. 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.

'His Majesty, George the Fourth, King of Great Britain and Ireland,
has been graciously pleased to direct that a settlement by his
Majesty's subjects should be established on the Island of Fernando Po,
and his Royal Highness the Lord High Admiral having selected me for
the performance of this service, the formation of the said settlement
has been entrusted to me, under the title and denomination of
Superintendent.

'In obedience to the orders of his Royal Highness the Lord High
Admiral, I directed the first operations of clearing the land on this
point (Point William) to be commenced on the first day of November
last, and on the tenth and twelfth following, purchased from the
native chiefs, and from the tenants of one small part of that ground
which I desired to occupy, the full right of property and possession,
for which iron was paid to the amount of t