The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-03-06
In the Tarheel State.

The warm springs are situated in
ison county, North Carolina, in the
ern part Of the State, and are surrouI
by various spurs of mountains, know,
the Immediate section as the W
Spring mountains. On every side oil u
springs rise activities of various y,hB
and beauty - wonderful peaks, cut
either side by deep ravines, from Win
in early morning large squadrons
clouds float off to the adjoining PEI NJ
and gradually vanish in the infinite IN
yond. II
The springs themselves are a center
trade for the rnountaineers OF the su
rounding country, where they come
exchange their produce in the Wv
corn meal, corn on the cob and shelled
raw hides, skins Of bear, sheep and deeI
together with chickens, pheasants, souid
rels and other game for the luxuries dl
coffee, sugar, salt, calico, cloth, powde|
and shot, and other things that they can(
not obtain at home.
The stores hereof which there are
two-deal only for trade or cash pay
ncnts, making discount of twelve I'd
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 satisfactor, IN the
end. Chlckens-and tender, youhg ones
a, that-sell for from FIVE to ten cents
apiece; eggs, warranted sound, bring
from eight to twelve cents per dozen;
butter, with a good fair complexion, from
ten to fifteen cents per pound; pheasants
nominal!y ten cents each, but raised to
twenty-fv by the aggressiveness Of he
boarders' appetites; squirrels are dropped
from the lofty trees at five cents apiece,
and Chestnu,s. or "children's fruit" as
some people call them, are dc alt out for
from TOUR 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, es. fours or
hves, 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 scriptural vehicle,
the OK team. There can often be seen
here single OK harnessed to a cart or
wagon with regular horse harness and
straw collar, or under saddle.
The women and men come together,
each having their packages. which they
trade separately. This is a peculiarly
too, about the mountain girls; they /are
not at ali talka,ive, but come down ID the
two plain facts Of yes or no. They are
more hardv than the men. and when your
correspondent attempted to express sym
pathy for a couple Of them tina, had
trudged barc'ooted fifteen miles over the
rocky mountain paths to reach this place,
venerable moun;aineer remarked ::
Them gals don't mind Them rocks at
all. but they make the sparks ilv out' n
the flin,s, you bet" The gals here.
as elsewhere. are fond Of candy. but they
only look at it with longing, and buy
coffee. OF the men, "Old Uncle Joe,
a regular in the mountains, and calling
himself SO years o: age. walked here, a
,welve-mile stretch, with two bushels OF
potatoes on his shoulders, and bargained
for pair of boots to hunt bears in.
when you tack bear" Joe says. you
must 60 for him, and never let up till you
have him; if you do. he got you, less
vonr leoS iS hefter'n hiSn -