Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-04-23


resources, before they had time to
raise cattle and horses for sale in
the Atlantic states.
Every family collected what
peltry and fur they could obtain
throughout the year for the pur-
pose of sending them over the
mountains for barter.
In the fall of the year, after
seeding time, every family formed
an association with some Of their
neighbOrs for starting the little
caravan. \ master driver was
selected from among them, who
was to be assisted by one or more
young men, and sometimes a boy
or two. The horses were fitted ont
with pack.saddles, to the hinder
part of which was fastened pair
of hobbies made of hickory with
a bell and collar ornamented his
neck. The bags provided for the
conveyance Of the salt were filed
with feed for the horses: on the
journey a part Of this feed was left
at convenient stages on the way
down, to support the return of the
caravan. Large wallets, well filled
with bread, jerk, boiled ham and
cheese, furnished provision for the
drivers. At night, after feeding,
the horses, whether put in pasture
or turned out into the woods, were
hObbled. and the bells were opened.
The barter for salt and iron was
made first at Baltimore. Frederick,
IIagerStOwn, OldtOwn and CumbeT-
land, in succession, became the
place of exchange. Each horse
carried two bushels OF alum salt,
weighing eighty-four pounds to the
bushel. This, to be sure, was not
a heavy load for the horses, but it
was enough considering the scanty
subsistence allowed them on the
journey.
The common price Of a bushel OF
alum salt at an early period was a
good COW and calf; and until
weights were introduced, the salt
was measured into the half bushel
by hand as lightly as possible. No
one was permitted to walk heavily
over the floor while the operation
was going on.
The following anccdoto will serve
to show how little the native sons
OF the forest knew Of the ctiquet Of
the Atlantic cities.
A neighbor Of my father, some
years after the settlement Of the
country, had collected small
drove of cattle for the Baltimore
market. Amongst the hands en-
ployed to drive them was one who
bad never seen any condition of
society but that Of wOOdsmen.
At one of their lodging places in
the mountain, the landlord and his
hired man, in the course Of the
night, stole two Of the bells be-
longing to the drove, AMI hid them
in a piece Of woods.
The drove had not gone far in
the morning before the bells were
missed, and a detachment went
back to recover The stolen bells.
The men were found reapng in the
field of the landlord they were
accused of the theft, but they
denied the charge. The torture Of
sweating, according to the custom
of that time, that is, OF suspension
by the arms piniOned behind their
backs, brought confession. The
bells were procured and hung
around the necks of the thieves
in this condition they we're driven
on foot before the detachment until
they overlook the drove, which by
this time had gone nine miles. A
halt was called and a jury selected
to try the culprits. They were
condemned TO receive certain
number Of lashcs on the bare back
from the hand of each drOver. The
man above alluded to was the
owner of one Of the bells. When
it came TO his turn to use the
hickory, "Now." says he to the
thief, "you Internal scoundrel, iii
work your jacket nineteen to the
dozen. Only think what rascally
figure | should make in the streets
of Baltimore without a bell on my
horse.r The man was in earnest:
having seen no horse used without
bells, he thought they were req
uisite in every situation.