Page:The American Slave Trade (Spears).djvu/189

 ward Trenchard, twenty-four guns, sailed from the United States in January, 1820; the corvette Hornet, Captain George C. Reed, eighteen guns, sailed in June, 1820, and the corvette John Adams, Captain H. S. Wadsworth, twenty-four guns, sailed July 18, 1820. To these was added the schooner Alligator, Captain R. F. Stockton, that sailed on April 3, 1821, reached the coast on May 6, started home in July, sailed out once more on October 4, and left for home on December 17, thus making two cruises on the coast in that year. The schooner Shark, Captain M. C. Perry (a brother of the hero of Lake Erie), sailed on August 7, 1821, and was on the slave-coast a part of September, all of October, and a part of November. Trenchard of the Cyane reported that there were three hundred slave-ships on the coast. Perry reported, "I could not even hear of an American slaving vessel; and I am fully impressed with the belief that there is not one at present afloat."

The Cyane captured five American slavers, the Hornet took one, the Alligator took four, but three of these were recaptured from the prize-crews, The fourth, the Jeune Eugene, reached Boston and was condemned.

In 1822, Captain R. T. Spence succeeded Trenchard in command of the Cyane. The Secretary of the Navy, Samuel L. Southard, in his report dated December 1, 1823, says that both Spence and Perry "have, for short periods, cruised on the coast of Africa to carry into effect the intentions of the Government.: [they] neither saw nor heard of any vessel, under the American flag, engaged in the slave-trade."