With a view to secure their freedom, informal agencies were soon established under the direction of our minister at Paris; and the _Society of Redemption_--whose beneficent exertions, commencing so early in modern history, were still continued--offered their aid. Our agents were blandly entertained by that great slave dealer, the Dey of Algiers, who informed them that he was familiar with the exploits of Washington, and, as he never expected to see him, expressed a hope, that, through Congress, he might receive a full-length portrait of this hero of freedom, to be displayed in his palace at Algiers. He, however, still clung to his American slaves, holding them at prices beyond the means of the agents. These, in 1786, were $6000 for a master of a vessel, $4000 for a mate, $4000 for a passenger, and $1400 for a seaman; whereas the agents were authorized to offer only $200 for each captive.[90] In 1790, the tariff of prices seems to have fallen. Meanwhile, one obtained his freedom through private means, others escaped, and others still were liberated by the great liberator Death. The following list, if not interesting from the names of the captives, will at least be curious as evidence of the sums demanded for them in the slave market:[91]-- _Crew of the Ship Dolphin, of Philadelphia, captured July 30, 1785._ Sequins. Richard O'Brien, master, price demanded, 2,000 Andrew Montgomery, mate, 1,500 Jacob Tessanier, French passenger, 2,000 William Patterson, seaman, (keeps a tavern,) 1,500 Philip Sloan, " 725 Peleg Loring, " 725 John Robertson, " 725 James Hall, " 725 _Crew of the Schooner Maria, of Boston, captured July 25, 1785._ Isaac Stevens, master, (of Concord, Mass.,) 2,000 Alexander Forsythe, mate, 1,500 James Cathcart, seaman, (keeps a tavern,) 900 George Smith, " (in the Dey's house,) 725 John Gregory, " 725 James Hermit, " 725 ------ 16,475 Duty on the above sum, ten per cent., 1,647-1/2 Sundry gratifications to officers of the Dey's household, 240-1/3 ---------- Sequins 18,362-5/6 This sum being equal to $34,792. [Footnote 90: Lyman's Diplomacy, vol. ii. p. 353.] [Footnote 91: Lyman's Diplomacy vol. ii. p. 357; History of the War with Tripoli, p. 64.]