266 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 
The mission press has issued translations of the Bible in 
various dialects. The Boman 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 Biver, 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 Baja, 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 Baja 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 left 
Borneo. 
