roversialists for their feelings are too strong to permit them to be
content with cold facts judicially stated.

After an uneventful and uncomfortable journey through the beautiful part
described before, we arrive at Sono Congo about 5 p.m. and take a room
in the Magazins-Generaux, a wooden building raised above the level of
the ground and fairly clean. It is beautifully fresh and cool up here,
and for the first time for half a year, it is possible to take a bath in
clear white water.

On again at 6.30 a.m. at which hour it was quite cold, but as the sun
rose and we descended, it became very hot indeed, for we were then well
south of the Equator and it was summer in the Lower Congo. The scenery
through the Palabala mountains improved, if possible, on a second
acquaintance and the railway as a feat of engineering, appeared still
more marvellous. After a dusty, hot journey, we arrived at Matadi at 5
p.m. and found Mr. de Rache, the Commissaire of the District, on the
platform. He had kindly taken a room at one of the hotels, but as it
necessitated climbing up the hill and I could only walk with difficulty,
I decided to sleep on board the _Anversville_ which was discharging
cargo at the pier head. Here indeed were all the luxuries of Europe. A
barber, a big bath, white spotless table-cloths, clean shining plate,
red juicy beef and last, but by no means least, cold drinks. It is worth
roughing it to experience the keen delight at returning to comforts
which are never appreciated at their full worth when enjoyed every day.

Next morning we leave Matadi for Boma in the _Heron_. The current is
running down through the narrow channel at about ten knots an hour and
the water roars and bubbles as though passing over rocks in a rapid. We
therefore roll a good deal and travel very fast indeed until we reach
Boma just before midday.

Stories in the Congo grow with extraordinary rapidity and my attack of
synovitis had been converted into a serious illness before it reached
the capital. A room had therefore, been prepared at the _Croix Rouge_ in
which I was soon comfortably installed. The hospital consists of eight
sets of rooms arranged in four buildings, separated from each other, but
with the verandahs connected by balconies. In the centre is a building
in which the eight sisters live the whole thus forming a "t" with a
building at each end of the lines and one where they intersect. The
whole is situated on a hill from which a m