Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-12-25


succeeding summer they took q punsJ
an impromptu horse market. In two
days the horses were sold at good prices
and the pungy went back to Chinootesaus
with enough whisky and tobacco to lssi
the people six months. 10 few year,
the annual horse sale became hx.ure,
but owing to the enterprise Of the buyers,
who made purchases on the island at all
times Of the year, II was at length
abandoned.
Chinooteagus grew In native populs-
tion "a time wore on, and stray families
from southern Maryland went into the
dsh aud oyster business on the shores Of
the bay, until, by intermsrriage, the
adventurous blood Of the original pirates
became on ordinary occasions rs slugRish
as the waters Of the sea channel at high
tide. II is only when wrecks 20 ashore
that the quick blood flashes TO the sur
fAos. It may perhsps be said with perfect
Justice that the people Of Chincotesgue
represent the characteristics OF both
original settlers and Maryland farmers,
for It is only In cases Of emergency that
that they are transformed from peace
loving fshermen into as daring adysn-
turers as ever manned the marauding
galleys OF the Norsemen or Vikings. In
Q lesser degree the same characteristics
are seen In the horses. On any day
droves OF them may be found nibbling
grass in the lee Of some friendly sand
dune or small olump Of trees, their heads
meekly lowered, and their names and
tails waving In the wind like flags a.
hRlf.mhst. Let them be disturbed, how
ever let . stranger approach them, sno
in q moment they gather themselve'
together and skurry away to leeward lik,
q herd OF buffaloes on Wild stampede
Only q very fleet horse can oatoh them,
aud II is only by experience that one
learns to taks them by strategy. Once
every year-usuAlly In April-the natives
fortify themselves with deep drsughts OF
Maryland whisky, and 60 forth to brand
the young colts. To separate the colts
from the drove when the horses are
''rounded up" in the approved western
manner, Is task that the native does
not attempt. He may be able TO reef
down the msinsail in q gale OF wind or
lash broken jibboon in q wild thrash to
the windwsrd, but In matters Of horse
manship he yields precedence 70 the
ysquero Of the untutored west. The
Chinooteague Ground up' consists for
the most part In driving the horses and
colts into an enclosure and In dragging
the colts out to the branding place by
means Of ropes and broad straps. When
the colt Ia once In the hands Of dozen
able bodied natives he 10 helpless, and
all that he can do is to struggle fsebly
until the redhot branch shall have burned
his owners mark into the tender skin II
Seems to be = bArbAio process at BEST,
and the ugly scar remains TO spot the
horses beauty as long as he lives but
am told, as the redhot iron burns only
the skin, the pain is not great. advised
the person that gave me that gratuitous
piece Of information u drop . redhot
copper cent down the back Of his neck TO
see how he would like il, but he refused
to look at 1t In that way. may say, In
passing, that no Chinooteague pony is
genuine unlssss the owners name be
blown In the bottle I
Upon my inquiry among the stray
natives that came out to look at the sloop
Walpus IS she nodded gracefully on the
gentle swell Just of the mhin channel l
learned that most people who visited
Chinooteague came to buy ponies. A
scattering few came down to fish and
shoot, and q bare half dozen spent the
summer at farm house, because 1t was
cheaper than at Long Branch or Newport
Il certainly is cheaper down here-much
cheaper than any place on the ooAst, toi
. person can get good board and com
Portable room for % per week. II Is 10 bt
regretted that there is not an electric line
Of underground railway that would carry
. professional man from ChinootsARue Il
New York In an hour. Suburban hotels
in the vicinity Of New York might ther
retire from business altogether. l wac
not q pony buyer, but remembered
that q friend had commissio ed me "a
buy . rony for him and ship It north al
his expense. Then to the visiting natives
gave 1t out that was about to ride ovei
the island and pick out GOOD saddle
pony TO be used in polo games and fol
riding after small game in half-oleared
country. Within two hours halt dozer
saddle horses were at my disposal, assur
snoe being given that In choosing pony
1t was not At all necessary to confine my
self to the brand shown by the hors,
that l bsstrode, as any difference Of thst
nature would be settled by the nativeI
themselves. Early in the morning of tht
next day mounted the best horse Of tn,
six, put my friend, the artist, on tn,
next best, and bidding the boy "Poge'
and young native follow slowly with Z
basket of lunoneon and the rest Of the
horses, Rallcped of up to the island.
II was beautiful day. The sky wal
cloudless, the air was clear, and 4 gentl,
breeze blew In fresh and cool from tn,
dimpling stretches Of sea far ont beyond
gray Assateague. A faint suggestion o
haze hung upon the horizon, and into 1
the island merged Into long, uDdulatini
stretches Of green and brown. Sever
miles up the Island we caught sight Of |
drove OF ponies quietly feeding on tn,
top Of 3 small knoll. We made eau
tious detour and got within mile o
them, when the wary leader saw us. H.
stood like statue, gaxing at US from tn,
top Of the knoll for fully . minute, ani
when he saw that we were movinI
straight toward him he wheeled suddenly
bounded like western antelope, Ant
sped away. The drove followed pellmell
helter skelter, each one trying to forR
to the front. Instantly felt the bloot
tingling in my cheeks, and knew thA
the fever OF the hunt was upon me.
dug the rowels deep into my shagg,
horses tanks and gave chase. hAv
ridden 10 hounds ACROSS country, and
have charged herd Of buffaloes on th
plains Of the Indian Territory, but unit
my Chinootesaus thoroughbred ha,
shaken himself loose In that wild dAsl
up the island had scarcely known whA
1t was to ride. Much Of the ground wa
soft and uneven, and ditches IN,
hidden holes luTked on every hand, bu
my horse, in his headlong pace, SCENE
to forget everything save that = drove {
soampering ponies was before him and
pair OF sharp spurs behind bin. Il is a
open question whether he feared th
8. ur more than he loved the chase.
this mad run he bounded from side
side, made desperate leaps over ditohs
and holes, and plunged up and dow
sand dunes as though the way wa
as emooth as the shinRle at AsssteARu,
The pace was something 10 be remembered
l clung to the saddle with knees an
hands, and the wind roAred In my cal
like gale whistling through the riggiu
Of o ship. was deaf and dumb and q
most blind. wanted TO look back
see what had become Of the artist, but
could not turn my head In safety. F,
half an hour this wild charge was ksl
up At full speed, and at the end OF tn
time we had gained three quarters OF
mile on the ponies. Fifteen minut
later was near enough to pick out n
pony. OF course, II was the leader. j
, was q big, handsome fellow, with clea
slender limbs and beautiful head.
seemed to be only oantering along easil
, and trying to encourage the old hoTs