In the previous episode, recounts a vibrant journey that begins with a brief stop in Gibraltar and continues through a series of exotic ports, each with its own unique atmosphere and characters. The voyage is filled with memorable encounters, from an Indian man with a remarkable memory reciting Shakespeare, to an Australian couple whose accent foreshadows future travels, and a Lanarkshire gentleman with a penchant for jokes. The journey takes the travelers through Suez, Aden, and Bombay, where vivid scenes of local life and customs unfold, including a dramatic body search and the bustling activity of the docks. The adventure culminates in Singapore, a city admired for its order and modernity, before the group sets out on the final leg of their trip aboard the modest steamer “Rajah Brooke,” heading toward the heart of Borneo and the beginning of a new chapter.
James Brooke was a young Englishman on a convalescent trip to the Far East. He had sailed into Borneo waters and stumbled into the midst of a rebellion of the Dayaks (headhunters) against their sovereign, the Sultan of Brunei. Brunei is the old name for Borneo, over which the Brunei Sultans reigned.
Brooke routed the Dayaks with the aid of his little cannon in his yacht. A grateful Sultan gave him the gift of Sarawak, which his family ruled till the 1950s. The Brookes were a Devon family; all their officers were recruited from Devon. The government steam yacht was “The Lorna Doone.”
The wife of the second Rajah converted to Catholicism and wanted her religion to be introduced into Sarawak. She asked a friend in Rome, who was instrumental in approaching Mill Hill for this purpose. At that time, the Afghan Wars had come to an end, and four Mill Hill priests who had been working as chaplains to the British Army were ordered to set out for Borneo. In those early days, Mill Hill Missionaries left home for life. This was the beginning of the Mill Hill presence in British Borneo.
We were given a cabin huge in comparison with what we had on the Chusan, but the facilities were very simple. We dined with the captain; the food was so-so. There was no conversation and the meal was over quickly. There was little deck space for walking; we spent our daylight hours observing the scene below us in the steerage, which was packed with pigs and chickens and the poorer passengers.
After two days, we came in sight of land. Borneo lay before us. We were eager to get ashore, but there was the long journey up the Kuching River, past Malay fishing villages, palms, and swamps, till the ship swept round a bend on the river and we had this pleasant town before us. The fathers from the mission came down to meet us. I remembered being resentful that after all this journeying, into what I now regarded as my Mill Hill home, we still had to undergo a Customs check. That night from our place on the verandah, we saw the blaze of candles from the nearby cemetery; it was the octave day of the Feast of All Souls, which the Chinese observe very devoutly. I went to sleep, tremendously exhilarated that I was now in Borneo. Thus began a love affair that neither time nor physical separation has lessened; thirty years from this day the parting was to be very cruel. But many wonderful things were to happen to me before that day came.
Next week, journey deeper into the heart of Borneo as he leaves the bustling mission station of Kuching behind and sets out alone for the remote Vicariate of Miri. Experience the thrill of flying over endless rainforest, landing on a jungle airstrip, and meeting the pioneers shaping a new frontier. Discover a town where oil wealth hides behind simple streets, and where the mission’s legacy weaves through schools, churches, and vibrant local life. As the story unfolds, expect unexpected friendships, humorous mishaps, and the challenge of adapting to a world where every day brings new sights, sounds, and adventures. Don’t miss this captivating chapter in the journey of a missionary forging ahead into the unknown!
If you missed the previous episodes of this story, you can catch up by reading it through the following link below.
