26 G COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



The mission press has issued translations of the Bible in 

 various dialects. The Eoman Catholic Mission has only- 

 been recently established. As yet, however, only partial 

 success can be said to have attended the efforts of either 

 party, Dyak and Chinese being alike little influenced by 

 religious feeling. No work is attempted among those 

 of Mohammedan faith. It is not considered advisable 

 by the authorities, and if undertaken would be almost 

 certain to result in failure. 



Kuching, the capital, is a thriving town of about 

 20,000 inhabitants, situated about 25 miles up the 

 Sarawak Eiver, which near its mouth is broken up 

 into numerous channels and creeks, as is the. case with 

 most Bornean rivers. At the town it is a strong 

 stream, two or three hundred yards in width, and of suffi- 

 cient depth to admit of the anchorage of British gun- 

 boats, but it is much to be regretted that Kuching was 

 not built at the mouth of the river, instead of in its 

 present position, for without good pilots it is somewhat 

 difficult of access. The situation is nevertheless very 

 picturesque, and the shipping and busy life of the 

 Chinese bazaars evince the activity of trade. Every- 

 thing has the air of being well and solidly established. 

 White battlemented forts overlook the anchorage, and 

 there is a large court-house, barracks, museum, hospital, 

 and prison. The Astana, or palace of the Eaja, is a fine 

 castellated house, with a moss-grown tower, and with 

 smooth lawns running down to the river. Good roads 

 lead in various directions, and the bungalows of the 

 Europeans are surrounded by beautifully -kept gardens. 

 The present Eaja is Sir Charles Brooke, K.C.B., nephew 

 of Sir James Brooke, and adopted as his son and suc- 

 cessor by the Malay chiefs before Sir James finally lelt 

 Borneo. 



