The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-04-09

81, ca; midnight, "a.
.--
Abe Richcy.
SEVENTEEN YEARS IN THE SIERRAs-HIs LOVE
FOR THE FORESTS AND MoUNTAINs-fiIS DRESS
OF SKISS-THE PAST WINTER IN TIE NOUN
TAINS - VERY LITTLE SNOW AN EARLY
SPRING OPENING IN HOPE yALLEY-HIS TRIO
Plies.
EFr,m the Virginia New EnteIprise.l
This veritahle backwoodsman is spend
ing few days in the city. where he meets
with any number OF friends. His head
quarters are in Hope Valley, the place OF
resort for all our sportsmcn during the
summer months. When there Abe takes
them under his particular protection and
shows them the best places for catching
trout and hunting game. They, IN turn,
whcn he comes to town, take him in tow
and give him the freedom OF the city.
Abe is character, as original character
as pioneer life ever produced. For seven
teen years he has dyyelt in the Sierras, and
subsisted chiefly by hunting and fishing.
For six years he kept station on the Big
Tree route, California, This was from
1860 to 1866. He then crossed over to this
side of the " Snowies " and made his camp
in Hope Valley. He yesterday morning
reached this city by ral, and when he
Jumped of the train proved veritable bo-
nanZa to the boys, who followed him to the
Delta, where he makes headquarters.
We have said that Abe is 4 character.
And so he iS--as brave and generous a
character as ever braved and enjoyed the
dangers of pioneer life. lie loves the forests
and the mountains with Il love as dear as
that Of the patriot for his country or the
husbandman for his home. Sill he is not a
reclllse. He keeps posted on the doings OF
the world through the papers, which he
goes to the nearest Office to get rs regularly
rs the week runs round.
There Is nothing so very peculiar about
the man except his dress. This IS wholly
OF furs, which he has himself captured,
dressed, and made into garments. His coat
is veritablc Joseph's-of many colors.
The main part was furnished by ground
hogs. The collar is the skin Of mountain
cat. The cuffs are mountain coyote skins,
the fur OF which is very long and fine, and
differs materially from that Of the coyote Of
the plains or bottoms. His vest is fawn-
skin, trimmed with fishers fur. His pants
are from the bodies OF fawns OF an older
growth, or young deers' skins. His moe
casins only are OF foreign make, being OF
The skins are all tanned with
the fur OH, and unplucked. His cap is made
OF silver-foX skin trimmed with fishers fur.
With this clothing ON he lies down in the
snow and sleeps in the coolest weather
without fire in perfect security and per-
feet comfort.
Mr.. Richey reports the winter as the most
one ever experienced by him in
the Sierras. Only SIX and half feet OF
snow has fallen during the Season. The
winter previous it fell in Hope Valley to the
dcpth OF from sixty-fve TO seventy feet. A
year ago on the goth of this month it ave-
ragged twelve feet deep in the valley. Now
it is not more than six inches. There is q
great deal Of bare ground in the valley
now. This is the most diScouraging intelll-
gence, as it predicts Enthusiastically dearth
OF water this season. In this respect 1t
looks like the drought OF ga IN California.
And still on the lat day OF April, 1864. the
snow fell five feet, and went of very
quickly. 1t is not impossible but that we
may have fall yet this season.
TO the sporting men MIR. Richey brings
the intelligence that the season will begin
this year very early. Already are the roads
beginning to open, and by the first, or, at
most, the middle OF May, trout-tishing will
be good. Unlike eastern trout, the fish OF
Tue GlelIds s)aN ii III tue spl Ing. LIS tucy
will do next month, and then they begin to
bite They are at their best soon after that.
Last year it was the 22d of June before the
dairymen got into the valley. This year
they will get in very early. The grass is
even now starting, and the feed will be ex-
celent IN a few weeks.
Mr.. Richey brought with him few spe-
cimens of his skill as a trapper and hunter.
He has Il large supply OF skins, fox-red and
gray-tshers, panther, bear, wolf, etc. He
brought, besides these, the stretched wing
OF golden eagle (of which he captured
three last winter>, which measured eight
feet from tip to tip-one Of the largest ever
caught. The dried wing is now three feet
four inches in length. He also brought
the claws, which span eight inches. He
captured a lynx three feet and half
in length, the nails OF the claws Of
which are one and q quarter inches in
length. The skin is ut the Delta, together
with a number Of like curiosities, which
we cannot here mention. lie yesterday at
tracted good deal OF attention; and as be
walked up and down the streets by some
he was taken for "Komikal Kuss Krosby"
airing his Rip Van Wrinkle costume pre-
vious to his appearance at the National
Theatre last evening. .-