This watercolour painting depicts the ‘Magicienne’, a 36-gun vessel launched for the Royal Navy in 1812, and converted into a 24-gun warship in 1831. It is shown sailing from the port of Trincomalee, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). The ‘Magicienne’ is the vessel shown in the foreground in front of the headland, right of centre in the image. An unidentified vessel can be seen in the background, left of centre at the mouth of the bay, with a jolly boat being towed behind it. A full view of Trimcomalee bay can be seen, together with the headland.