DOUBTS having been expressed upon sundry matters connected with the following little narrative, Mr. Black has requested me to say a few words concerning its authorship and claims to belief. The book was written substantially by Mr. Black himself, but, in consequence of his deficiency of education--growing out of the fact that his childhood and youth were spent in slavery--it needed considerable correction to fit it for the press. This work was kindly performed, gratuitously, by a friend of the author, who was, however, very careful to preserve the narrative as nearly unchanged as possible--confining himself mostly to punctuating, correcting the orthography, striking out unnecessary words and sentences, &c. &c. I am well acquainted with Mr. Black, and have the fullest confidence in the truth of his narrative, as has the friend who assisted him in preparing it for the press, and, indeed, every one who knows him.