made up my mind, but it is always well to let a 

 native think that one has not quite decided. 



When I went to see the Dutch Consul-General 

 and explained the situation, he issued passports for 

 me, and, accompanied by the two headmen, the 

 trader, Ali and my coolie boy, I took the next 

 steamer to Pontianak. At Pontianak, I presented 

 my credentials to the Dutch Resident. He was 

 pleased to hear that I was going after the orang- 

 outangs and he offered to let me have as many 

 native officials as I wished to take along. I thanked 

 him and declined his offer, explaining that I really 

 did not know as yet just what I should need, or how 

 long I should be up-country. As a matter of fact, 

 I did not want his native officials because I knew 

 that the jungle people have no love for them, and 

 I wanted to have my expedition entirely clear of 

 everything that looked official. 



We stayed there for several days, getting sup- 

 plies together. The trader remained with the party 

 at my request, because he was known by both the 

 coast and the jungle people. From a Chinese he 

 rented a houseboat that I could keep as long as I 

 had need of it. The Borneo houseboats are twenty 

 to twenty-five feet long and five feet wide; they 

 have a bamboo shed, which makes a fairly comfort- 

 able room, and are rowed or paddled by six men. 

 With a mattress spread on the floor and mosquito- 

 netting hung about, I could take the trip up the 

 river easily. Omar, one of the headmen, stayed 



