The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-10-03

utp pAvr, THE CALIFORNIA HERMIT, AND vi
WoNE--AN ODD CHARACTER.

~ MOOmvoHu RSctuSSs
OLD pAyr. THE CALIFORNIA HERMIT, AND HIS
HoxE--AN ODD CHARACTER.
A hunting party from Santa Barbara, led
nv G, W, Clark, OF the Morris House, re-
Gently made an extensive raid through the
mountains In the direction OF Kern coun-
ty. Some were after pleasure, Others bear,
aud Clark after curiosities for bis museum.
During their ramble they came upon the
home Of old Davy Brown, who has coas.-
wide reputation rs the hunter and pioneer
OF California. Old Dayy Brown Is know
to hundreds Of the &c oldktimers." but his
whereabouts has been debaiablc question
In most Of the old miaing camps OF this
state for some years past. He was always
what he Is aow, a hunter, and ne never
could live In or tolerate civilization or us
attendant surroundings. He was ana Is
California Daniel Boone or pathinuer,
who loves 10 live where nature Is least aus
turbed. The Santa Barbara party was
making its way through the mountains on
horseback. with pack ponies bearing tue
ramp eouipage, stores, etc, when IL sud-
denly discovered far down in romantic
valley, surrounded by Mxuriant growth
of oaks. n blue set OF smoke and snow
white tent shining In the afternoon sun
beams.
On reaching The tent IT was found sur
rounded by ~ the evidences OF perma-
nent settlement. corral for horses, we'll
cultivated garden, through which plentH
full stream a water was running, and q
number Of domestic animals, such as dogs,
mules, and horses. were among tie sur
ro,mdings. An old man with snow-wbite
hair and beard, and attired In clothing In
dicating good taste and easy financial
means, was found seated near the teTt
cleaning a rifle. He cheerfully and cor
daily welcomed the party and made them
his gues.s for the night. During their
stay he related the story OF his escape
from Ssu Francisco when he was last taken
sick. This was more than ten years ago.
lie SAYS he was taken sick in the American
Exchange Hotel, and the doctors began
talking about death. He got up out OF bed,
took his rifle. and made his way out in the
San Mateo hills, where he fought with
death single.handed and whipped him
this at an age of seyenty-two years. He
related many interesting stories of his early
experiences as bear-huntcr in Calayeras
county in 1913, lSi9, and 1850, where he
has bagged ten grizzlies during one week.
He says he cannot find many now. but he
manages 10 bring one i'm occasionally, as the
trophies round the old hunters camp in
dictate.
His most-beloved companion is an old
bag horse, John, which is twenty-eISht
wears of age, and which old Davy raised
from colt. He Is proud OF old John, and
offers this remarkable wager: He is eigh-
fy-tbree years OF age and his horse is twen-
ty-eight years old. He will ride in q run
ming race for the sum OF $500 against any
man and horse Of the same age in the
State. Old Davy has a yellow mule. also
raised by himself 1t is trick-muIe, and
very old. The old man, while the mule
was growing, amused himself by bending
beneath ii, placing his hands upon his
knees, and raising the mule from its feet
But rs the old man got older and the yellow
mule grew heavier, the task became harder.
Now, when Davy gets under the mule and
lifts, and cries "Tread lightly, Dicky," the
mule elevates itself upon the tip Of its
hoOfs TO ease off the old mans burden. |
Like most eccentric characters, Davy pos
sesses a wonderful power over animals. |
His brood mares. OF which he has quite a |
number in the neighboring valleys, are !,
tame with him, but wild with strangers. |
One animal, which can only be caught by |
the display of club and use OF "cuss |
words" Is his iavorite. His dog is trick |
dog and very intelligent. As before re-
marked, the old recluse has garden, but |
he has trout stream also which fairly |
abounds in beautiful specklcd fish, which |
the old man guards with parents care.
Among other things he has an old doe |
which he uses as a decoy for other deer.
This animal. with its fawn, browses about |
in the vicinity Of Davy's tent, and brings
down many q tat buck to replenish the old
mans larder. He warns all passing hunt
ers to shoot no does or fawns in that wax
ley, and woe to the reckless sportsman
who kills Davy's doe. Methodical In every
thing, this mountain hermit has method-
cally-arranged garden. He cultivates a
little OF everything of a vegetable charac-
ter, but has specified amount OF each, and
never raises more nor less. for. as he says,
s.to raise more would glut the market"
His garden contains 800 hills OF potatoes,
which, he says, averages one pound to the
hill, aifording pound for each day in the
year. He has fifty hills OF corn, fifty |
onions OF the largest and finest VARIETY, |
fifty hills OF gumbo or okra, OF which the |
old man Is very fond. three tomato-vines, |
which live year after year and average |
thirty pounds to the vines, ten cabbages,
and few peppers. He has herbs OF all |
kinds, but no small fruits. During the
past two years old Davy has been planting
peach, apple, and apricot-trees in differ
ent localities in the mountains, and, like |
old Johnny Appleseed, in Ohio (now long
since dead, expects to scatter fruit all over
the neighboring valleys.
Old Dayy Brown is native Of Ireland,
was never married, but has raised five
adopted children, three OF them now dead.
He processes no religion, but "swears like
a trooper" He was once millionaire,
but lost his fortune in the mining excite
ment. At present he is man Of some |
wealth, owning considerable property in
the Santa Maria Valley and ranch in the |
Sisquoc Valley, in this county, where he |
once made his home. He says he has
no cares, and don't intend to have |
any. GAN l do is to eat, hunt, |
and sleep. | neither drink nor smoke. | |
quit drinking and smoking when was
seventy-two years old, for / was afraid II |
might hurt me-" The old man expects to |
live thirty years longer, and he looks as
though he would do IL. His nearest post |
office Is Santa Ynez, thirty-fiye miles from |
his tent, where he goes about once IN three |
months. He contemplates avisit TO Santa |
Barbara this fall, where he will receive u |
cordial welcome rs the wisest man on the |
Pacific coast.-Sdntd BGrbdSd (Cal.) hide |
pendent.
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