The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-09-18

A QUEER MOUNTAIN RACE THAT LIVE IN
PENNSYLVANIA.

Two broad, low foothills, a spur Of
the Appalachian range, comprise almost
the whole of Durell township Brad
ford county in the northern tier of
Pennsylvania. To. the surrounding
country this double elevation is known
as Huckleberry Mountain, or Pool
Hill, the first name from the luxuriant
growth of this popular fruit, which
covers sides and summit of the mount
ain The appellation Pool Hill it
takes from the nondescript people who
populate its broad sides like prairie
dogs, better known as the spool
tribe
The origin of these people is un-
known. A current tradition says that
early in the century man named Van
der Pool, a Dutch sailor, left his life
on the briny, and travelling up the
Susquehanna River, built himself q
cabin near the base of Huckleberry
Mountain. The same tradition credits
him with marrying an Indian woman.
However that may have been, he left
bakers dozen or mere of children
with characteristics as varied as their
compilations that was an inherent dis
like of work. The trait is hereditary,
and few of the descendants have ever
been known to do weeks continuous
work, unless hard pressed. The tribe
now number some five to seven hun
dred people. In pedigree they are
cosmopolitan and the kinky hair and
thick lips of some of the number would
lead to the belief that if the under
ground railroad, which ran through
this section, did not have terminus
here, it at least had way station.
Fugitives from justice and other
vagabonds were attracted to the settle
ment, and helped to give it the lawless
name it had to the outside world. A
few of original Van der Pool stock
settled down into honest but easy-go-
ing farmers, and some half dozen or
more have accumulated some property.
But they were handicapped with the
name Of Pool, and outside of their i'm
mediate neighbors have always carried
the approbrium of belonging to the
Pool tribe" for all are called "Pools,"
whether they bear the name or not
Hunting, fishing, and picking huck-
leberries are the mainstays of a maj
ority of the tribe. In late years the
disappearance of game, even of the
smaller varieties, has at times driven
some of them to work for a few days
at time for the neighboring farmers.
This contingency, however, rarely aris-
es save in the spring before berries
ripen. Now and then male Pool,
with bundle of hoop poles or whip
stocks, or female with basket of
sassafras root or slippery elm bark,
may be seen on the streets of the
neighboring towns. Chickens and
turkeys roost very high, as a rule, in
the vicinity of Pool Hill, and smoke
houses are double-locked and watched
with shotguns during the hamcuring
season.
The circus comes up fully to the
POOLS idea of heaven, and the ring
masters whip is about the only thing
besides the pangs of hunger which
will drive the rank and file of them to
work. A hundred or more have been
known to walk fifteen or twenty miles
to see circus come into town. A gen.
eral alIhilarious drunk, followed with field
fight either with the show attaches or
the police, it ia always done on their
programme. The shooting of couple
of them by policeman two or three
years ago rather put a dampener on
their festivities at the County seat, but
the natives still keep a weather eye
open when the Pools come to town.
Huckleberries are their great crop.
They are to the Pools what summer
boarders are to the Jersey farmer.
When the berries ripen they camp ont
among the bushes, and stay out till
frost comes. When a Pool gets a
bushel of berries picked he starts for
Towanda and sells them, buys few
pounds of corn meal, piece of salt
pork, and jug of ''coffin varnish"
whiskey, and then goes back to the
mountain.
Farmers from the surrounding
country to distance of twenty or
thirty miles have custom each year
of visiting the mountain at the con-
clusion Of haying A big lumber wag-
on is filled with hay, baskets and pals
and sufficient provender for two
days stay. Then all hands start for
the mountain. 1t is 'treat" which
every right minded farmer is expected
to give his helpers, and they manage to
get considerable fun out of it, and
rarely go home with less than two or
more bushels of berries. The hill swarms
with rattlesnakes. TO be prepared for
possible bite, the berry-seeking
granger carries two or three quarts of
whiskey. The willy ruralist doesn't
pick many berries, however. He starts
out from the camp with quart bottle
of the liquid and half bushel meas
ure. He will not have to travel more
than hundred yards before something
like the following dialogue may be
heard -egf.
10. mistah, is yo' got anything to
drink ?
II dunno, Pool. Purity dry
"I'm mos dead for suthin. Say"
oval"
'Ill done give yo' TO- qua'ts O. huck-
leberries foh a snifter.'
"All right Pool, produce ,-L-
The fruit is produced, and for a
moment the Pool sees heaven as he
shuts his eyes and elevates the bottle.
A quart of 40 cent whiskey will buy
more berries than 50 in money
There is one thing peculiar about
these people. They never get bitten
by the rat'lesnakes Male aud female,
little and big, they bang around over
the rocks and through the bushes, gen
orally sbarefooted and never wearing
stockings, aud no one ever heard of one
of them being poisoned by a snake
bite.
Icamped two nights on the mount
ain a few weeks ago, and took stroll
up among the rocks, keeping an eye
ont for rattlesnakes. All at once |
heard call "Say, Mistah." fe1
1t was bent old man, with white
hair, and weather beaten, old, copper