> a) Could you post the output from 'grep vga /var/run/dmesg.boot'
vga0 at isa0 port 0x3b0-0x3df iomem 0xa0000-0xbffff
wsdisplay0 at vga0: console (80x25, vt100 emulation)
vga0 at isa0 port 0x3b0-0x3df iomem 0xa0000-0xbffff
wsdisplay0 at vga0: console (80x25, vt100 emulation)

> b) what happens if you run '/bin/sh /etc/wscons.conf' when the
>     textmode is messed up?
font: not found
screen: not found
screen: not found
screen: not found
screen: not found

> c) Do you have multiple consoles enabled? (ttyE[1-3] on in /etc/ttys)
>    Is the font messed up in all of them, or just one/some?
Yes - and it is messed up in all of them.

And here is '/etc/wsconf.conf' - which may be where the problem lies:
--
# fonts to load
#       name    width   height  enc     file
font    ibm     -       8       ibm     /usr/share/pcvt/fonts/vt220l.808

# Note: "pcvt" encoded fonts are only useful with the "*bf" screen types
#  of the "vga" driver. The kernel must be compiled with the option
#  "WSCONS_SUPPORT_PCVTFONTS" turned on. See vga(4).
#font   pcvt    -       -       pcvt    /usr/share/pcvt/fonts/vt220h.816
#font   pcvt    -       8       pcvt    /usr/share/pcvt/fonts/vt220h.808

# screens to create
#       idx     screen  emul
# Screen 0 is already configured as console in most cases.
#  Uncomment if a serial console is used.
#screen 0       -       vt100
screen  1       -       vt100
screen  2       -       vt100
screen  3       -       vt100
screen  4       -       -
#screen 4       80x25bf vt100
#screen 5       80x50   vt100
--

Thanks for your rapid response, David.  What do you suggest from here?

G.