DIARY OF CAPTAIN LAMSON 203 



Chamber where sat around elderly gentle- 

 men in black gowns and white wigs. I was 

 immediately called upon the stand and was 

 addressed by the President in English, 

 stating the demand of the pilots. I imme- 

 diately begged the privilege of making my 

 own statement of facts, as related to the 

 whole circumstance of those pilots coming 

 on board, their conduct on board, my 

 agreement, which they assented to at the 

 time, their imposition afterward which I 

 fully made known to them ; but the Board 

 of Pilots, who took up the case in behalf 

 of those on board, were very rash, and told 

 more than fifty lies and had not provided 

 the document which I had written and 

 signed. The Senate having decided in 

 their favor, they proposed that I should 

 allow 16,000 marks, equal to $5,333. I rid- 

 iculed the idea, and, as my feelings had 

 become wrought to a high pitch, I told the 

 Senate that Hamburg had become notori- 

 ous among foreigners for the imposition 

 on them imposed by the Blankanese and 



