 By the time the "Adelante", chartered to return the Tongans, finally left on 2 October 1863, many had died or were dying from contagious diseases.In addition, Captain Escurra of the "Adelante", which had been one of the most successful slavers before the licenses were revoked, had no intention to take them home after being paid $30 per head.Instead, he marooned them on uninhabited Cocos Island, well off the route to Tahiti, claiming the 426 kanakas were affected with smallpox, endangering his crew.