into the square. Some of
the ponies suspect treachery, and run into
the water, but the riders dash after them,
and soon the whole herd is forced into
the pen. The colts stick close to their
dams, and in all the rearing and plunging
about through the pen they never become
separated. A stout man with long pole
in his hand and a looped rope at the end
of it posts himself at the mouth of the pen,
and as the ponies run past he drops the
loop over the head of one Of the colts. The
little fellow plunges about and shakes his
head most furiously, but all to no purpose;
the men haul him out and throw him down
on his right side All this time the brand
ing iron has been heating at fire near by,
presided over by sundry urchins who take
much delight in this part of the perform
ance. The face of the iron sometimes
bears the initial letters of the owners
name, and sometimes it is simple mono
gram, such as a circle or square, to which
the owner lays claim. When the colt has
been thrown boy brings the iron from
the fire, and it is stamped on the pony Is
hip. There is no cruelty in the operation
because the iron only burns through the
hair and scarcely scars the skin. | saw q
two-year old colt branded while standing
on its feet, and it did not seem to feel the
burning, If the blacksmiths who make
these irons had ordinary skill and taste
they would shape the letters better and
make them much smaller. There is nc
necessity for disiguring pony for life
with an unsightly scar, when a neat letter
or monogram would answer the purpose as
well.
By the time the colts in one herd have
been branded, the riders have driven an
other herd down to the shore The first
are allowed to run back to their pasture
grounds, while the next in order is driven
into the pen, and the colts subjected to the
marking process, Sometimes the colt:
escape till they are two or even three years
old, and then they are much harder Il
handle.
The process of penning and branding is
about all the attention they get from theil
owners until they are old enough to break
and sell. Some Of them are easily con
quered, and become exceedingly gentle
A few vicious ones retain their native wild.
ness as long as they live When three
years old they sell for about 800, deliv
cred on the mainland. Apair that match
es nicely will bring 5000. The larger
ones are used in Accomac and Northamp
ton counties, Virginia, and in the lowe
counties of the Eastern Shore of Mary
land, for the saddle and for light farming
The small ones (Which are the most valu
able if they happen to be pretty are sole
to gentlemen who buy them for famil,
pets. Children ride them and drive then
to pony phetons and light buggies. The,
all make splendid saddle horses, especially
for children. Their strength and endur
ance are surprising. Onpenning day saw
tall, heavy men mount some of the domes
ticated ponies, and they carried them will
the greatest ease, although the soles of tn,
riders boots were no more than foo
from the ground. After furious gallol
in pursuit of the herd, they would come
in fresh and full of spirit Their gait il
easy and rapid. None of them are eve
shod while they remain on the island
Some of them have attained notoriety n
fast runners. During the war Gen. Lock
wood (whose military district extende,
over the lower PENINSULA paid $500 70
fast pony.
Since the oyster trade has occupied tn
attention of the islanders, horsemanshi,
has greatly declined. The young men car,
more for their sloofs and yachts than the,
do for ponies. On penning day it was diff
ficult to get volunteer riders from tn,
crowd to bring in the herds. This wa
partly owing to the Incidence of the youn,
men, and partly to a want of confidence ii
their equestrian skill. They looked upol
chase over the sand banks on horseback
as more perilous than voyage across tn,
Sound in the stormiest weather. The bes
rider on the island is thin, wiry, pleasant
faced colored boy, who breaks most of the
horses. He gets many tumbles, but fal
on the soft sand is not likely to hurt an,
one. They have no dog carts or other APP
planes for training refractory ponies, an,
do not think that they ever heard of tn,
Rarey system.
A few of the old race of jockies, VIII,
were good horsemen before the Chinco
league oysters created sensation in thi
epicurean world, still survive, and it i
pleasant to see them on penning day
They lasso colt and brand it, as il the,
had real relish for the business.
There are few corn patches near tn,
shore, but wheat and rye are never seen
Every kind of vegetables might be raise,
in the greatest abundance; but the island
ers, as general rule, have no taste 70
gardening or any other kind of labor. Ii
the winter they endure oil manner of hard
ships with the greatest cheerfulness, dredg
ing for oysters and carrying them to mar
ket. In the summer they fish in the SCUM,
occasionally, but spend most of the tim
in idleness on the shore, relieving the mo
notony of the day by taking sundry drinks
lntemperance is the prevailing vice.
Crimes are exceedingly rare. Stealing
is almost unknown, and there is very littl
fighting, considering the amount of wills
key that is drunk. The women are sal,
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