A starboard, just forward of the beam, taken from the harbour wall of the Queen Mab (1897) aground in Hugh Town harbour entrance. A steamer is off her port side. A mixture of small boats, including gaff-rigged cutter fishing boats with sail set, are at anchor. The photographer was standing on the stone pier looking across to Porthloo. The trading ship Charles Francis is alongside the pier to the left of the image..

The Queen Mab was on passage from Chile to Falmouth for orders with a cargo of logwood when it grazed the Spanish Ledge getting close in shore to take on a pilot. The ship took on water after anchoring and, with assistance from gigs and two lifeboats, and the steamer Lyonnesse was towed with difficulty to the pier head at St Mary's where it was secured very low in the water. The boats involved were the Lyonnesse steamer, St. Mary's lifeboat Henry Dundas, and the gigs Leo, O. and M., and James and Caroline, who were awarded a salvage fee in January 1904. The ship was eventually towed to Le Havre, arriving on 12 October 1903, having left on 9 October.