The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-04-24
In the Tarheel State.

The warm springs are situated in Mad
ison county, North Carolina, in the west
ern part Of the State, and are surrounded
by various spurs of mountains, known in
The immediate section as the Warm
Spring mountains On every side of the
springs rise activities of various shapes
and beauty - wonderful peaks, cut On
either side by deep ravines, from which
in early morning large squadrons of
clouds float off to the adjoining peaks
and gradually vanish in the infinite be.
yond.
The springs themselves are center of
trade for the mountaincers OF the sur
rounding country, where they come TO
exchange their produce in the ~ of
corn meal, corn on the COB and shelled,
raw hides, skins of bear, sheep and deer,
together with chickens, pheasants, squir-
relS and other game for the luxures of
coffee, sugar, salt, calico, cloth, powder
and shot, and other things that they cam
not obtain at home.
The stores hereof which there are
tgI--dcal only for trade or Cash pay
l.ists, making a discount Of twelve 10
fifteen per cent. tor cash. The parties
dealing here come from ten 10 twenty
miles, or more, and make their trades
only after great deal of cautious tar
gaining but all seems satisfactory in the
end. Chickens-and t,nder, young ones
at tha-seil for from five TO ten cents
apiece; eggs, warranted sound, bring
from eight 10 twelve cents per dozen;
butter, with good fair complexion, from
ten TO fifteen cents per pound; pheasan!s
nominally ten cents each, but raised to
twenty five by the asgressveness of he
boarders' appctites; squirrels are dropped
from the lofty trees at five cents apiece,
and Chestnuls, or "children's fruit" as
some people call them, are dc alt out for
from four 10 five cents per quart. Every.
thing else here is IN proportion. but the
parties bringing this produce in are much
more unique than the prices charged for
them. They are truly a study. They
generally come in pairs, thr'e s fours or
lives, and carry their goods on their
shoulders, on horseback, in wagons drawn
by horses, or, as is more usually the case,
By that primitive and scripiural vehicle,
the OK team. There can often be seen
here single OK harnessed to cart or
wagon with regular horse harness and
straw collar, or under saddle.
The women and msn come together,
each having their packages. which they
trade separately. THIS is peculiarly.
too, about the mountain girls; they are
not at ali talkatve, but come down 10 the
two plain facts of yes or no. They are
more hards than the men. and when your
correspondent attempted to express SYM
patty for couple of them that had
trudged barc'oo fifteen miles over the
rocky mountain paths TO reach this place,
a venerable moun;aincer remarked
Them gals don't mind them rocks at
all, but they make the spa;ks fy %, n
the flints. you tct" The gals % here,
as elsewhere. are fond of candy, bat they
only look at it with long'ne and buy
coffee. Of the men, Old Uncle Joe"
regular in the mountains, and calling
himself 6S years o. age, walked here, a
,welye>mile stretch, with Two bushels of
potatoes on his shoulders, and bargaincd
for pair OF boots to hunt bears in.
when you tack bear Joe says, you
must go for him, and never let up till you
have him: if you do. he got you, less
your legs is better'n hsn.