The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-01-03
MISCELLANY.
A NORTH CAROLINA VENICE.


Probably Morehead City is the only city
in sthe world without wheel in it. l do
not think there is wagon ora buggy or horse
in the town, and very few in the country.
Everything is done IN boats. There is not a
house in the country that boat cannot get
within mile of it. Not 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 EN-
braces everything from whale TO shrimp.
Last year two or three whales were taken off
this coast, and whale is worth from 81 900
to $4,000. 1t 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 themselves. Along the bays and in
let's mackeral are caught in large quantities
in nets. But this wholesale fishing is
neither picturesque nor interesting. A
pretty sport practiced along shore is spear
ing founders. small row boat is put
adrift. A man with a f1ambeau walks along
side up to his knees in water In the bow
of the boat sportsmen stand with slender
gigs. t
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 drawbacks to this sport is
that occasionally your torch-bearer is stung
by stingaree. A stingaree is simply a
buggy whip, broken out with small pox and
filed with steel springs, aqua forts and
needles. When he hits you, lock- jaw is the
mildest result. The " little niger contin-
gent about Morehead makes its living by
grabbing. With little boat, hardly bigger
than tub, they go out in the surf, and
Topping in and out like amphibie, soon come
in with bushel or SO of the ugliest-looking
and understanding things that swim the
water. tI4
One other very important industry of this
most interesting place is the raising Of
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 droyes as wild horseg.
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.p All the ponies along the coast,
running into the thousands, are driven in by
boats and either branded or sold. They
bring from $15 to $50 apiece, and it is a
tribute to their utter wildness that "broken
pony--that IL, Que that caa be ridden OF
driven, is called TRAINED tackey," and
brings $40. n
They are in great demand in the middle
Part of the State, eating little and doing a
heap of work. They run down to skin and
bone 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 num-
bers. tain them. and take them to the
mountains and get fancy prices for them.
AS write there is drove of tackeys march,
ing in slow and sedate procession against
the horizon. The leader, bearing his re-
sponsibility with dignity, picks the way
carefully, and his company follow with a
blind sense OF confidence. Tho water, as Il
'plashes about their legs, glistens like show
sred silver, and their red sides shine against
;he sun like bronze. On they 60, as 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 r
Vezcs