‘Yes,’ he said; ‘just now I have a large crowd of people coming from Siberia with thirty roe-deer, fifteen ibex, wild sheep, and several small animals and birds for me. I have seven people collecting for me in Central Asia, and one in India fetching me home twenty elephants. Three of my people are in Mongolia, one in the Pamir district, one in the Altai district, and one in the Arar lake district. One of my men is on the road now from the Soudan, and will be here the first week in June with three large giraffes, some kudu, and other antelopes.’ ‘The giraffes for England?’ I asked. ‘Yes,’ he said; ‘the Duke of Bedford has already bought them for his park.’ ‘But when are you going to import an African rhinoceros?’ I asked. ‘Stop a moment,’ Hagenbeck replied; ‘some of my people, now animal-catching in German East Africa, have got me already for shipment seventy zebras, two African rhinos, some white-bearded gnus, water-buck and other antelopes, smaller animals, and birds; one of my men is coming home from Abyssinia with some Grévy’s zebras.’ ‘Ah! but when, Mr. Hagenbeck, will you get a gorilla?’ I said, thinking I had him this time. ‘Stop a minute,’ again said Hagenbeck; ‘I am expecting within the next three months from West Africa several chimpanzees and also some young gorillas. On April 12 last my men in Australia had caught for me sixty kangaroos, including several big red “boomas” and some entirely new species of kangaroo. They have also got a collection of rare little animals and a great number of interesting and rare birds. Next month one of my people goes again down into the Kadizian steppes to fetch some waggon-loads of big camels and dromedaries. Out of that district last year I imported sixty-five camels and dromedaries. Besides all this, I buy up everything which comes by ship into Hamburg. Into this place in one day came 5 Ceylon elephants, including a mother and baby; 2 Sambur deer from India; 21 various monkeys from West Africa; 102 flamingoes; 3 white storks from Egypt; and 162 baboons and 3 hyænas from Arabia. Not only are animals continually coming in, but plenty are going out. The Americans are beginning to go in tremendously for Zoos, and in a few years’ time there will be some magnificent Gardens over there. Last week I shipped £500 worth of animals to Cincinnati and £700 worth of animals to Philadelphia.’ ‘You must have had many adventures when travelling and carting your animals about?’ I suggested.