Smyrna times., 1874-08-12

ao,,;ns autoerat--whose aulhoiity is suprtlue.
IT, aght. his way up 10 the position OF patrl.
arcb bv tbrashing all his rivals. These battles
batween rivals are terrific Mt times. All
nsnrners are remorsey expelled ff5tt TIE heh,
and If not killed they become bold baDli,SI
capturing such unwary females as happen Ii
stray too far from their protectors. Mares
that attempt to stray from the 1ock or gang
are coaxed back by the stations, which have
sort of harettl TO care for. Sometimes they are
unable to accomplish this task, partcularlv
after age comes upon them. The battles Of
the males are not so tetfitic a3 formerly we
were told, and instances are not now dhfrequept
FIR two or life colts born in tbs same ROcL 10
dwell together in unity.
tENNING DAY.
The great day on the, lcland is "pennng
day," although OF late Il Ea5 E6st much of its
holiday attractions. Formerly the women, az
we'll as the men, conYregated al The Atlantic
Hotel to assist in identifying the ponies.
! Ii may be necessary to explain what per.
ming means. The owner of the ponies mars
them with brand generally on the left hip.
SO many of them look alike that it would be
impossible to identify them without this mark.
The colts must be branded before they leave
their dams, and August is the proper month
In order to catch the colts and affx the brand
our party witnessed the penning Of about one
hundred Thursday, however, is the regular
penning day, but some purchasers being on
the Island to-day this lot was penned with
view to a sale. Boys on tame ponies came in
with the flock, and after whOoping and swear.
ing little managed to get them into the en-.
closure. 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 All this time the branding iron has
been heating at fire near by, presided over
by sturdy urchins who take delight in this part
! of the performance The face of the iron
D bears the initial letters of the owners name
f and is thrust against the fore-shoulder OF tht
{ colt. He winces and writhes for moment
: but only moment, and then all is over. The
e hair has been burned off by the hot iron, il
{ shape of the letters and will never grow again
1 We saw but two or three ponies of good styl
. and symmetry in all that came under our notice
: and very few Of them in use even there Oi
: the Island All the hauling we saw was b
L regular horses. The ponies are only ian:
!. stock for fashionable people in the cities, VIII
drive pony pheatons in the parks Nearly al
the sales are long ways from home. No on
> uses them on the main land here.
!, With our guide the party visited the Assn
h league light house, one Of the finest on tn
= : Atlantic coast. We found it in the keeping q
- Mr.. Vane, former Smyrnisn, who, with h
- - wife, daughter OF Mr. WIN. Hezell) were gln
- to mce: us in their issolated position. "
h have not time to speak Of this lighthouse 4
" :, we intended, for want Of further space.
h The trip was one of the most delightful tn;
~ could have been taken, and parties seeking
If cheap, enjoyable excursion could not find
20 better one than this