The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-11-23
A North Carolina Venice.

I
city in the world without wheel in it.
do not think there is a wagon or a
buggy horse in the town, and very few
in the country. Everything is done in,
| boats. There is not house in the coun-
try that boat cannot get within mile
of. Not doctor or LAWYER owns a
horse-they practice in boats. The peo-
pie go to funerals in boats, and when
they arrest man they carry him to jail
in boat.
| The main export of the town besides
truck is fish, but the fish caught here
| embraces everything from a whale to
| shrimp. Last year two or three whales
were taken off this coast, and whale
is worth from 81, 200 to $4,000. It is
said they get between the shore and the
gulf stream, and in trying to beat out to
sea are sickened by the warm water.
They turn i'll shore again and strand
themselves. Along the bays and inlets
mackerel are caught in large quantities
in nets. But this wholesale fishing is
neither picturesque nor interesting. A
pretty sport practiced along shore is
spearing founders. A small row boat
is put adrift. A man with a fambeau
walks along up to his knees in water
In the bow of the boat sportsmen stand
with slender gigs.
Along the bottom, by the reflection of
the light, can be seen white founders
half buried in the sand. They remain
perfectly still while the gig is poised
above them, and never move until they
are either speared or missed. The only
drawback to this sport is that OCCASION
ally your torch-bearer is stung by q
stingaree. A stingaree is simply long
buggy whip, broken out with smallpox
and filled with steel springs, aqua fortis
and needles. When he hits you, lock-
jaw is the mildest result. The .'little
nigger" contingent about Morehead
makes its living ~ grabbing. With a
little boat, hardly bigger than tub,
they go out in the surf. and, Hopping in
and out like amphibia, soon come in
| with bushel or SO of the ugliest look
ing and sweetest tasting things that
swim the water.
One other very important industry of
this most interesting place is the raising
Of <'narSh tackeys." The marsh tackey
is Il shabby pony, hardly larger than the
Shetland, light built and hardy. He
lives in the water and will not cat corn
or hay. He is brought up on the marsh
| grass, which he eats between the tides.
They cost literally nothing, breeding in
droves as wild horses. Each drove has
its leader, who selects the eating grounds
and decides when the tide is coming in
or going out Once a year the owners
have what is called ''pony penning"
All the ponies along the coast, running
into the thousands, are driven in by
boats and either branded or sold. They
bring from &l5 to $50 apiece. and it is
a tribute to their utter wildness that p
'broke" pony-that is, one that can be
ridden or driven, is called a trained
tackey," and brings $40.
They are in great demand in the mid
die part of the state, eating little and
doing heap of work. They run down
to skin and bones before they learn to
eat corn or hay, but then fatten rapidly
and lose the ugly redish color the salt
water gives them. There are men who
buy them i'll large numbers, train them,
and take them to the mountains and get
fancy prices for them. As | write there
is q drove of trackeys marching i'll slow
and Sedate procession against the hori-
zon. The leader, bearing his response
bility with dignity, picks the way care
fully, and his companions follow with a
blind sense of confidence. The water,
as it splashes about their legs, glistens
like showered silver, and their red sides
shine against the sun like bronze. On
they 90, as birds beat homeward in the
twilight, growing smaller and more in
distinct as they plod their steady way.
At last they are but specks above the
water, moving dumb and patient to
some welL-desired goal.-NeaO York Mews.