, 1883-06-21
4 NORTH cAnoLrNA VENICE.

The Queer Town I'm Which People 60 About
IA Boats Instead Of Wagons.
Correspondence OF the Atlanta Constitutional
suppose Morehead City is the
onss..- city in the world without wheel
in it. do not think there is wagon
or buggy horse in the town, aud very
few in the county. Everything Is done
in beats. There is not house in the
county that boat cannot get within q
mile of. Not a doctor or lawyer In the
county owns horse-they practice In
boats. The people go to funerals il
boats, and when they arrest 4 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 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
that they get between the shore and the
gulf stream. aud in trying to beat ont
to sea are sickencd by the warm water.
They turn in shore again, and soon
strand themselves. Alorg the bays
and inlets mackerel are caught in large
quantities in nets. But this Wholesale
fishing is neither picturesque nor inter
esting. A pretty sport practiced along
the shore is spearing founders. A
small row boat il put sdrift. A man
with fambeau walks alongside up to
his knees III water. In the bow of the
boat sportsmen stand with slender gigs.
Along the bottom, by the reflection of
the light, can bc seen white founders
buried in the sand. They remain per-
|
them, and never move until they are
either spcared or missed. The only
drawback to this sport is that occasion
ally your torch bearer Is stung by .
stingaree. A stingaree is simply long
buggy whip. broken out with the small
pcx and filed with steel springs, aqua
fortis and needles. When he hits you,
lockiaw is the mil,lest possible result
The little nigger" contingent about
Morehead makes its living by grabbing.
With little boat, hardly bigger than a
| tub, they go ont i'll the surf, and flop
ping in and out like amphibia, soon
come in with b,ishel or SO of the ug-
Lest looking and sweetest tasting things
that swim the water.
One other very important industry oil
this most interesting place is the rnis-
ing of "ma' 'sh tackles" The marsh
tackey is q 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 be-
| tween tides. They cost literally moth
ing, breeding in drovcs as wild horses.
Each drove has its leader. who selects
tie eating grounds and decides when
the tides are going out or coming IN.
Once every wear the owners have what
is called "pony penmng. All the po-
MES along the coast, ranning INTO the
thousands, are driven i'll by boats and
either branded or sold. They bring
from SI5 to $50 apiece, and 1t Is a trib-
ute 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 tho 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 reddisl. 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 a drove cf tackles marching IL SLOW
and sedate procession against the hor!-
zon. The leader. bearing his RESPONSE
bility with dignity, picks the way care
fully, and his company follow with
blind sense of confidence. The water
as it splaslies about their legs. glistens
like show. ed silver. and their red sides
shine against tac sun like bronze: On
they go, as birds beat lomeward IN the
twilight, growing smaller and more in-
distinct as they plod their stead- Way
At last they arc but specs above tbs
sater, moving dumb aud pataent to
! . Ill ' --~ol