The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-07-24
WILD HORSES.

Delaware to those of Virginia, and |
along the coast of the Carolinas. The |
animals are lean, spruce little ponies.
famed for their small stature, their
strength and endurance.
Their origin has for many Years been
a matter Of con lecture. though many |
theories exist the most popular ofwhich
claims them to have descended from
European horses wrecked on these
coasts Ell route to the early colonies.
In fact. the origin of the Chincoteaque
pony has been practically established
by statement found Il few Years since
in an old record of the Commonwealth
Of Virginia, which says that in l645 a
shipload of blooled horses sent from
England by the London Company to
the colonistS Of jamestown was wreck
ed on Assateaque shoals in a severe
storm while making for the mouth of
the Chesapeake, and that the Chinco-
teaque Indians, who piloted the survi-
vors of the crew and cargo across the
bay, were rewarded by the gift of
number of the horses. which they took
with them upon their return to their
island homes. 1t is natural to suppose
that the horses outlived their savage
masters and that under the hardships
and exposure to which they were sub
iected in their bleak and desolate home.
they have deterorated greatly and be-
come the dmnutive but sturdy little
animals of to-day.
Chincotcaque ponies seldom exceed
thirteen hands in height. They are
compactly built, but always mean and
ungainly in carriage. In color they
are very much like other horses. being
black, gray, Sorrel and bay: but the
prevailing color Of the wild pony is Il
rusty brown. due to constant exposure
to the sun. They are timid and ex-
ceedingly shy. The islands upon which
they live are only Il few feet above the
sea, and are principally level stretches
of sand with little are no grass, edged
on the ocean by the rolling sand dunes
and the surf beyond and along the bay
by low marshes few rods in width,
traverSed and interSected by numerous
creeks and channels Il few feet wide,
and shallow. muddy Sluices extending
from the bay into the levels toward the
ocean. These are covered with rank
growth of grass of two or three varie-
ties. very green in color, ,atfOrdinI good
pastllrage for the herd. This grass,
dying in winter, retains much of its
nutriment and serves rs an excellent
provender 1t is often moved while
green. dried and housed for the use of
domestic stock. When taken from the
marsh to be broken the ponies are en-
tirelv ignorant of the nature of corn
and grain and have to he taught to eat
| them.
The wild horses seldom stay in one
bcality for more than twenty four
hours. They move in heards of 100 or
more, but, unlike the horses of the
plains, they have no recognized leader.
staying together as 10y mutual con-
sent Many years Of exposure have
fitted them to stand the storms of the
winter. which on this coast are fire.
quently severe and of long duration-
The only protection hey have from
! the cold northeast winds. which often
blow with unremitting vigor for sever
al days. is afforded them by the sand
/ hills and the few scattered clumpS of
pine trees which stand ut rare inter
walls between the levels and the
marshes. Often in the later months
of the winter. when the storms are
more severe and of longer duration
than in November OF December, the
whole beach is inundated and the
! horses are driven to the tops of the
hills. where they remain huddled to-
/ gethcr for warmth for several days
without food and for Il longer period
without water, the fresh springs from
which they drink being saltcd by the
tide. The ocean, IN enemy i'll winter.
proves in the scorching sun of the sum-
mcr months friend During the hot
/ tast part of the day. when compelled
by the mosquitoes and gnats to leave
the marsh, the ponies stand knee deep
in the surf, cooled by the surf, cooled
hy the waves and free from the insects,
which rarely follow them from the
GRASS. In the cooler hours of the eve
ming. when the wind from the sea sui
dues in Il measure the attacks of tie
pests. they return to the pasture and
feed often through the entire night and
early morning, until they are again
compelled to take refuge in the water
These rugged beasts live and in
crease in numbers at the yearly rate
of about thirty-thrcr per cent 4 few
of the older horses, and an occasional
colt, Succomb to the ri gor of the win
ter, but strengthened by the more
temperate weather Of spring and au..
tumn they are, with few exceptions,
equal to the extreme temperatures of
the intervening seasons. In spring,