5¢ Red Brown (12), ample to large margins, rich color, used with two vertical pairs and single 12¢ Black (17), each with sheet margin at bottom, other sides large to slightly in, tied by "Washington D.C. Jul. 23" (1857) circular datestamps on cover to Porto Grande, Isle St. Vincent, Cape Verde Islands, addressed to Lieut. E. C. Stout aboard the U.S.S. St. Louis--this navy vessel was patrolling the waters off the west coast of Africa to capture slave traders--red "(New-Yor)k Am. Pkt. (Jul.) 25" circular datestamp on back (only part remains), magenta manuscript "44" credit--carried on the Havre Line Fulton, departing New York July 25, 1857, and arriving at Southampton August 6--red British transit datestamp (August 6), 5¢ tiny tear at bottom and corner creases, top stamps in 12¢ pairs have small faults and margin toning, backflap and part of side flap removed, slightly reduced at top, repaired just above the red British datestamp, otherwise Fine, ex Mayer and Hackmey, from our 1975 Rarities of the World sale, illustrated in Frajola-Mayer, The United States Five Cent Stamp of 1856 (p. 144, where described as one of two covers to Cape Verde, but we record only one), with 2006 P.F. certificate

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