The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-03-11
North Carolina Ponies.

There is really no more historical as
well as interesting and curious terri
tory in the United States than the
long sand banks which mark the east
ern boundary Of North Carolina, and
which form a vast bFeakwatef .v; within
which are the sounds through which
the government now proposes to pro-
vide an inland waterway which will
end the terrors Of Cope Hatteras.
The writer has told for the Sunny
South the story of, the part Of the
banks of which Cape Hatteras forms
q vast promonotory, and this is to be a
story about the part further to the
southwark, where the little ponies are,
the only Wild horses east Of the Mis-
sissippi; ponies which have over three
centuries Of history behind them.
The part Of the banks in question: is
known as "Shaokleford's Banks, TAX
ing its ZANE from the chief owner.
Beginning ut Ocracoke Inlet, this
stretch Of sand reaches to Bogue In
let, terminating at Shackleford's
Point, in front Of the town Of Beau
fort. Shackieford' Banks are about
forty miles long, l~ow-lying, with here
and there dunes, OF sand hills, rising
to o height Of, say; thirty or fo:ty
feet, tree-covered, the trees laced with
vines, and in this mass Of nearly sub.
tropical vegetation. most Of it ever
green, the Spanish bayonet, prickly
pear, or small cactus, and the fan or
scrub palmetto. There are homes
here and there along the irregular
stretch Of Shackleford's Banks, and
bhere is also light house, and neal it
Q great natural harbor Of refuge, at
Cape Lockout, which the governments
is also planning to utilize.
On Shaekleford's Banks alone sre
the little ponies referred to. IL is
strange, but srue, that these are found
in their Wild stats nowhere else.
There are, said to be about 1900 OF
Them on the banks. Inquiry made OF
observant residents as TO whether the
number Of che ponies had decreased
during the past Hfty years 5roughk
the response that they had, and that
uatil about 1850 the ponies increased.
The ponies weigh about 300 pounds.
and their height is about thirteen or
fourteen handa-that is, Al to 4a feet.
Their life Is mainly on the banks,
though in very stormy weather they
sometimes swim over to the mainland,
8 distance of Two 30 FIVE miles away.
Their food is marsh grass, leaves Of
scrubby trees, and shrubs and berries,
particularly the berries Of the holly
The woods give them usually . good
shelter, aud hence it is but seldom
that they seek the sheltss Of the main
land. They live to quite an age, but
she average is about % years. Some
reach the age of 40.
These ponies have owners. The
thanks are owned by grants sold by
tie. State. These people make pens
out Of drift wood and rough logs aud
poles and into these the ponies and
their colts are driven and branded.
A colt following q branded mare is
considered the properly of the owner;
Of tho mare, and he holds it. In,
cases whore there aresoolts which do
not follow the mares, then the s'pen-
ners, that is, the men who make and
own the pens, take them. Such is.
the unwritten law. The ponies are
driven out Of tine scrub by drivers or
herders, and this is a work Of no small
difficulty, as the scrub is 30 thick az
often to be q jungle, threaded by
thousands Of narrow paths, through
the shining sand. Tho wind and the
salt keep down much ofthe Vegetation,
SO that there one may ace hickory
trees not over three feet in height,