His first stop after leaving Europe was the territorial capital of the Congo: Boma. On June 13, 1890, Conrad's party landed at the "terminal point of navigation in the Lower Congo": Matadi. At Matadi, Conrad began a vague diary that would help him track his exploits and thoughts up to August 1, 1890. Also at Matadi, Joseph met his company's station chief, a Mr. Grosse. During his two-week stay here, he often met Mr. Grosse and another Mr. Roger Casement. The impressions that Marlow finds so vital in Heart of Darkness can be traced back to Conrad's extraordinary first impression of Mr. Casement, whom he describes as