The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-02-27
SALTER PATH NOTES,
How the People on the Banks Are
Living-A Recent Deer Hunt.
Especial to The Messenger.)

Salter Path, N. c., February 24.-Our
people are we'll and healthy. this is one
of the healthiest PAGES in the United
States we believe, and it seems a p ty.
we are so isolated as to be almost out OF
the world. No one hardly ever comes
to see US and we hardly ever go to see
any one off the banks. and should a
stranger come. we are afraid to meet
him. We are all illiterate. and nearly
all indolent, Knowing nothing of the
world outside "Bogue BanIs," and
seemingly not caring to know. we'll sat-
tisfied n happy with our lot. If we
get anything to eat or wear, al right.
if not all right. The people worship
their children as their Gods aim st,
hardly ever correct them, al use t-bac-
CO and snuff from the biggest 10 the
least. nearly all belong to the NJ. z.
church.. and pretend to be strictly re-
ligious, but only a very few attend as
they profess. We have written a few
articles from here and sometimes some
of the citizens here get mad at what we
write about them, but acknowledge it's
truth though not wanting outsiders TO
o how simple and careless they are.
We don't think there are a better class
of people anywhere in their way, they
don't use s~piritouOus liquors of any
kind. think it a great sin to drink Ii
quor, don't use bad language and most
of them try, we reckon, to do right as
they see it. Most of them care verv
little about education. have no e them
selves, and don't care whether their
children have n or not.
The writer has been here for over
twelve months trying to teach. these
children. a very few, those who want to
20 20 school. ave learned a Ii tie. but
the teacher has come to the conclusion
that instead Of teaching the children,
the children and the parent is teaching
him. not much use to apDropr ate
funds to educate a people that won't
take interest in the same. We hope
the legislature will do something In
that line more than they have hereto
fore done. Three or four men here
are all that tax any interest whatever
in education. and they do more ak
generally. than acts.
So much for that line of thought,
our place Is great for hunting and fish
ing. also claiming. and that line of
work seems to be all we are fit or are
for, give us a gun a net and we are
at home. plenty Of deer, o pos ums,
rabbits. duck, geese, gu'ls. looms. etc.
and when we can't f1nd one we find an
other. Last week We wen deer drlv-
ing. we have no deer dogs of our own.
so procured some from the mainland.
We made a o start Monday morning
and hunted every dog until Saturday
evening. Started abou % deer and
shot at IA Of them, the writer was the
only n that killed any,, he killed two,
which was the only chances he had in
the three days that he went. None of
the rest could kill it seemed, for they
nearly all had good chances, but when
their big No. s guns went Off like thun-
der. Mr.. Deer passed on unhurt. They
all could kill deer if they just had the
chance, so they commended, one nal
went so far IS to bet his gun ag ainst
ten cents that, If a deer came by him
in IS yards. he would fl, MIN chock full
of shot from one end to the other. Soon
he had a better chance, for two large
deer ran out to HIN in an open pace
Is steps away. Henry took two open
shots and both deer went on not touch
ed. Henry Willis. was his name. An
other. Sim Willis. shot one standing
still open u steps and missed. n sew
eral others had good chances ard all
missed their game. We caught TWO
other deer in the sound without being
shot at. making our deer all told we
got during the week, one of these
caught. alive unhurt. and we have him
now on exhibition here in a pen a live
grown deer for sale to the highest bid
der. This is our last deer hunt for
this season, as the law prohibits deer
hunting here now We believe. until next
September.
Our school will end in March coming.
then we expect to visit Wilmington.
providence permitting.