Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-11-02
A North Carolina Venice.


Morehead city is the only city in the
world without wheel in il. / do not
think there is a wagon or q buggy horse
in the town, and very few in the county.
Every thing is done in boats. There is
not house in the county that boat
cannot get within a mile of. Not q
doctor or lawyer in the county owns a
horse-they practice in boats. The
people 60 to funerals in boats. and when
they arrest man they carry him TO
Jail In a boat.
The main export of the town besides
track is fish, but the fish caught here
embrace everything from whale TO O
shrimp. Last year two or three whales
were taken off this coast, and a whale
is worth from 81 200 to $4,000. 1t il
said that 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 IN shore again,
and soon strand themselves. Along the
bays and inlets mackerel are caught in
large quantities i'll nets. But this whole
sale fishing is neither picturesque nor
interesting. A pretty sport practiced
along shore is spearing founders. A
small row boat is put adrlft. A man
with hambeau walks alongside up to
his knees IN water. In the bow OF the
boat sportsmeu 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 stlngaree is simply long
and buggy whip, broken out with small
pox and filled with steel springs, aqua-
FORTS and needles. When he hits you,
lUckjaw Is the mlldest possible result.
The "colored man" contingent about
Morehead makes its living by grabbing.
With a little boat, hsrdly bigger than a
tub, they 60 out in the surf, and Topping
in and ont ike amphibia, soon come
in with bushel or SO of the ugliest
looking and sweetest tasting things that
swim the water.
One other very important industry
of this most interesting place is the
raising of "marsh tackles" The marsh
tackey is shaggy pony hardly larger
than the Shetland, 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
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
tides are going out or coming In. Once
every year the owners have what. Is
called "pony penning." All the
ponies along the coast running in.o the
thousands, are driven in by boats and
either branded or sold. They bring
from Sl5 to $50 apiece, and it Is tribute
TO their wildness, that "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
middle part of the state, eating little
and doing q 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 reddish color
the salt water gives them. There are
men who buy them in large numbers,
train them, and take them to the mount
aims and get fancy prices for them, AS
| write there is q drove of tackles march
ing in slow and sedate procession against
the horizon. The leader, bearing his
responsibility with dignity, picks the
way carefully, and his company follow
with 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 go, as birds beat home
ward in the twilight, growing smaller
and more indistinct as they plod their
steady way. AT last they are but specks
above the water, moving dumb and pa
tient to some well desired goal.