 One of the priests died on the way.By decree of 30 January 1903, the Kwango mission was made a prefecture Apostolic ("Præfectura Apostolica Kwangensis"), the first prefect Apostolic being Father Julian Banckaert, with residence at Kisantu, the chief mission station.The prefecture comprised the civil districts of Eastern Kwango and that of Stanley Pool as far to the north as the River Kassai.