A close-up view of the bales of cotton on the pier at Hugh Town, St. Mary's, taken from the wrecked general cargo steamer Brinkburn (1894). The masts, funnel and derrick of the salvage vessel Hyaena (1856) are in the background. A small boy stands, hands in pockets, on top of one of the bales looking at the camera. Hugh Town is behind the photographer.

The Brinkburn (1894) was on passage from Galveston, USA, to Le Havre when it grounded on the Maiden Bower rocks at 1145pm on 15 December 1898 in fog and light winds. The crew abandoned the ship and were guided to Bryher by islanders. The ship was submerged at high water and eventually the bow broke away. As much of the cargo of cotton was salvaged and landed at St. Mary's over a number of months.