On the following day we stopped at Dobo, one of the Posts of the Mongala Company, which has been taken over by the State.  The Company found it was very difficult to make the people work and some serious charges of cruelty were proved against the officials.  The Bangala tribe are however, very savage and only a short time ago a trader was killed and his body cut up ready for eating when some troops arrived and rescued it.  The Government therefore, sent a punitive expedition into the country.

There are very few villages on the river, and no signs that there have ever been any, for the forest grows to the water’s edge in an uninterrupted line.  At sunset we arrived at Lisala, which is a large military training camp, well constructed and managed.  In it about a thousand savages are being converted into clean, smart-looking soldiers.

Next day we passed the Kintamo., which was forcing its way up against the stream with a cargo of rails directed to Stanleyville.  On the 24th we stopped at Mobeka, which is situated at the point where the Mongala river runs into the Congo and was the chief post of the Mongala Company.  It is surrounded by a brick wall, except towards the river, and access to the Post from the native village is through stout wooden gates.  At one place is a kind of watch tower built on the wall and the whole gives the appearance that the occupants knew they were living in the midst of cannibals, who would not hesitate to attack them if they were not well prepared to resist.  It is to be hoped that the present expedition will be successful in converting a few from their barbarous condition, but great difficulties have to be overcome, for the fighting must be in the forest, as the natives never meet troops in the open if they can help it.  In the evening we reached Nouvelle Anvers, a large and populous town.  The houses are arranged along the river bank, surrounded by gardens, and the quarters of the troops leave nothing to be desired.

Christinas Day has nothing resembling Christmas about it.  A tropical sun burns overhead, warm sandy water glares below.  In the morning we pass Mosembe, a Mission Station, and in the afternoon, Lulongo.  There used to be a large village and coffee plantation here, but it was not a success and has been abandoned.  The Mission however, still remains as also a Wood Post where we stop for the night and try to believe that duck is turkey and mutton, roastbeef.  We have now traversed the whole of the river which runs past the Bangala District.  It is undoubtedly very sparsely populated, but on the other hand, there are no remains of villages or clearings in the forest which would indicate it has ever been otherwise.