LIFE AND LABOURS ON THE UPPER CONGO. 1 33 
Winton, K.C.B. Great was their joy to find in Sir 
Francis a Christian man, ‘'who knelt and sang together 
with us every evening ; ” and “ who took a very real 
and sympathetic interest in every phase of our work.’’ 
This journey occupied, in going and returning, five 
weeks. It extended as far as Liboko, five hundred 
miles up the river, about half-way to Stanley Falls. 
It was accomplished with little difficulty : the steamer 
was easy of management, the river was perfectly 
navigable, the people were peaceable, food and fuel 
were abundant. In relation to future missionary oper- 
ations the journey was felt to be most important. A 
considerable knowledge of the country and of the 
native tribes had been gained ; and three sites for 
mission stations had been selected. After giving a 
detailed report of this journey to Mr. Baynes, Mr. 
Comber concluded thus : “ Such is the first journey 
of the Peace into countries new and among peoples 
strange. It was our constant regret that we could 
not make it more of a missionary journey — that is, in 
teaching and preaching ; but that was impossible, 
chiefly because we knew so little of the language. 
We have, however, done a little more preliminary 
work, which is none the less our ‘ Father’s business.’ 
Oh, for the time when, settling amongst these people, 
there shall be servants of God, teachers of His Word, 
to show these heathen the Christian life, and to try to 
draw them home to God ! Oh, will kind friends in 
England respond? We can but appeal and plead 
and cry. We can only pray, ‘ The Lord hasten it 
in His time.’ ” 
The period had now come when it was in every 
way desirable that Mr. Comber should be journeying 
homewards. On going down river, further trouble 
awaited him. It was his sad lot to witness the 
death at Manyanga of Mr. Minns, an engineer 
who had been sent out to assist Mr. Grenfell, as 
well as to receive the information of the decease 
of Mr. Craven, of the Livingstone Inland Mis- 
