At the time these men arrived on board, several natives were with us, and among the rest, our friend Cut-throat.  No sooner did the Fantee fix his eyes upon him, than, to the astonishment of all present, they began to flash with indignation, while the countenance of Cut-throat assumed proportionably the expression of sheepishness.  The cause of this proved to be, that, when they first landed on the island, our old friend had stolen a shirt from him; in other respects, however, I believe they had little reason to complain of the treatment they experienced:  for they had not been compelled to work, excepting occasionally assisting in fishing, and they had been permitted to reside by themselves; it is true, on the other hand, that they had little hospitality to be grateful for, having been compelled to subsist on a scanty supply of yams and palm-wine.

During the last week, the natives had, without any apparent reason, absented themselves from the settlement; to-day, however, they returned in great numbers, and among the rest, our old friend Cut-throat, exhibiting a large gash on his forehead.  He gave us to understand, that there had been some warfare between the various tribes, concerning a quantity of iron, probably that which Chameleon’s party had stolen from Messrs. Vidal and Jeffery.

Tuesday, Dec. 25.—­This being Christmas-day, Captain Owen selected it for taking formal possession of the settlement, in the name, and on behalf of his Sovereign, George the Fourth.  At seven o’clock in the morning, accompanied by most of his officers and ship’s company, he went on shore for this purpose.  The different parties of our colony being assembled, the whole marched in procession, from the border parade, in the following order, with bugles, drums and fifes, playing alternately:—­

Captains Owen and Harrison, Surgeon Cowen and Lieutenant Holman, Messrs. Jeffery and Carter, The Surgeon and Purser of the Eden, The European Volunteers, commanded by Lieutenant Glover, Lieutenant Vidal, with half the Eden’s ship’s company, and the Midshipmen of his division, The Colours, carried by Mr. Wood, The Band, Lieutenant Badgeley, with half the Eden’s ship’s company, and the Midshipmen of his division, The Marines and Royal African Corps, under Lieutenant Mends, The Clarence Militia, under their respective Officers:  First Division—­Lieutenant Morrison, Second Division—­Lieutenant Abbott, Third Division—­Ensign Matthews, Tom Liverpool’s party, under Bell, Ben Gundo’s party, under Miller.

On arriving at the Point, the different divisions were formed around the flag-staff; and the colours having been first hoisted, the following Proclamation was read:—­

  ’Proclamation,—­By William Fitzwilliam Owen, Esq.  Captain of His
  Majesty’s ship Eden, and Superintendent of Fernando Po.