Eccentric & Scout

A patron of Boy Scouts, but in his own fashion, wealthy and eccentric President Juan Vicente Gomez took small interest last week in the Fourth World Scout Jamboree (see p. 18). Four years ago he offered $10,000 to the first Venezuelan Boy Scout who should return from a walk to every South American country. Last week the seamy featured old President received with relish the news that Scout Carlos Arturo Zembrana is still walking still the favorite to win the $10,000 prize. Aged 11, Scout Zembrana left Venezuela in 1929, tramped across the wilds of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, the extreme northern tip of Chile, the jungles of embattled Bolivia and Paraguay and on to Argentina's spacious, glittering Buenos Aires where he arrived last week aged 14, approximately at the halfway mark ot his walk. With at least another 4,000 miles of tramping ahead of him, Scout Zembrana stoutly declared: "I expect to claim President Gomez's reward. I have now only to walk through Uruguay, Brazil [which is larger than the 48 United States] and the Guianas.

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