The Washington times., 1922-12-25
GIRL Of CAPITAL
FINDS GEMS
IN W|[DS
Miss Lucille Le varre, G. w. v.
Student, Tells Of Trip Into
South American Bush.

NEW YORK. Dec. 25.--Miss Lu-
cille LaVarre, eighteen, Of Washing
ton, ID. c.. went 900 miles into the
British Guiana bush" to get a dia-
mond-and got 1t. But when she
came out and looked back over the
trip from the luxury Of the Biltmore
Yesterday, II was not Of the diamond
that she talked. but of her pet boa
constructor. Of the baby baboon that
died, Of the wonder of moonlight on
South American rivers, and Of the
friendly black people. many Of whom
never had seen a white woman be-
fore.
Miss La Varre and her brother.
w. j. La Varre. Jr.. arrived on the
steamer Vandyck from South Amer.
lea Saturday. Mr.. La Varre makes
yearly trips to British Guiana, where
in addition to his trading business
he collects many specimens for the
American Museum Of Natural His
tory, the Smithsonian Institution
and Harvard University.
This time his sister. "a student
in George Washington University,
wanted to go along.
Faced Real Dangers.
"I didn't dare tell the folks was
going to take her into the bush"
grinned La Varre guiltily. They
thought she was only going as far
as Georgetown. A good many men
have been afraid to take the trip
she did. She really faced danger
At Georgetown, while her brother
was away on a short trip. Miss La.
Varre was hostess to the crew Of
the airship Sampaio Correia IL.
which stopped there several days
on its flight from New York to
Brazil.
There was the greatest excite
ment," she said. We got a wire
that they were ten miles out OF
Gown and needed gasoline. 1t was
sent. and next morning they came
in. Everybody went down to meet
them, and there was an Official re-
ception and dinners and PARTIES
every day they were there.
Everybody was jealous because
they stayed at our house. Every
body in town would have liked to
have them, but we happened to
have more room. My brother
wanted to take them on a visit to
the diamond fields. but they didn't
have time"
Mr.. and Miss LaVarre left the
coast Of British Guiana October 3
and went up the Mazaruni river in
motor launch. Fifty blacks and
Indians in two large canoes car
ried supplies. With the party was
DIR. Herbert Lang. of the American
Museum of Natural History, and
later they were Joined by George
Cherry. who was with President
Roosevelt on his African trip.
She Just Loved 1t.
Il loved the whole thing" she
said yesterday. II was frightened
good many times but 1t was
worth it. On the third day up the
river We got caught in a whirlpool
and l didn't think we were going
to get out. That was one Of the
times l was frightened.
IT. carried a pistol. because ]
don't know how to use a gun.
With the pistol I shot a snake, a
sloth, a number Of birds, several
big iguanas, and a couple Of mon
keys. was awfully sorry shot
the monkeys, and / never would
kill another. They groap just like
human beings. 1 hate to kill
things.
Zone Of the Indians killed a
mother baboon and they brought
the baby to me. / tried to take
care of 1t, but l didn't know what
monkeys eat. / gave 1t milk and
crackers and bananas, but one
morning I went out and found the
little thing dead.
Another Indian brought q baby
boa constructor. kept that in
a box. 1t was only about two and
q half inches in diameter. but II
ate a whole lizard every day."
The Indians are not wild. Miss
La Varre declared, though they
are thoroughly primitive.