Some Account of the Wild Horses of the Sea Islands of Virginia and Maryland

Pharsalia, (Accomac,) 30th July, 1835.

To the Editor of the Farmers' Register.

Your favor of the 20th inst. I did not receive until nine days after its date, and during a period of considerable engagement. You will do me only justice, by attributing the tardiness of the reply to these causes, rather than indifference to your wishes. No enterprize, of a temporal nature, more deeply enlists my feelings, than the improvement of the agriculture of Eastern Virginia, and particularly of this interesting section of the state; and the man of science who voluntarily devotes his labor and talents to the accomplishment of an object so important to the best interest of our country, I would honor as an illustrious benefactor. The Eastern Shore of Virginia possesses physical advantages to the agriculturist and man of taste, and rarely united in any other portion of the earth. Its climate is in bad repute abroad, and I regret my inability to give my testimony in favor of its salubrity. But the autumnal bilious, remittent, and intermittent fevers of our peninsula, depend upon causes, perfectly under the control of human skill and industry; and the period will come, when its general health will equal that of any other country in the same latitude. The inflammatory diseases of our spring and winter, are comparatively mild; and pulmonary and thoracick affections more rare than in any other more northern portion of the United States. There are more cases of coughs and dangerous colds, terminating in fatal consumptions, in one village of our northern and eastern states, in a single winter month, than occur in the dense population of our two peninsular counties in a whole year. While marshes and low grounds can be drained, the Eastern Shore has no reason to despair of a pure atmosphere; but industry must be excited into activity to accomplish so desirable an object. The marshes of Italy, and particularly in the vicinity of Rome and Naples, though exposed to a hotter sun, have injured the health of those populous cities but little, until within the last few years, when they have been neglected.

That the health of this shore is susceptible of immense improvement, my own experience furnishes abundant evidence. The gentleman who owned the farm on which I have resided for nearly twenty-four years, was forced to leave it, and seek a healthier situation. Every member of his family had been attacked with a dangerous grade of bilious fever, in August and September -- and vernal intermittents -- that surest proof of miasmatic poison, and a sickly situation -- were frequent. This did not deter me from a purchase; for the source of this terrible contamination, I soon discovered, and instantly applied the remedy. I drained two pretty extensive ponds of half stagnant water, near the homestead, and half a hundred others more remote, as soon as I was able: and the consequence was, that during the whole period of my residence here, with a numerous family, not one case of spring intermittent has ever occurred, and but few fevers of any kind, and those yielding readily to the gentlest remedies.

But I am travelling, inadvertently, from the more immediate subject of your letter. If your agricultural work obtained a wider circulation here -- to which it has the highest claims -- I might occasionally offer some hints, that your superior judgement could improve, in a way to add to its merited popularity. Permit me to assure you, that I would, at any time, be highly gratified with an opportunity of furnishing a column or two of pleasant or useful matter for your interesting and patriotic journal; but the subject to which you have invited attention, will, I fear, disappoint my wishes.

The florid description which you have recently received of "wild horses" and "horse pennings" upon Atlantic islands, was better suited to what they were thirty years ago -- and indeed, before my knowledge of Virginia -- than to their present appearance. The horses have been gradually diminishing in number, by neglect, until on one island, they are nearly extinct; and the rustic splendor, the crowds, and wild festivity of the Assateague horse-pennings, scarcely retain a shadow of their ancient glory. The multitudes of both sexes that formerly attended those occasion of festal mirth, were astonishing. The adjoining islands were literally emptied of their simple and frolic-loving inhabitants, and the peninsula itself contributed to swell the crowd, for fifty miles above and below the point of meeting. All the beauty and fashion of a certain order of the female population, who had funds, or favorites to command a passage, were sure to be there. All who loved wild adventure -- whose hearts danced at the prospect of a distant water excursion, and a scene of no ordinary revel, where the ocean rolled his billows almost to their feet; all who had a new gown to show, or a pretty face to exhibit, who could dance well, or sing; belles that sighed for beaux, and beaux that wanted sweethearts; all who loved to kiss, or to be kissed, to caress, or be caressed; all, in short, whose hearts delighted in romance, without knowing its name, hurried away to this anxiously expected scene of extrava-
gant jollity, on the narrow thread of beach that the ocean seemed, every moment, threatening to usurp. You can scarcely imagine, sir, the extravagant enthusiasm with which this exciting sport was anticipated and enjoyed. It was a frantic carnival, without its debauchery. The young of both sexes, had their imaginations inflamed by the poetical narratives of their mothers and maiden aunts, who in their more juvenile days were wont to grace those sylvan fetes, of the mad flight of wild horses careering away along a narrow, naked, level sand-beach at the top of their speed, with mains and tails waving in the wind before a company of mounted men, upon the fleetest steeds, shouting and hallowing in the wildest notes of triumph, and forcing the affrighted animals into the angular pen of pine logs, prepared to enclose them: and then the deafening peals of loud hurras from the thousand half-frenzied spectators, crowding into a solid mass around the enclosure, to behold the beautiful wild horse, in all his native vigor subdued by man, panting in the toils, and furious with heat, rage and fright; or hear the clamorous triumphs of the adventurous riders, each of whom had performed more than one miracle of equestrian skill on that day of glorious daring -- and the less discordant neighing of colts that had lost their mothers, and mothers that had lost their colts in the melee of the sweeping drive, with the maddened snorts and whinnying of the whole gang -- all, all together, formed a scene of unrivalled noise, uproar and excitement, which few can imagine who had not witnessed it, and none can adequately describe.

