26 'IHRorCII CKNTRAL lK)RNEO 



headquarters of a German missionary society whose 

 activities are confined mainly to the Kahayan River. 

 They are Protestants and worked for a great number of 

 years without making any noteworthy impression on the 

 natives, but of late years they have been more successful. 

 Catholics, who came later, have a station on the Mahakam 

 River. The government wisely has separated Protestant 

 and Catholic missionary activities, restricting the former 

 to the southern part of the country, the latter to the 

 northern. 



There is no difficulty about getting up along the east 

 coast northward as far as the Bulungan, which was my 

 immediate aim. The Royal Dutch Packet Boat Com- 

 pany adheres to a schedule of regular fortnightly steam- 

 ship connection. On the way a stop is made at Balik 

 Papan, the great oil-producing centre, with its numerous 

 and well-appointed tanks and modern equipment, re- 

 minding one of a thriving town in America. One of the 

 doctors in this prosperous place told me that his two chil- 

 dren of four and six years enjoyed excellent health. 

 Dysentery was prevalent among the coolies, and occa- 

 sionally cases of malaria occurred, hut malaria is found 

 even in Holland, he added. 



As we sailed up the Kutei River in the early morning, 

 approaching Samarinda, an attractive scene presented 

 itself. Absolute calm and peace reigned, a slight morning 

 mist rising here and there before us and giving a touch of 

 charm to the vista of modest white houses that stretched 

 along the beach in their tropical surroundings. Sama- 

 rinda lies almost on the ecjuator, but nights and mornings 



