The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-12-16
A North Carolina Venice.

Probably MOrehead City is tne only clGy
in the world without wheel in it. L do
not think there is wagon or buggy
horse in the town, and very few in the
county. Everything is done in boats.
There is not house in the county that a
boat cannot get within mile of. Not a
doctor or lawyer owns horse-they prac-
tice in boats. The people go to funerals
in boats, and when they arrest man they
carry him to jail in a boat. l...
The main export of the town besides
truck is fish, but the fish caught here en-
brace everything from whale to shrimp.
Last year two or three whales were taken
off this coast, and whale is worth from
81 200 to $4,000. 1t is said they get be-
tween the shore and the gulf stream, and
in trying to beat out to sea are sickened
by the warm water They turn in shore
again and strand themselves. Along the
bays and inlets mackerel are caught In
large quantities in nets. But this whole
sale fishing is neither picturesque nor IN
teresting.
A pretty sport practiced along shore is
spearing founders. A small row boat is
put adrift. A man with fambeau walks
alongside up to his knees in water lnthe
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 draw
back to this sport is that occasionally your
torch-bearer is stung by stingaree. A
stingaree is simply long buggy-whip,
broken out with smallpox, and filed with
steel springs, aqua-fortis and needles. When
he hits you, lockjaw is the mildest result
The 'little niger contingent about More
head makes its living by grabbing. With
little boat, hardly bigger than tub, they
go out in the surf, and, Topping in and out
like amphibiae, soon come in with bushel
or SO of the ugliest looking and sweetest
tasting that swim the water.
One other very important industry OF
this most interesting place is the raising OF
''marsh tackeys." The marsh tackey is
shaggy pony, hardly larger than the Shet-
land, light built and hardy. He lives in
the water and will not eat 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 de,
cides when the tides are going out and
coming in. Once every year the owners
have what is called a 'pony penning.
All the ponies along the coast, running In
to the thousands, are driven in by boats
and either branded or sold. They bring
from SIS to $50 apiece, and it is tribute
to their utter wildness that "broke pony
that is, one that can be ridden or driven
is called "trained tackey," and brings
$40. They are in great demand in the
middle part of the State, eating little anc
doing heap of work. They run down te
skin and bone before they learn to eat corr
or hay, but then fatten rapidly and lose
the ugly reddish color the salt water gives
them. There are men who buy them II
large numbers, train them, and take then
to the mountains and get fancy prices fol
them. AS I write there is drove of tack
eys marching in slow and sedate procession
against the horizon The leader, bearing
his responsibility with dignity, picks the
way carefully, and his company follow will
a blind sense of confidence. The water, a
it splashes about their legs, glistens hk'
showered silver, and their red sides shin'
against the sun like bronze. On they 60
as birds beat homeward in the twilight
growing smaller and more indistinct a
they plod their steady way. At last the!
are but specs above the water, moving
dumb and patient to some well-desired goal