Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-29
HUNTING FOR ORCHIDS
Four Years a Prisoner in the
Land of Flowers.
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES
DOES NOT DARE COME OUT OF
THE ANDES
The Woman Who Has Already the
Finest Collection in the World
Wants Others.
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES
Written for The Evening Star.

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When Sanders the famous orchid col
lector of London, was leaving Philadelphia
the other day he said to friend:
Il came over here expressly TO see what
I have always heard was the finest private
orchid collection in America. In the week
that L have been here l have seen not only
the finest collection of its kind in the world,
but have heard a wonderful story as we'll"
The hero of the story that Mrs. George
B. Wilson the owner of the 10000 orchids,
told Sanders is a Frencnman, small of stat
sure and light of weight. His name is Bar
ramlt-George Barrault-and for four years
now he has been daring death in all sorts of
form in his fervor to secure rare South
American orchids for his employer.
In his eager quest for wonderful snow
white orchid, described to him by Colom-
bian Indian guide, he has fallen over the
edge of a precipice 1880 feet in depth. He
has been attacked, tormented and all but
eaten up by hundreds of big black ants.
He has been near Deaths door with the
fevers of the tropics and tropical swamps.
He has been robbed and deserted by his
guides and left alone to starve in we'll nigh
impenetra.be Andean mountain forests He
has had to fight murderOus guides for his
very life. He has led Colombian troops in
of war of the rebels. And when last heard
from, in July of this year. he was in hiding
in small and obscure mountain village
some twenty miles from Bogota. He was
waiting patiently-and, in the meantime,
hunting orchids-for an opportunity to es-
cape to the coast, 400 miles away, with
hundreds of rare plants that he has been
guarding with his life, and that he Will not
intrust to the guides who have shipped for
him numerous crates of other valuable
specimens of the Cattleya mendelli on RATS
on the Magdalena river for the Wilson con-
servatories in Philadelphia.
Pressed Into the Colombian Army.
BarrauIt is in hiding, for he hesitates to
show himself while the present revolution
is on. He has figured, unwillmgly, though
creditabIy, in this war, but because he has
no desire to appear on Colombian battle
field again he dares not come down out of
the Andes into Bogota or any other town
where he could gain the road leading to the
coast and home He cannot claim protec-
ton either of the governments forces or
the rebels. for the one would hail him
deserter, the other an escaped prisoner
of war
Barrault through no fault of his own. got
mixed up in the revolution about two years
ago At that time he returned to Bogota
with his expedition in order to ship orchids
to Philadelphia. After he had started the
plants northward on RATS for the port OF
ed to go back into the orchid forests Or
the day set for the expeditions start a gov
eminent official presented himself before
Barrault
You are Frenchman, 1 believer" asked
the dignitary.
Barrault acknowledged the honor.
And all Frenchmen have to serve in the
army? was the next question.
Yes"
And you have been in the army?"
Yes"
Thereupon the Colombian official gave a
signal; half dozen Colombian soldiers
rushed upon Barrault. overpowered him
and marched him off to the barracks
There the orchid hunter was informed
that he was now soldier in the Colombian
army. and a captain at that. Furthermore,
he was given to understand that he was
expected to put up a good islt against
the army of the rebels that hovered outside
the capital. And Barrault, seaiag no way
out of the dilemma, made Up his nina to
be soldier after the manner of man who
had spent five years in the French infantry
a private.
A Leader in Victorious Battles.
1t was not long after this that the Co
lombianr forces marched out to meet the
rebels. Captain Barrault and his company
in the van, came upon the enemy in a vii
lage ten miles from Bogota. At sight of
the revolutionists the Colombians began to
weaken, but little Barrault, raIlying a
handful of soldiers about him, charged
straight at the line of popping guns two
hundred yards ahead. BarTaults dare
deviltry saved the day, for the Colombian
army, witnessing the gallant onslaught of
the intrepid little band led by the five-foot-
four Frenchman, regained it's fighting
age, wildly Joined in the charge, and