which Mr. Becroft
had purchased. There was something in his appearance which attracted
the attention of Lander, and he fancied that he seemed to be much
dirtier than any that had been seen on the preceding day. On a nearer
inspection, his head, and the whole of his body were found to be
covered with ashes, and a very dirty piece of sackcloth fastened
round his loins; besides this he appeared to be suffering great
distress of mind, and presented a most wretched and woeful
appearance. Lander asked him the cause of his grief, and why he had
covered himself with ashes in such a manner, when he gave the
following relation of the cause of all his distress. It appeared that
he had possessed six wives, one of whom was gifted with a larger
share of personal charms than the rest, the consequence of which was,
that she received more attention from him and was loved more than any
of the others. This partiality naturally excited the jealousy of the
other ladies, and mortified by his neglect of them, they were
determined on revenge, and was resolved to get rid of their favoured
rival by mixing poison with her food. They had just succeeded in
effecting their purpose, which had caused the poor fellow much
distress, and he had not recovered the effects of his loss on the
morning on which he came onboard the Portia. His tale was simple and
unvarnished, and while he was relating it to Lander, the tears were
trickling down his face. Lander never before saw a black man feel so
much for the loss of a wife as he did. This remarkable custom of
mourning in sackcloth and ashes, appears to be peculiar to these
people, and it was ascertained that they do not cease to cover their
bodies with them as long as their sorrow lasts. They do the same on
the death of a relation, and it is the only instance of the kind that
Lander met with in the part of the country through which he had
travelled.

Great uproar and confusion prevailed the whole of this day
throughout the town occasioned by an adventure of the doctor with the
duke's most favourite wife, which is likely to end tragically to the
parties concerned. This person, who is the doctor of the town, it
appears was the bosom friend of the duke, in whom the latter had the
greatest confidence, and allowed him to visit his wives
_professionally_ as often as he thought proper. The gentleman's visit
had lately become so frequent as to excite suspicion and a look out
was accordingly kept on all his movemen