The brig James, from Liverpool, arrived this afternoon.  About eight in the evening, a Calabar man was brought on board from the Kent’s oil-house; he wanted to be secreted until we sailed, as he wished to make his escape; for, he said, his master wanted to cut his head off, or to make him chop nut, i.e. to oblige him to eat a poisonous nut, which produces speedy death, because he had free-mason (meaning witchcraft), and that his master had been sick ever since he had last flogged him.

Picked up floating about the harbour, the long-boat of a French slaver, that had been taken while at anchor here, by a French man-of-war brig.—­ Ther. at 1 P.M. 93 deg.  F. in the shade.

Wednesday, 19.—­We saw from the vessel to-day, that Egbo was running about the town.  A small canoe, with a couple of the Eden’s Kroomen, came up the river this evening with a letter from the Eden’s tender, for information respecting the Spanish slave-vessel that was expected to sail.

Thursday, 20.—­Fine day, with a fresh sea breeze, which felt quite reviving after several hot days.  Egbo again in action to-day, having been sent from Old Calabar to Robin’s Town, a distance of three miles, to recover a debt for the Duke.

Friday, 21.—­Old Calabar being yesterday, this was Duke’s Sunday; but neither of these holidays were kept with the usual festivity, in consequence of the prescribed time of the mourning for the Prince, not having yet expired.  When these holidays are observed, it is usual for the Duke to invite all the captains and super-cargoes of vessels in the river, when he gives them an excellent dinner, with plenty of palm-wine.  The dinner consists, generally, of goats, wild pigs, monkeys, fish, plain yams, foofoo, &c.  The latter dish is a preparation of boiled yams, which are pounded in a mortar until they obtain a tenacity that will admit of being drawn out like birdlime.  While the Duke is at dinner, or breakfast, he usually has some foofoo before him.  This he rolls in his hands into small balls, of about two inches in diameter, before he partakes of it:  it is, however, but justice to remark, that his Majesty always washes his hands both before and after each meal.

There is a superstition, prevalent among these people, concerning food that is forbidden, which is pointed out to them from time to time by their doctor, or rather by the fetish men, who are the interpreters of his supposed will; the doctor himself being a mere wooden image; one of which is always carried about in the suite of the Duke.  At the time of our visit, the Duke was forbidden to eat beef or fowls, consequently he never allowed them to be put on his table.  He was occasionally permitted to eat fish, because, I presume, he was supposed to have a fancy for it.  At these times, the Duke’s attendants are forbidden to taste fish.  Although the Duke does not eat beef or fowls, he occasionally orders the animals to be sacrificed as an offering to the devil:  for the Calabar people say, that “God is a good man, and will not hurt them; but the devil is a bad man, and it is therefore necessary to appease him.”