But the play of spirits ended not here. The booths were soon filled, and loads of substantial provision were opened, and fish and water fowl, secured for the occasion, were fried and barbacued by hundreds, for appetites whetted to marvellous keenness by early rising, a scanty breakfast, exercise and sea air. The runlets of water and the jugs of more exhilarating liquor, were lightened of their burden. Then softer joys succeeded: and music and the dance, and love and courtship, held their undisputed empire until deep in the night, when all sought shelter and repose on board of their boats, moored by the shore, or among their island friends, who gladly entertained them with characteristic hospitality. Many a winter evening's tale did the incidents of those merry-making occasion supply, and many a peaceful young bosom of retired rural beauty was assailed with other emotions than the rough sports of an Assateague horse-penning inspired; and from one anniversary of this half-savage festivity to another, all was talk of the joys and transports of the past, and anticipations of the future.

In regard to the origin of the race of our insular horses, there is no specific difference between them and those of the main land; the smaller size and superior hardihood of the former are entirely accidental, produced by penury of sustenance through the winter, occasional scarcity of water, continual exposure to the inclemency of the seasons, and the careless practice of permitting promiscuous copulation among them, without regard to quality. With respect to the supposed resemblance, on which you remarked in your letter, these horses are, in general, neither so sure-footed or hardy, or small, or active, as the famous Shetland pony; nor are their hoofs so well formed, although there are to be found among them numerous exceptions to this remark. All this may be readily accounted for from the operation of physical agents, the difference of climate, better water, long winters, and the localities of the soil on which they subsist. The interior of Shetland is mountainous and boggy, and abounding with wholesome water; and the more nutritive grass of the rugged mountains, inviting the little animals to feed principally upon those rough grounds, during their short summers, and occasionally in the latter part of spring and beginning of autumn, impart greater vigor and activity to their systems, and give them, doubtless, better feet. Assateague and Chincoteague islands are flat, sandy and soft, producing abundance of excellent grass, upon which they become very fat during the summer and autumn, notwithstanding the annoyance of flies, with which those island frequently abound. But horses and cattle suffer for good water in dry summers and hard winters. Having no springs of running water, the animals which the island support, depend for their drink upon ponds and glades, or small excavations made for the purpose, which are filled by the rains. These soon become putrid in our burning sun, are often dry in the summer, and freeze over in the winter, so as seriously to injure the suffering creatures, that have no other resource for this indispensable article. All this might be easily remedied by a little care and trouble; but insular habits are at enmity with systematic labor, or provident industry. Fishing, and shooting, and oystering, which yield immediate profit or subsistence, agree better with the indolent, temporary habits of living, whilst the slower and more remotely profitable processes of agriculture, or rearing stock, are considered as servile drudgery.

The horses of Assateague island belonged principally to a company, most of whom resided upon the peninsula. No other care of them was required, than to brand, and castrate the colts, and dispose of the marketable horses, all of which was effected at the period of their annual pennings, (June,) the whole, nearly, being joint stock. There winter subsistence was supplied abundantly by nature. The tall, dense, and heavy grass of the rich flat lands, affording them green food nearly the whole winter, the tops of which alone were killed by the frosts, mild, as usual, so near the ocean. They never suffered for provender, except in very deep snows, with a crust upon the top, or when high tides were immediately succeeded by intense cold, which covered the marsh pastures with ice, both of which accidents were of rare occurrence, and very transient in their duration. Once or twice since my residence here (24 years,) the loose and spongy ice, formed from salt water, either lay so long as to injure the grass, or it was so entangled with ice, that upon being suddenly carried off by a second north-easter before it had melted, it swept away, in its broken fragments, much of the food upon which the animals depended for their support. But I never heard that the scarcity thus produced, had any other effect than to reduce their flesh: no deaths occurred from that cause.

