HOMEWARDS. OFT 
viliage, and the beautiful banana groves, the whole place 
had a tender, homelike look about it, bathed as it was in 
the soft afternoon sunlight, and surrounded by so many - 
evidences of comfort and civilization, strange to my eyes, 
so long accustomed to the wilderness. But all was not 
the same as when I had left Léopoldville in the early part 
of the year to ascend the river. New buildings upraised 
themselves, new faces looked out on me, and many old 
ones were gone from the scene. 
I stayed with Stanley for nearly ten days at Léopold- 
ville, and enjoyed his hospitality to the full. With 
plenty of books, good food, and a most entertaining host, 
the time passed but too quickly, and I really felt quite 
lonely as I once more set out on my journey to the 
coast. | 
We took five days returning to Manyanga, and here I 
paused again, to rest under the roof of my good friend 
Nilis, for the climate was beginning to tell a little on 
my health, and a few days of continuous travel brought 
on great lassitude and fatigue. It took us two days to 
descend the Congo in a whale-boat to Isangila, where I 
met many old friends and new arrivals en route for the 
Upper River. Here, too, was the charming and intellectual 
Abbé Guillot, the pioneer of the Franco-Algerian missions 
on the Upper Congo, whoa few months later was drowned 
in the fickle stream in company with poor Janssen. I 
left Isangila after a night’s rest, and set out for Vivi, the 
last stage of my journey to be done on foot. Though we 
were now in the month of May, the rainy season was still 
in full vigour; and the first night after leaving Isangila 
there was a terrific downpour. I had but a few 
miserable carriers, beside my three faithful Zanzibaris, 
and these former were sluggish and obstinate Kabindas. 
When the rain began they quietly stepped out of the 
path, made themselves shelters of branches, and proceeded 
to rest for the night there, with my baggage, while I had 
gone on in front; consequently I was obliged to pass the 
“night with little shelter from the rain, and no food what- 
ever. However, I reached Vivi ultimately after three 
