Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1882-10-11
A North Carolina Venice.

Probably Morehead City is the only
city in the world without wheel in it.
I do not think there is wagon or
buggy horse in the town, and very few
in the country. Everything is done in
boats. There IS not house in the coun-
ty that a boat cannot get within mile
of. Not a doctor or lawyer owns horse
they practice in boats. The people
go to funerals in boats, and when they
arrest man they carry him to Jail in a
boat.
The main export of the town besides
truck is fish, but the fish caught here
embraces everything from a'whale to a
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 in shore again, and strand them
selves. 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 the shore is
spearing founders. A small row boat is
put adrift. A man with a fambeau
walks alongside 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 a
stingaree. A stingaree is simply long
buggy whip, broken out with smallpox
and filed with steel springs, aqua fortis
and needles. When he lits you, lock-
jaw is the mildest result. The little
niger" contingent about Morehead
makes its living by grabbing. With a
little boat, hardly bigger than tub, they
go out in the surf, and, Topping in and
out like amphibia, soon come in with a
bushel or so of the ug]iest. looking and
sweatest-tasting things that swim the
water.
One other very important industry
of this very interesting place is the rails.
ing of "marsh tackeys." The marsh
tackey is q shaggy pony, hardly larger
than 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 the tides.
They cost literally nothing, breeding in
droves as wild horses. Each drove has
it's 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 "poney
penning," All the ponies along the
coast, running into the thousands, art
driven in by boats and either branded o.
sold. They bring from SIS to $50 apiece
and it is tribute to their utter wildness
that a &c broke " pony-that is one tina
can be ridden or driven, is called 6
strained tackey," and brings $40.
They are in great demand in the mid.
die of the state, eating little and doing g
heap of work. They run down to Skin
and bone before they learn to eat corn o.
hay, but then fatten rapidly and lose th'
ugly reddish color the salt water gives
them. There are men who buy them il
large numbers, train them, and taxi
them to the. mountains and get fancy
prices for them. As write there is
drove of tackeys marching in slow ant
sedate procession against the horizon
The leader, bearing his responsibility,
with dignity, picks the way carefully, ,ani
his company follow with blind sense o
confidence. The water, as it splashe'
about their legs glistens like showeret
silver, and their red sides shine against
the sun like bronze. On they go, q
birds beat homeward in the twilight
growing smaller and more indistinct a
they plod their steady way. At last they
are but specks above the water, moving
dumb and patient to some we'll desired