[3] The first group of Baptist missionaries sailed from Liverpool for the Congo later in April 1879, and reached Banana on 9 June 1879 after a voyage of six weeks and two days.

During one of these trips Crudgington received an iron projectile in his back that penetrated to a depth of 4 centimetres (1.6 in), and had to return to San Salvador to have it removed.

[2] In June 1887 Comber contracted a remittent fever complicated with hematuria, and was told by the doctor that a sea voyage was the only hope for saving his life.

Lieutenant Louis Valcke, President of the Executive Board of the Congo Free State, let the mission take the Prince Bodouin from Underhill to Banana, and there they carried Comber onto the homeward bound German steamer Lulu Bohlen.

The sea breezes only had a temporary beneficial effect, and on 27 June 1887 Comber died while the vessel was anchored off Loango.