LIFE AND LABOURS ON THE UPPER CONGO. 1 29 
‘‘ For myself, as you know, our friendship was eight 
years old. Hand-in-hand we worked for the dear 
children at Camden. Glorious work, and hand-in-hand 
we worked for the redemption of the ‘ Dark Continent,’ 
the time — the set time — to ‘favour’ which is come. 
Let my last end be like his.” 
Having readjusted affairs at Bayneston (Vunda), 
required by Mr. Hartland’s death, Mr. Comber pro- 
ceeded to Underhill (Tunduwa), and thence to San 
Salvador, taking his boy Mantu, according to promise, 
to visit his friends. After three months’ difficult and 
anxious work, journeying no less than 700 miles, he 
returned to the Pool, where, for a season, he and 
Mr. Bentley, with some measure of quiet, were able to 
pursue their labours. The time was spent in finishing 
the buildings, acquiring the language, healing the 
sick, endeavouring to secure boys for the school, and 
to favourably influence the people. It was during this 
period that a complete circuit was made of the Pool, 
occupying three days, and it was found to be six 
times the size Stanley had indicated — being about 
two and a-half times the size of the Isle of Wight. 
Hippopotami in large numbers were seen, sometimes 
as many as twenty in one herd. After passing a 
place called Mfwa an enormous crocodile made an 
attack upon the boat, but was successfully disposed 
of by a Martini bullet. As to the population it was 
discovered that the greater part were dwelling on the 
south-eastern shore. 
In March, 1884, Mr. Comber was again called away 
from the Pool to Manyanga by the death of Mr. 
Hartley and two engineers, which calamity, in all 
human probability, was occasioned by over eagerness, 
and want of care in changing wet clothes. Mr. Comber 
felt these fatalities as a most dreadful blow, and 
feared they would appal the friends of the Mission in 
England, who would begin to think they were careless 
about precious lives in Africa. 
As a further trial, it was found necessary to send 
I 
