The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-04-10

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 Watfn
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 mounlaineerS OF the sur
rounding country, where they come to
exchange their produce in the WY of
| corn meal, corn on the cob and shelIed.
raw hides, skins of bear, sheep and deer,
together with chickens, pheasants, squir-
rels and other game for the luxuries of
coffee, sugar, salt, calico, cloth, powder
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
mcnts, making a discount of twelve to
fifteen per cent. tor cash. The parties
dealing here come from ten to twenty
miles, or more, and make their tra(des
only after great deal Of cautious Bar
gaining, but all seems satisfactor, in the
end. Chlckens-and tender, young ones
at that-se'l for from five to ten cents
apiece; eggs, warranted sound, bring
from eight TO twelve cents per dozen;
butter, with good fair complexion, from
ten to fifteen cents per pound; pheasants
nominally ten cents each, but raised to
twenty-five by the aggressveness Of The
boarders appetites; squirrels are dropped
from the lofty trees at five cents apiece,
and chestnuts. or children's fruit" as
some people call them, are d. alt out for
from four to five cents per quart. Every.
thing else here is IN proportion. but the
parties bringing this produce in are much
more uniqle than the prices charged for
them. They are truly st"dv. They
generally come in pairs, thr' es tours or
fves, 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 thty
trade separately. This is a peculiarly.
too, about the mountain girls; they are
not at all talkative, but come down to the
two plain facts Of yes or no. They are
more hardy than the men. and when your
correspondent attempted to express SYM
patty for a couple Of them that had
trudged bare'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 fly outen
the flints, you bct." 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. q
twelve-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
your legs is better'n his'n.