The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-30
ROMANCE OF ORCHID HUNTING.
I FREN(HM o. EST FOR Rihf
PLANTS IN COIOWBit.
Barrauii Threatened Win Death IN Nsn!
EOrn,s-EOrced 10 Serve In ArmH-N'
tackled by IBix Ants-Be'rayN Ds
Studies Seeks a BiS white Orchid

rector ~ London, was HaNlnR fhiiaue'pH'"
the other day. he said to friend;
Il came over here expressly to sce what
I have always heard was the finest private
orchid collection in America, In the week
tina, | have been here have seen not only
the finest collection Of il kind in the world.
bur have heard wonderful story a. well.
The hero of the story that Mrs. George
" Wilson. the owner OF the 10000 orchids.
told Sanders is a Frenchman. small of
stature and light Of wei yht. His name is
Barrault George Barrauf, and for four
years now he ma. been daring death in all
sorts of form in his search for rare south
American orchids for his employer.
In his quest for a wonderful sEow-whl'e
orchid, described 10 him by Colombian
Indian guide. he has fallen over the edge OF
a precipice 1000 feet in depth. He has
been attacked. torinen,ed, and all but eaten
p by hundreds of big black ants.
lie has been near deaths door with the
fov"rs Of the tropics and tropical swamps
He has been robbed and deserted by his
guides and left alone 10 starve in Andean
mountain forests.
He has had To fight murderous guides
for his life. He has led Colombian troops
in ctorious bat,lc. lie has been prisoner
IF war Of the Iebeis
And when las, heard from in July of this
year he was in hiding in a small and obscure
mountain vilag. some twenty miles from
Bogota. He was waiting patiently and,
in the meantime, hunting orchids-for an
opportunity to escape to the coast, four
hundred miles away. with hundreds of
rare plants that he will not iHtrust to the
guides who have shipped for him crates Of
other valuable specimens Of the Cdthyd
nendeiH on RATS on the Magdalena River
for the Wilson conservatories in Phila-
dephia
Barrault is in hiding. for he hesitates to
show himself while the present revolution
is on. He has figured, unwillingly. though
creditabiy. in this war; but because he has
no desire 10 appear on Colombian battle
field again he dares not come down out Of
the Andes into Bogc,a or any other town
where he could gain the road leading to
the coast and home.
He cannot seek protection either of the
Government forces or the rebels, for the
one would treat him a. a deserter, the other
as an escaped prisoner of war.
Barraur through no fault Of his own, got
mixed up in the revolution about two years
ago At that time he returned to Bogo,a
with his expedition in order TO ship orchids
to Philadelphia.
After he had started the plants north
ward on RATS, for the port Of Barranquilla
on the Caribbean, he prepared 10 go back
into the orchid forests.
On the day set for the expeditions start
Government official presented himself
before Barrault
You are Frenchmsn, hclieve?" asked
the dignitary.
Barraut acknowledged the honor
And all Frenchmen have to serve in he
arnly?" was the next question
Yes"
And you have been in he army"
Yes"
Thereupon the Colombian official gave a
signal; a half dozen Colombian soldiers
| rushed upon Barrault, overpowered him
| ana marched him OF to the barracks
There the orchid hunter was informed
that he was low soldier in the Coloml ian
army and Captain al that. Furthermore
he was given To understand that be was
expected to put up good fight against the
army of the rebels that lowered out side the
capital
And Barrault seeing no way out of the
dilemma, made up his mind To be a soldier
after the manner of a man who had spent
| va years in the french infantry as a
| private.
II was not long after this that the Colon
| bian forces marched out to meet he rebels
| Capt. Rarraut and his company, in The van
came upon the enemy in village ten miles
! from Bogota
At sight of the revoluionists the Colon.
| bians began to weaken, but little Barrault
| rallying a handful of soldiers about him
| charged straight at the line Of Popping
| guns 200 yards ahead, Rarraults dash
| saved the day, for the Colombian army
| Witnessing the gallant onslaught OF the in
| trepid little band led hy the five-foot -four
Frenchman, regained It's fighting courage
| wildly joined in The charge and assist cd Capt
| Barrault in driving he rebels into flight.
After tina, Barra nit was the hero of the
| Government forces around Bogota. His
| advice was sought on military matters
| and in the -kirmishcS and battles that fol-
lowed he and his company We're always
assigned to the post of honor and greatest
danger.
Barrau had been in the army about ,iS
months when he entered his seventh tght
| A. usual hi company was in the most cx-
posed position bui this time il va, sub.
Jected TO heavier fire than any experienced
| horet oiore,
In order 10 prevent what seemed certain
| slaughter of has men, whom lie mad come
10 regard a. bray" and who, in turn, all but
! wOr~hipped their apparently lnNinCihlo
leader Barrault seized a flag, got AT the
head OF hi- company and ordered u charge
With cheer tive men responded, ia" resi-
al the army followed eyC.trdy.
Up thc side OF he lnll rushed lac soldiers
up almost to The crest then hey b"hch.
their leader fater. and In" next instant hc
and the flag fell IN heap ON the battle
field. A. that panic ~s,|cu ,he army, and
II turned and iCd without 80 much a. giving
( u thOul h for it, roior~ ~ it, bearer.
And - Barraul' severely Wounded by a
rifle ball, became a prisoner of ia" rebels
who had learned to fear him more than a
regiment of Colombian regulars
They chucked IN" orchid hunter into
prison, put a - rong guard over him, and
left him to get we'll as best he could Event
! ually Barraut recovered his heat and her
! one night about xix months after lie rad
! been made Il prisoner. lee neatly ,r Ockcd
one of the guards GA Inc lead, slipped
| past jhc other, doGgrd their bullets. aud,
| after two days ard nights b tramping,
| reached the forest wherr grow rare orchids.
Barrault, SUBJ list ing "a roots and bert =,
| that guides had proved to him were good
for food, patiently worked his way through
the forest until l." reached a secluded
| village in i,s midst where the revolutions
had not vet stirred thing up 10 fever Ecci
| Here no secured another set Of guide,
and tree climbers Tor only the natives
| can succesAfully seal. he big trees in TN.
tops of which III" orchids grow and re-
-