An elevated view from cliffs looking down at a starboard quarter view of the cargo steamer Umbre (1898) low in the water and listing to port below Greeb Point, Morvah Cliffs. The salvage ship Hermes of the London Salvage Association is alongside the port side of Umbre and is obscured. A white-hulled rowing boat is alongside the starboard broadside below the bridge. A steam trawler is anchored between the ships and The Wra (Three Stone Oar) in the distant background off Pendeen Watch headland.

The Umbre was on voyage from Liverpool to Amsterdam and Rotterdam when it encountered a gale that resulted in the ship going ashore at Greeb Point on 20 February 1899. The Umbre had struck amidships at low water and tore a large hole in the hold so that within 10 minutes the upper decks were awash. The crew launched two lifeboats and survived. The Hermes arrived at St Ives on 22 February but due to the weather could not get alongside the ship until a few days later. By 11 March 1899 the rudder and stern post had gone and the bridge taken clean away by the sea.