a trial in the Court, that did not redound much to the credit of one of these preachers.  As it is very novel, and not a little amusing in its way, I think I cannot do better than to give, in its proper place, the opening speech on the day it occurred, as delivered in the Court by the plaintiff’s counsel, who was a black gentleman.  It was the first cause of the kind that ever was tried in this colony, where morality does not appear to be so highly appreciated as in some countries of Europe.

Monday, 17th.—­Very fine warm day.  I attended the Court as usual to-day; and heard two trials of the same nature as most of the others; distinguished also by the same difficulty of obtaining the truth from most of the witnesses, who are quite indifferent to the responsibility of an oath, because they have no qualms of conscience; but if their priests were to fetish them, it is probable they might be induced to give their testimony more honestly.  Sentence was this day awarded to all the prisoners that had been tried, as follows:—­

  John Rhode, a native of the Rio Pongas, for petty larceny. 
  Grando, a Krooman, for assault. 
  Yellow Will, a Krooman, for receiving stolen goods.[12]
  Peter, a Krooman, for stealing from a dwelling-house. 
  John Testing, a discharged soldier, for ditto. 
  Jim Johnson, a liberated African, for grand larceny. 
  Ben Kroo, a Krooman, for ditto. 
  Jack Freeman, a Krooman, for receiving stolen goods.[12]
  John Freeman, a Krooman, for ditto.

Several other prisoners found “not guilty,” were discharged by proclamation, and the sentence on Patrick Riley, a private soldier in the Royal African Colonial Corps, for maliciously stabbing with intent to murder, was respited on the motion of counsel, until a reference should be made as to the application to this colony, of the statute under which he was indicted;—­the 43rd Geo. III. cap. 58th, commonly called Lord Ellenborough’s Act.

It is some gratification to know, that, notwithstanding these sessions have been unusually heavy, still, that out of 19 prisoners in the calendar, only two were liberated Africans, although this class of persons forms nine-tenths of the community of the colony, and that but one of them was found guilty; whereas, the time of the Court was taken up with the crimes committed by Kroomen, 13 of whom were tried for various offences.  The evidence disclosed in these cases, afforded the strongest grounds for the measure now in progress for reducing the number of such strangers, by sending all above 600 from the colony; and more particularly what are termed headmen.  These fellows, who perform no kind of work, it would seem, from what transpired in two or three of the robberies brought to light before the public on this occasion, live on the labour, and proceeds of plunder, obtained by the younger hands, who first leave their country under the protection of these headmen, and who are the mere instruments