Page:The American Slave Trade (Spears).djvu/251

 instructions which they have received." He added a promise to "make every practicable effort" to discover "all the guilty parties and to bring them to justice."

As usual, the smugglers escaped, and the Wanderer was condemned. She was sold at auction, and was bid in by her former owners at a fourth of her value as a merchant schooner.

Captain McGhee, already quoted in telling of the final results of the voyage, said that the "slaves that had been purchased for a few beads and bandanna handkerchiefs were sold in the market for from $600 to $700 apiece. The owners of the vessel paid Captain Semmes $3,500 for his services and cleared upward of $10,000 apiece on the venture for themselves.

Lamar's letters do not quite agree with this so far as he was concerned personally. "I have been badly swindled." he says, "by getting into the hands of rascals and vagabonds. I am out of pocket on the Wanderer — had to assume all the responsibility, pay all the money, and do all the work."

It is fair to presume that he actually got back more dollars than he put in, but considered that he had lost his time — had been inadequately paid for it.

On July 21, 1859, Lamar wrote to his friend "Trowbridge, at New Orleans, saying, "The Wanderer is going to China, and may return with coolies. They are worth from $340 to $350 each in Cuba, and cost but $12 and their passage." It is likely she did not go on this voyage. McGhee said, at any rate, that "In the spring of 1859 the Wanderer again sailed for the west coast of Africa, and again Captain Semmes found King Dahominey ready to trade on the