2-979-529 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

"The Rover's Bride" abandoned at sea - boat of the Royal Mail Steamer "Atrato" boarding, 1857. '...from a sketch by H. B. Johnson, second officer of the Atrato..."Observed a vessel on port bow dismasted, bore down upon her, lowered mail-boat in charge of chief officer and boarded her...Waterlogged and abandoned, and decks swept by the sea. No papers or other particulars found on board...The Rover's Bride appeared to be...almost a new ship...her sails were all in ribbons...foretopmast gone, and mizentopmast and mainmast gone at the head. The broken spars were all hanging over the ship's side, port-anchor and cathead gone, boats all gone; captain's cabin bulkheads all washed away. In the mizentop there was a bed or nest made up...showing that some of the crew must have lived there after being washed out below...it is supposed a squall carried all away at once'. From "Illustrated London News", 1857.