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Her favorite is Newell Convers Wyeth, best known for his classic book illustrations of characters like Uncas in “The Last of the Mohicans” and the pirates in “Treasure Island.”

Craven learned as well that although the Uncas as he found it carried only ballast, it had brought cargo “suited to the slave marts on the coast,” all of it intended for delivery to “a notorious slave dealer” who worked out of Havana.

Craven was sure that the Uncas was “undoubtedly engaged in illicit trade,” but without enslaved people on board, he could not justify detaining it.

Built with a square stern for stability and maximizing space in the hold, the Uncas appeared much like many other merchant ships of the age.

The difference lay below decks, where Franklin & Armfield had the Uncas fitted out to carry human beings as freight.