Inscribed in pencil on back of drawing: “HMS ‘Basilisk’ Capt. John Moresby 1871. ‘Basilisk’, 6 gun paddle sloop launched at Woolwich. In the Baltic (Russian War) destroyed 10 Russian grain vessels June 14 1853 [sic – should be 1855]. July 17: with ‘Desperate’ fought against batteries and gunboats, Gulf of Riga. HMS ‘Basilisk’, Capt. John Moresby 1871. On the Voyage from Brisbane to Cape York, Australia 5th Feby [1871]. Small Queen Anne”.

‘Basilisk’ is shown on the left stopping the 'blackbirding' (i.e. slaving) schooner 'Peri', whose crew had either been killed or had abandoned ship, leaving it to drift for weeks. By the time of this encounter, only 13 Polynesians were left alive, according to the description given in Chapter I of Moresby's "Discoveries & Surveys in New Guinea..." (John Murray, 1876).

Heightened with white. Signed “MFM” either side of the foremost boat’s rudder.