On May 13th Mr. Lewis wrote to Mrs. Hartland, at the request of Miss Thomas, to explain her own silence. She is recovering from another severe attack of bilious fever. When she fell ill Mr. Lewis was himself in bed; but the next day he was able to attend her. She is better, but not well enough to write. He proceeds: “We are now looking forward to the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Fuller, and I venture to hope that Miss Phillips will accompany them. We have had no definite news.
“You will have heard of the death of Mrs. Buckenham of Fernando Po. Mr. Buckenham brought her here on board the Volta three weeks ago, hoping she would get better. She could not come ashore, and died on the ship. Her remains are now lying in our graveyard, where she was buried the next day. Poor Mr. Buckenham has gone home in the Benguela. Things here are much as usual. The Germans are fairly quiet; but the natives are profoundly unsettled, and we do not know what they will do. A large number of them are in the bush; the rainy season is coming on, and they will be homeless. This is hard.
“We heard from Victoria yesterday, and the friends there are well. It is very evident that the Committee intend to relinquish this Mission. It is a great pity, and yet I believe it to be the best course. I have heard that the authorities are going to compel the teaching of German in our schools. I confess I would rather leave at once than Germanise these people. However, we trust that all will be for the best in the end.”
The year wore on with its round of duties varied by intervals of suffering—school-work, nursing, fevers—and the long-looked-for arrival of Miss Phillips was still in anticipation. At the end of August, however, it was known at Cameroons that she had sailed in the Lualaba, accompanied, not by Mr. and Mrs. Fuller, but by Mr. Comber, and a band of young missionaries, including his own brother Percy, whom he was joyously convoying to the Congo. And here I must interrupt the story for a moment to introduce the following significant little letter. It was addressed by Miss Thomas to her three nieces, the daughters of her sister, Mrs. Percival.
“Bethel Station, Cameroons.
“August 29, 1885.
“My dear Ethel, Eva and Beatrice,—I have written to Ethel already, but when I received your mother’s letter, with the good news it contained, I felt I must write to you, if only a few lines, to tell you how very glad I am to hear that all three of you have learnt to love the dear Saviour, and have come forward to confess His Name. Although I am so far from you, you may be sure I often think of you and pray for you, and I am so glad that you have chosen the right way thus early, and that all your lives will be given to His service. I hope that you will all become very useful Christians, and that each of you will in time find some direct work to do for the Master. But after all I feel more and more convinced that it is in the little things of everyday life we can best show our love to Him.
“That He may bless you all and keep you very near Himself, is the earnest prayer of
“Your loving aunt,
“Gwennie.”