The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-30
TRIPS OF A SLAVE SHIP.
THE WANDERERS TWO VOYAGES TO
THE AFRICAN COAST.

"
Her C~ounanaer was Adsirnl seusues's Broth.
or. ana she Ianasa TIVE CarEoes Success.
ruiiy-west Coast pavnGes the Viotitns-Tho
stery ne 0uo or the Ownevp Tells II.
ATLANTA. Ca, Jan. 27.-Capt. A. c. McGhsa
one Of the four owners OF the slave ship Wan.
derer, has just celebrated his seventeen birth.
day at his homo In Columbus, Ca. where he
has lived for half n century. His associates
wcrc Richard Dickerson Of Richmond, Va;
BENJAMIN Davis of Charleston, s. c., and Chaa,
Lamar OF Savannah, Ca, and their venture wa
undertaken in 1853. Capt. Sommes, n brother
Of Admiral Semmes Of the Confederate cruiser
Alabama, was employed to take command Of
the ship. Heswas a man OF long experiences
tra~dlng.with the natives of the West Coast Of
Africa, cool-heodcd and daring.
In the carly summer Of 1853 a regatta wns
arranged to come of in Brunswick Harbor, on
the Georgia coast, and owners of vessels North
and South were invited to participate in it,
Just before the big day q strange vessel sailed
into the harbor. and the Captain gave his name
as Semmes, and the name of his vessel as the
Wanderer, hailing from New Bedford. lie
applied for permission to race, but was ruled
| out by the managers. The beautiful lines OF
his vessel attracted much attention, and her
sailing qualities were manifest. Capt. Semmea
protested that he had not been fairly trea cd,
and appeared to be very indignant over the re-.
fusal but his indignation was assumed. He had
really gone there to famlliarize himself with the
various:passages between the bayssnd sounds Of
the Georgia coast and the main without ex.
citing suspicion. He had sailed up the great
Ogeechee River which was not much frequented
by vessels at that time, and had found a suita-
BILE hiding place in case Of emergency in u dense
swamp about forty miles up the river.
Having completed his ar~rangementsfor tho
outward voyage, he took on a cargo Of trinkets,
brass wire. bright.colored cloths, and other
gewgaws that were likely to tempt The African
savaRes. and placed in the lockers of. the ship
flags Of all tho different maritime nations, so
! that the Wanderer might show any colors.sha
chose. Then he placed her In charge Of a picked
crew and instructed his first mate to proceed I'd
the mouth Of the Congo River and await his app
pearance. Capt. Semmes himself took passage
on a steamer and reached o point on.the African
coast, where he communicated with King Das
hominey, the petty ruler of one Of the river
provinces. ly ing along the Congo.
King Dahominey was not a hard man Ia
deal WITH said Capt. MGhee. in speaking Of
the expedition. and as he was We ~ fond Of
personal display and u great lover of rum. ID
was not long before he and:Capt. Semmes had
come to an Agreement. The latter had taken
along with him on the steamer q small stock Of
trinkets. and, to disarm suspi zion. had given
out that he was going on q combination trading
the trinkcts, and the assurance that there were
plenty more to be had, Induced the savage chief
to aE1oe Ct I, he d Icongo on 20 z certain ef ain snhf:. a, The
tween the ages of 10 and 1S years. The males
cost a little, more than the females. and the
bright:hued cloth, trinkets, and gewgaws.
King Dahomincy appeared to find little difticul.
pointed. they were marched down to the mouth
Of The river. a crowd Of miserable. naked young
sci answered the signal and the poor %captjyes
T were hustled on board end confined in the hold.
shores of the I nited States.
The sss death d rate among the poor creatures
homeward passage. through The" the skill dinr Of ta 1ne
semmes the voyage was made without any
SERIOUS ynroSs m mnl az ,.i me hG,n most oo. difl Eh part OF the
enter the mouth OF the Savannah River was un.
der the black muzzlcs OF the guns of the fort
enter with that contraband cargo in open day.
light; Instead Capt; semmes crept into, me
concealed while he communicated with Lamar
Lamar thereupon announced that he was 60
ing, to give q grand ball in honor Of the oficers
d:ers. rs well, as their superiors, should partake
Of the good cheer; When the gayety was at It's
p ps,sed tn. dHs guns Sn Of the S fore nneba lie saxGf in i the
darkness and made her way to Lamar's planta-
t es9ss sSms . Sis,s a,ssm SB Ike fi ssd pl nes h "n%sp
were nearly as savage as the new inportatioHs.
with aversion. and some time was required to
the slaves Of the rice plantations, They were
kept, there for several months and then taken
purchased for a few beads, and bandanna hand
kerchiefs were sold in the market for from
paid i'd ! PTS se aprues' %, t go G for his Sc Services sas se snd
cleared upward Of $40, 600 apiece on the venture
make nfth the voyage. and sdA Capt qao s eSSm ;aeG eertsin 70
earned his salary because of the hazardous ma
I'm the spring Of 1859 tho wanderor again
Capt. semmes found King Dahominey ready to
secure the cargo but he succedesdS in delivering
were more Intelligent than the first cargo, light.
er in color. and better in many respects than
them died during tho voyage. and the Wan.
derer was put 10 her best speed on several oo<
ances. but She was never overheuied. and she
aafrivsd on the Georgia coast in December.
Shipping Tas t sss sSfsr i 1et 4 vt Sssst. s sssx ssa il JeE sti
and Cumberland Islands, she ran aground one
stormy storm tr night ;,h and a. 2 number amna5e Of the captiyes es.
and were drowned. Capt. semmes went ashore
and asked for shelter at the homo Of the Du
giving any hint of his business or calling, and
was Hospitality entertained during the night.
and Capt. Semmes succeeded in reaching tho
mouth Of tho Great 0goochec and soon had his
Nebbol COnCealou In her Old quarters. Lamar
was again notified. and he gave another big ball
and a second time the Wanderer ascended the
Savannah River under cover of q dark night,
and her cargo was disembarked at Lamar's
plantations and turned over 10. the old rice field
These negroes adhered to many of their old
supersitions. They possessed many tricks Of
catching small animals. and reptilcs. One would
stand In the middle of q field and make "a Pc
culiar noise with his mouth, which would at.
tract a cloud OF grasshoppers. Catching them
on the wing in his open hands he would dcvuur
lnem WIN great RuStO. RacCOOnH, OpOsSuIn5,
hares. and even skunks were regarded as great
delicacies, and some OF tho older ones had a
knaSk OF catching and eating rattlesnakes
The nature Of the last cargo brou ght home by
the Wanderer became noised about and an in
veSliss;;5:E~ was made which caused the arrest
or . number Of the participants In the affair.
and tho trials that followed caused a great sen.
satlon throughout the nation, although nobody
suffered seriously. Lamar, who was reckless
ana hotheaded, went so far AZ to challenge one
or the United States officers engaged In tho
Inquiry, but the trouble was settled without
bloodshed. The negroes were sent TO New ar.