144 
THOMAS J. COMBER. 
S.S. LualabUy he wrote his grateful acknowledgments, 
— “Thank you very much for them. Your books 
always do me good. I came home very hungry 
spiritually, and wish I could have had more feeding 
and ruminating. I have, however, ^ the Bread of Life,' 
and trust that ‘ evermore He will give me this Bread.' 
I seem to have so little time for meditation and self- 
examination, but trust I shall have more ‘ before I go 
hence,' which, I hope, will be a long while ahead 
(although, of course, 1 am ready at any time He sees 
fit).” 
On the voyage out, the Lualaba called at Victoria, 
thus affording a most welcome opportunity for the 
two brothers to see their sister Carrie, and make the 
acquaintance of their new missionary brother-in-law, 
Mr. Hay, to whom she had recently been married. 
Arrangements, much to Mr. Comber's delight, had 
been made for Mr. and Mrs. Hay to go down on the 
Lualaba as far as the Gaboon, thus giving four or 
five days' instead of a few hours' fellowship. 
On the 9 th of October, Mr. Comber had reached 
Underhill (Tunduwa), the party having all arrived at 
Banana in capital health and spirits. His desire and 
hope now were that he might be permitted to settle 
quietly down to the best sort of work ; he felt that 
hitherto he had had so much precarious, uncertain 
work to do, here, there, and everywhere, breaking up 
the fallow ground. From Underhill he proceeded to 
Bayneston, and thence to Wathen and the Pool, taking 
with him, as far as circumstances permitted, the new 
men to their respective stations, and intending to 
come down again to be with his brother Percy at 
Wathen, where he hoped to enter upon the quiet settled 
work he so much desired. But almost immediately 
after his return, most distressing news reached him, 
being nothing less than the news of the death of Mrs. 
Hay at Victoria. Knowing how terribly his father 
especially would feel this fresh sorrow, he wrote a 
letter full of tenderest sympathy, in which he expressed 
