Tuesday, 4.—­An increase in the number of the sick has been reported to-day, several of the men on board, and of the mechanics and labourers on shore being affected with ulcers of the hospital gangrene kind.  One seaman of the Eden, has had his leg amputated above the knee, in consequence of the nature of the ulceration.  Having gone on shore this morning, I had the pleasure of finding the works in rapid progress; the floor plates were being laid in one of the frame houses; the roof of a large saw-pit was also being put on; while a great part of the labourers were occupied in bringing up some frames of houses which had lately been landed from the transport.  We were treated to-day with a monkey for dinner, cooked in the manner of an Irish stew, with yams as a substitute for potatoes:  I must admit that I found it by no means a disagreeable food, which is not to be wondered at from its being a very clean animal, living on vegetable substances.  Our fishermen have taken one green, and one hawksbill turtle; also a skate, weighing ninety pounds; and two buckets full of other fish of various descriptions, principally mullet.

Lieutenant Vidal brought a native on board, charged with the following crimes:  namely, stealing a dinner knife from on board the steam-vessel; and an attempt, in conjunction with others, to plunder our forge, on Adelaide Island.  Lieutenant Vidal, fortunately passing in that direction, observed a canoe lying on the beach.  This he secured.  The men belonging to it, however, contrived to make their escape in another canoe, but left behind them two of their hats.  The prisoner had the audacity to venture on board the steam-vessel, in hopes of recovering the lost canoe; he was immediately attempted to be seized, but he contrived, in consequence of his greasy skin, to give our men the slip, and effect his escape.  Yet he was not deterred from making a second attempt, having, as he imagined, sufficiently disguised himself with a different hat and head-dress; but he was immediately recognised, and, having been enticed into the cabin, effectually secured.  Captain Owen ordered him to be put into irons, with the intention of keeping him under confinement for a week, and then dismissing him with some slight punishment.

Wednesday, 5.—­A brig was observed in the offing which had the appearance of a slaver.  The steam-vessel was immediately ordered in chase, and returned in the evening, reporting her to be an English brig, from Liverpool, bound for the Cameroons.

Thursday, 6.—­Our tender, the Horatio, sailed this week for Sierra Leone.  Among other supernumeraries sent in her, were a serjeant and two privates of the Royal African Corps.  The conduct of these men was so notoriously bad, that Captain Owen apprehended their example would corrupt the black soldiers with whom they were associated.  I cannot avoid again calling in question the policy of our Government in sending out condemned soldiers to the Colonial African Corps; for nothing tends more to degrade the general character of our country, in the opinion of the native Africans, who are too apt to form their estimate of our morality, from these specimens of their masters.