Homeward Bound 
273 
the white men. Unfortunately, they have increased, and the 
chief physician of Leopoldville assured me that very few months 
pass without some European, smitten with the fell disease, being 
brought into hospital. 
We were most courteously treated by the authorities, who 
had kindly placed an express train consisting of three carriages 
at our disposal to take us from Leopoldville to Matadi. In 
order to break the journey of 480 kilometres, we spent 
the night at Thysville, about half-way, in an excellent 
hotel belonging to the railway company. The port lies 740 
metres above sea level and nearly 500 metres higher than Leo¬ 
poldville, and the pleasant, cool climate it enjoys makes it a 
favourite resting place for weary travellers coming from both 
directions. Leaving early next morning, we travelled along a 
track of railway which is admirably and skilfully laid out. 
Although no tunnels have had to be made, and very few bridges 
were necessary, many other difficult obstacles have had to be 
surmounted. The embankment all along the line is in first-class 
order. All the employees, including engine-drivers, inspectors, 
and repairers of the line, are blacks, who carry out their duties 
with all the skill and adroitness of Europeans. The track has 
a pretty sharp descending gradient a little way before reaching 
Matadi. It crosses several rushing mountain streams and deep 
ravines, and winds around steep slopes. Three or four serpen¬ 
tine tracks followed close on each other and reminded us of 
certain venturesome Alpine mountain railways. 
At the last station before reaching Matadi the line bridges 
the Mposo, an important confluent of the Congo, which rushes 
past deep down in the valley, and immediately after passing it 
we caught sight of the latter majestic river once more, which we 
had not seen since leaving Leopoldville. Framed in by lofty 
mountains, the broad and mighty stream tears onward to the sea. 
On arriving at 5.30 in the afternoon, we found a considerable 
number of Europeans waiting on the station platform, partly to 
greet us and partly for the ordinary scheduled train, due shortly 
after ours. We were received by the Vice-Consul, Herr Schmidt, 
