The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-08-12
OLD VIRGINIA NEvfR TIRE.
Forty Thousand Dollars for q King
william Farm.

wealthy Pennsylvania, came down TO VIr-
ginia short time ago on pleasure trip.
He went, among other places. to King VIII
liam county, and was so well pleased that
he made purchase, paying $4,000 for a
splendid plantation on the banks OF the Pa
munkey river. Or. Greene was so much
/ delighted with what he saw in Old Virginia
that he wrote to the Harrisburg Patriot.
his home paper, giving an interesting ac-
count OF his trip. He says:
Here | am within ten miles OF the To-
cality where George Washington was mar
ried to Mrs. Gusts, in the town OF Man.
quin, King William county, about twenty
four miles from West Point, on the York
river, and about two hundred and fifty
miles directly south OF Harrisburg. |
should ask every inhabitant OF Pennsylya.
mia who has ten dollars TO spare for past
time, regaining Of health, or a desire to see
what is unknown IN his own State, to take
the same trip over the same route, were il
rot that there is no hotel or boarding.
house here. Ii there was, hundreds and
thousands OF visitors would flock to this
wonderful locality.
The sail down the Chesapeake bay and
up the York river is magnificent. At West
Point, which is one Of the best hlrbors on
the Atlantic coast, ! took the Richmond
cars and left them at Lester nanor, and
there met a Harrsburg-born gentleman,
Mr. William NJ. Stehlcy, who took me in
his buggy twelve miles to this
EXTRAORDINARY LOCALITY.
which is only TWENTY-FIVE miles from the
far-famed city OF Richmond. Quite num-
Der OF your citizens have been here. John,
Robert, Edwin, Mary, and Maria Halde-
man, DR.. Rutherford, Miss Eliza Robin
son. the daughter OF Rev. DR.. Robinson,
are few Of them. The weather is delight
full. am obliged at night to keep the bed
covering over me. Such thing as sun
stroke is unknown to the inhabitants. The
sun is no more oppressive in midday than
in your city. Friday morning the wild
mocking-bird awOke me. The splendid
grove OF ancient trees was resonant with the
music Of the varied SOngsters. The Pa
munkey river runs through this section,
aud is nayi9able.ior thirty miles for good
sized vessels. In a boat ! sailed up and
down some ten miles. II is from 200 to
800 feet wide, and its banks are from to
80 feet high, and never saw such 4 varie-
ty OF trees, shrubs. and foliage. so very
rich and dark-gTeen in color. IL reminds
you OF the banks oi the Amazon. Any
quantity OF rare wild flowers are seen on
its banks. Coral, hOneysuckle. and morn
ing glories will attract your attenfon-the
latter flower some inches wide. Its
banks are impregnated with the fertilizng
mari, and its yerdure is rank in its rich
ness. The oak, catalpa hickory, black
walnut, holly, locust and other trees grow
to most splendid proportions. In my
trampng in the woods | keep constantly
finding some new flowers.
WILD FLOWERS AND BIRDS.
Curious cactus, giadiolas, ferns OF all va
rieties, and Il beautiful flower called Grape
myrtle. | cannot describe it. In front of
Mrs. FraZer's house is boX-tree ten feet
high. and near the house stand locust trees
literally covered with the English ivy.
one vine that looks like grape bears n
fruit said 10 be extra delicious, called sloe.
The passon-flower is quite common in the
woods. Fruits OF all kinds are very hand
some. The pcrsimmon tree is very common.
While riding up from LestOr Manor | was
quite surprised to see a long string OF
cOlored women with huge bags on their |
heads, full OF Sumac, which they collect |
and dry, and sell TO the stores, which again |
sell it to the tanners. They walked along |
quite rapidly with the heavy burdens hal- !
anced on their heads. | am fattcning fast
on Mrs. FIaZer's southern feed. Corn
meal i cooked in every conceivable style.
The turkey-buZZard, a very large bird, is
quite common here. and is never killed, in
consequence OF its being 80 good scayen-
ger. Whenever any dead animal Is thrown
ont into the fields these birds are attracted
for mics distant, and stay near it until all
OF il Is eaten up.
l.. ~, .. hoo
widely celebrated i'm consequence Oi the
ineXhaustibe deposits OF green sandman. |
which has been for many years almost the
exclusive fertilizer used on the immense
farms of this historic state. As / shall
soon make an exhibition Of this mari and
the numerous STYLES OF fOssiI-bones found |
here, will not now further diate upon the
subject.
GAME ArD FISH.
The woods, lakes, and the rivers here are
full OF birds. wild geese and turkeys. !
ducks. etc.. are here i'm immense numbers
in their sen on. Quail, pheasants, and
foxes, and deer are also plenty; but there
comes one bird here in September that
puzzles the naturalist. II is called the SOra.
1t Is killed at night in the woods by the
negroes. II is very fat and delicious eat
Ing. No one can tell whence it comes or
where it goes or where It raises its young.
When the FIRST frost makes its appearance
the Sora disappears, and they so secretly
leave this locality that no one has seen
them when making their departure.
GRAPES GROW WILD
in abundance, OF many varieties. Mr..
Stehey has marked one VINE that contains
extremely large fruit OF marked qualities,
and shall get some cuttings for my friends
at the proper time. The green grapes on
this vine are larger now than most Others |
when ripe. There i any quantity OF new |
things 20 be seen. The river is full OF va
rious kinds Of fish, and surgeons are |
caught six feet long. Shad and herring
come here in immense schools at certain
seasons OF the year.
Every one who comes TO Virginia should
bv all means see Richmond, the famed
capital Of the Old Dominion. There is
enough to furnish all who come deep in
terest for a week.