Evening star., 1924-08-21
VIRGINIA STAGES
. WILD WEST THRILL
Annual Roundup of Ponies Is
Under Way on Chinco-
league Island.

SuuealS of wild horses, the acrtd
odor of burnt hair, humping hoofs
and dust: all the thrills of round
up. not on sage brush plains, but way
down East, are behind the scenes OF
recent announcements in Atlantic
seaboard papers.
Virginia has just staged her an
nual wild horse roundup, which was
first established when the cowboys
West was still terra incognita," says
a bulletin of the National Geographic
Society from its headquarters at
Washington.
"Virginia does not even compromise
by holding her round-upS in the
western part of the State: she con-
fines her wild West stuff to the
easternmost east of the Old Do
minion- -Chincoteague Island.
leland Of Wild Ponies.
'Chincoteague, or Fortunate Isle.
as some people call it. is located in
the peninsula. In nation noted Tor
disregard of natural boundaries such
as rivers and mountain ranges as
dividing lines, the peninsula Separat-
ing Chesapeake Bay from the stormy
Atlantic contains probably the most
artificial State lines to be found in
the United States. At the upper end
is the swinging l. of tiny Delaware.
almost entierly surrounded by Mary
land. But the tail of the peninsula
is chopped off with d straight. de-
cisive Virginia line and at the ATTAIN
tic end of the line lies Chincoteague.
lit is miles long and about
8 wide and nowhere rises much
higher above the sea than Pacific
coral reef. A slender line of pines
forms Chincoteague's backbone; all
else is waving grass, and on these
uncultivated plains thrive wild po-
MES. There is no competition 1or
existence between the ponies and
Chincoteague's 5000 or more inhab-
itants, because the natives take their
living entirely from the sea. Agrl-
culture is for landlubbers, so the
ponies run the island. grazing on
salt marsh grass and getting their
water supply from stagnant or brack-
ish pools.
Hundreds Witness Fun.
"Chincoteague stages its annual
wild west show in August, and hum
dreds of sightseers come over from
Franklin City. on the mainland, to
see the fun Although the tough
ponies boldly race into the salty SURF
and have been known to swim small
straits. the islanders are able to
herd them to one spot. The colts are
branded and a certain number auc-
toned Oh. NnlnCOledSue poileS al z
tamable. and by virtue of their rug
ged outdoor life are far sturdier than
ordinary ponies.
When captured in the roundup
the wild Chincoteague ponies are
hairy, unkempt, ill-looking beasts.
but clippers and care transform them
into 1.-THE miniature horses. The ORR
gin of the breed is lost to history.
but legend has it that they are de-
scendants of horses which swan
ashore from shipwreck in the
eighteenth century.
Wild Ponies Of Other Lands.
wild ponies are found in many
places, notably the high hills of
Wales and southern Spain, where
similar round-ups are held. The only
place where there are wild ponies
which are not run-out breeds of do
mesticated horses is in midAsia.
Riches lie at Chincoteagues front
door and that is the islands prin-
cipaI claim to the title Fortunate
Isle Unemployment is unknown.
for the sea spreads her treasure and
the only individuals who are down.
right poor are those who will not
work. oysters are the chief crop.
Most of the beds are now controlled
by a few citizens because the many
original oyster farmers who obtained
tide-flat space when Virginia changed
her policy from public to private
oyster bed control sold out their
rights, preferring to tong for some
one who would take the responsible
ity of proprietorship.
Sheltered by Sand Spit.
IF Chincoteague were an out-rider
of the peninsula. bearing the brunt
of Atlantic storms, it would not have
the nickname, Fortunate Isle In
stead it is sheltered affectionately in
the bent arm of Assateague, a long
sand spit. bulwark of the coast.
Ch1ncoteaguers longing oysters and
digging CLAIMS know little of the old
oceans disregard for human life. In
the shelter of the pleasant, profitable
isolation the fisher-folk communities
are apparently naturally peaceful
One ancient old thrill-seeker tells
visitors in great detail of the islands
four murders. the first of which oc-
CURED during the American Revolu-
tion. A further sign of the islands
prosperity is the large families. In
deed, 1T is banteringly asserted that
IN Chlncoteague man is not said to
have family of 10, but to be the
father of 10 head of children
Claiming a DoOryard Occupation,
"Clamming in Chincoteague is a
dooryard occupation. Each house
holder owns riparian rights to the
beach in front Of his home as far ou.
as the tide goes. Beyond are the
oyster beds rented by the State gov
ernment. A clam digger Is not a
mere laborer, but in a sense an
artist, for ability to recognize the
tiny keyholes' in the sand is talent.
Such man in Chincoteague is said
to be right quick to SIGN and x.-aa.