Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-09-23

A Town Without WheeIx-Amphibian
Customs and % Mash Tackles,

Morehead City (NC Letter in Atlanta Constitution.
l suppose MOrehead City is the only city in
this country 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 boat cannot get within mile of
Not doctor or lawyer in the county owns a
hoTse-they practice i'm boats. The people 90
TO funerals in boats, and when they arrest a
man they carry him TO Jail in boat
me main export of the town besides truck is
hsl, out the fish caught here embraces every
lhIng from whale to a shrimp Last wear
TWO OF three whales were taken off this coast,
ana wllale Is worth from 81 200 to So 600. 1t
is said that they get between the shore and the
gull stream, and in trying to beat out to sea
are slcnened by the warm water. They turn in
SHORE again. and soon strand themselves. Along
Ihe Days and inetS mackerel are caught in large
quantities in nets. But this wholesale fishing is
neither picturesque nor interesting. pretty
sport practiced along shore is spearlng f0un-
ders A small rOw-bOat is put adrift. man
with fiambeau 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 occasionally your torch
bearer is stung by a stingaree. A stingaree is
simply long buggy whip, broken out with
smallpox and filled with steel springs aquafortis
and needles. When he hits you. lOckjaw is the
mdest possible result. The little nigger" con-
tingent about MOrehead makes it's living by
grabbing. With little boat, hardly bigger than
tub, they go out in the surf, and Hopping in
and out like amphibia soon come in with q
bushel or so OF the ugliest looking and sweetest
tasting things that swim the water.
One other very important industry of this
mis- ia of s.roo' c1,
tackles" The marsh tackey is shaggy pony
hardly larger than the Shetland light built and
hardy. He lives in the water and win 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 pen
ming" All the ponies along the coast. running
into thousands, are driven in by boats and
either branded or sold. They bring from S15
to $50 apiece. and it is tribute to their utter
wldness, that 'broke" pony, that is, one
that can be ridden or driven, is called a
trained tackey," and brings SO. They are in
great demand in the middle 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 reddish color the salt water gives
them. There are men who buy them in large
numbers. train them and take them to the
mountains and get fancy prices for them. As
write there is drove of tackles marching in
slow and sedate procession against the horizon.
The leader, bearing his responsibility with dig
nifty. 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, az
birds beat homeward 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 patient to some
well-desired goal