The wild gang of Assateague horses were secured by driving them into pens, made for the purpose, of pine logs. The horses seized in the pens, (by islanders accustomed to such adventures, who pushed fearlessly into the midst of the crowded heard,) were brought to the main land in scows,
and immediately backed, and broke to use; their wild, and apparently indomitable spirit deserting them after being haltered and once thrown, and subdued by man. More docile and tractable creatures could not be found.

The price of these horses has been greatly enhanced of late. Thirty to forty dollars were estimated high prices, until within the last few years; some may still be obtained at these prices, but not of best quality -- and at a sale of part of a joint stock, a few weeks ago, on an adjoining smaller island, (Morris',) several horses, that from some peculiarity of food, or better water, or superior and more recent origin -- the latter I believe the efficient cause -- had attained a larger size and more elegant shape, were sold upon the spot as high as from 60 to 70 dollars each. A considerable number may still be purchased on the islands -- and some tolerably handsome -- at prices varying between 30 and 45 dollars. I saw this week a beautiful little animal just bought by a gentleman from Jersey, at the latter price. The only peculiarity I have ever observed in these animals, is their predilection for salt marsh grass, which never deserts them, however long they may live, and however early they may be removed from their native pastures.

The catastrophe you allude to, did occur on Chincoteague island, of horses rushing into the sound, when indiscreetly attempted to be caught without pens, by driving detached portions of them upon narrow, projecting marshes; and some fine creatures were drowned. The practice is now abandoned.

I am perfectly assured that a small capital might be most profitably employed, by a man of enterprize, in horses, black cattle and sheep, upon these islands, if one careful herdsman could be procured. Pasture lands are extremely low. Since I have disposed of my real estate in Virginia, preparatory to a removal north, I have sold 200 acres of first rate pasture land -- part arable, a portion of a large body which I own upon the northern end of Chincoteague island, and affording the principal winter subsistence for the stock of the island -- at 100 cents per acre. The remainder is still unsold. The largest and finest work-steers of the Eastern Shore, are raised upon these islands, without any expenditure for winter support; a proof that horses of full size, might also be reared there, with judicious attention to the breed, proper selection of stallions, and care to provide water. No other attention is necessary, except to watch the winds and water about the periods of the equinoxes, when desolating tides are threatened, and to drive the stock upon high grounds, secure against inundation. Drovers from the North, purchase their cattle, and their horses always command a good price in the neighborhood. They are hardy, rarely affected with the diseases to which the horse is subject, perform a great deal of labor, if proportioned to their strength, require much less grain than common horses, live long, and are, many of them, delightful for the saddle. I have a beautiful island pony, who for fifteen years has been my riding nag in the neighborhood and upon the farm, who has given to my daughters their first lessons in equestrian exercise, and has carried us all many thousands of miles in pleasure and safety, without having once tripped or stumbled; and he is now as elastic in his gait, and juvenile in his appearance, as he was the first day I backed him, and is fatter than any horse I own, though his labor is equal, with less than two-thirds of their grain consumption, and to one unskilled in the indications of a horse's teeth, he would pass readily for six or seven years old. My regrets at parting with this noble little animal, are those of the friend.

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Chincoteague island contains upwards of seventy families. One-third of their bread corn is raised upon the island; and the productions of the water, and occasional profits from disasters at sea, afford them an ample support. Assateague, though contain three or four times as many acres as Chincoteague, has but few inhabitants. It is unfit for the cultivation of corn, and has but little wood. Its rich, bent-growing lands, are subject to inundation during spring tides. The scenery around certain localities upon Chincoteague, are inexpressibly sublime and beautiful; and the view of the ocean and surrounding clusters of islands from the elevated sand hills of Assateague, directly opposite my house, would enchant you. To give you some faint idea of the extent of surface upon the two principal islands near me, I will just say, that Chincoteague is perhaps seven or eight miles in length, narrow at the two ends, and gradually widening in the middle to two or two and a half miles. Assateague is vastly larger. Nothing but the total prostration of all enterprize among us has kept these islands in their present unprofitable condition. Some hundreds of horse, cattle, and sheep, might be raised here, and annually sold, without one dollar of cost, except the expense of herdsmen, whose whole care and supervision would be confined to two or three objects -- a supply of water -- to drive the stock to high grounds when violent north-easters were threatened -- (of the approach of which, sufficient premonitions are always given --) and to attend to the branding and castration of the young stock, at the periodical June pennings. The Hebrides of Scotland, so profitable to their proprietors, do not possess the one-hundredth part of the advantages of our Atlantic islands, for all the purposes of comfortable living and extensive stock raising; and yet they are stupidly neglected.

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T. HOLMES.