Victorian Orchid Hunters Were Not ThrillSeekers
News Source : The Atlantic
News Summary
- Plant hunters don't fit neatly into archetypes that have come to dominate stories of colonial extraction
- They advanced imperial interests but gained little in the process
- They were sent to exploit resources of a foreign land but were themselves victims of exploitation themselves
- Their stories of adventure contributed to orchids’ commercial appeal
In September 1890, William Digance, the son of an impoverished farmer from Surrey, set off for Brazil to hunt orchids. Full of excitement and bravado, the 25yearold assured his employer, I mean to [+11504 chars]
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