Wednesday, 19.—­At half-past one this morning, a loud splash was heard in the water, succeeded by the cry of, ‘A man overboard.’  A boat was immediately sent, and from the phosphorescence of the water, some one was discovered swimming towards the shore.  On approaching him, he turned round in the direction of the Eden; and, when within twenty yards of the ship, he all at once disappeared, and was not seen afterwards.  On inquiry, it was found that the native prisoner who had been confined in irons on the forecastle, for his participation in the affray I have so lately described, had contrived to effect his escape.  To accomplish this, he had put his hand down the scuttle over the coppers, and taken from thence the iron that turns the handles of the dischargers.  With the point of this he had contrived to break off one of the sides of the padlock which secured his fetters, and thus setting himself at liberty, he crossed the deck to the gangway, opposite to where the sentry was placed, when he mounted the railings, and immediately plunged into the sea.  It is singular, with respect to this prisoner, that his countrymen shewed very little solicitude about him:  and we therefore had reason to think that he was no favourite with them.  When they did inquire after him, it was to know whether we had not cut his throat.  The King of Baracouta’s brother once asked Captain Owen what he intended to do with him; and, on being informed that he meant to keep him for a time in irons, and then, after a gentle flagellation, dismiss him, expressed his astonishment at this lenity, and made signs that we ought to cut his throat.  It is true we sometimes had, as might be expected, very different versions of the signs of these natives; but, in the present instance, they could not well be misunderstood.

Captain Owen, attended by a small party of marines, went on shore at an early hour, to hold a Court of Inquiry on twelve African soldiers, for refusing to attend the punishment of their comrade (an Ashantee) on the preceding day.  They were found guilty, and sentenced to receive three hundred lashes each.  After a part of this punishment had been inflicted, they were sent on board the Eden.

Thursday, 20.—­Anderson, the African soldier, who escaped from confinement on Tuesday, was met in the woods this morning by a serjeant of his company, to whom he immediately surrendered himself, and who placed him under charge of another soldier.  Apprehensive, however, of the consequences of his double offence, he shortly after contrived to give his guard the slip, and again effected his escape.  The above mentioned serjeant also detected a labourer in the act of lowering a piece of iron from a cliff, with the intention of selling it to the natives, whose canoes were lying off the beach.  Having first secured the offender, he then fired his musket at one of the canoes, without injuring, or intending to injure, the men whom it contained, and the aim was so unerring, that the ball penetrated through the bottom of the canoe, in such a manner that it immediately began to fill with water; this terrified the natives so much, that they all leaped overboard, and swimming to another canoe, left their own, with her cargo of sheep, fowls, &c. to its fate.  This might truly be termed a good hit.