-95- 
a sky that had turned golden when the rain ceased. A wide 
rainbow stretched from horizon to horizon, and as dark fell the 
night was clear and cool. 
My. J. H. Van Gauns, a former animal dealer, came in 
from his plantation and we talked with him until quite late. 
We had hoped he would offer to collect for us, but he said he 
was out of the animal business now. There is a curious jealousy 
among Dutchmen out here: he had read in the paper that Dr. Coen- 
raad went with us to New Guinea, Coenraad had written him asking 
him for animals some months ago, but Van Gauns assumed the animals 
were for us, and would make no effort to get anything. Had we 
come to him first, things might have been different. But we had 
not heard his name until a few days ago - Coenraad had never mentioned 
him to us. A curious world. One would think that colonials, so 
far from home, would be more kindly to each other. 
tJ**uLn €j 2* "™* 
We had made an appointment with another animal dealer 
to have lunch with him in Kuala Simpang. Ordinarily it should 
have been an easy drive for a morning, over straight roads, but 
everything that could happen to delay us, did. We lost Beirne 1 s 
collecting box off the back of the car and had to go back for it. 
Some of the machinery fell out of the bottom of the car, and Remy 
had to climb under the Buick and hammer it together again. As 
a last straw we ran out of gas - fortunately near a small village 
where Remy was able to buy four liters, enough to get to Langsa 
with. From trie hotel at Langsa we telephoned that we had been 
delayed, and for the cook at the Boulevard Hotel to start nasi 
goreng for us. We arrived at 3U550 - our guests had been waiting 
since 12. 
They were W.T. Ruppert and his son. The old man, a 
bearded, bespectacled German, has caught many of the big orangs 
now in captivity, and has a reputation as a great hunter. He knew 
no English, but his son knew a little, and we carried on a weird 
three-cornered conversation in English and our bad German, with 
Malay names for animals. Trying to do any business with old Ruppert 
was difficult, for he refused to put prices on his animals, saying 
that they were too difficult to catch, and quoting fabulous prices 
that had been paid in Europe for animals. The only deal we 
made was to pay him 20 guilders a pair for tupai - a" fantastic 
price, but we haven* t been able to get any so far. He is to bring 
the big orsng to Siantar next month. It was captured for Fort de 
Kock, but the Zoo there, with the permission of the government, 
is letting us have it. 
We paid another call later in the afternoon, on Mr. 
Van Greuter in Be si tang. He is an old gentleman, living in 
obviously reduced circumstances, who has always been fond of 
animals and had a small collection of his own. In spite of the 
poverty of his establishment he still has a tame leopard, a dozen 
monkeys, several birds, a baby musang, and two beautiful tame 
otters. He let them out of their cage, and they ran about the 
place like dogs, squeaking with excitement, letting anyone pet 
them, begging for food under the dining room window, and completely 
winning our hearts. As we were leaving Bill said "You wouldn't 
sell your otters, would you? 11 and Van Greuter said ?t No . ?t To 
which Bill could only say, ft I don T t blame you . v 
