The image depicts Lieutenant John Reid leaving 'Dankbaarheyt' on January 30th 1782, which had been captured by Commodore George Johnstone in Saldhana Bay, Cape of Good Hope, on July 21st 1781. She foundered southwest off Scilly Island. When captured she had been driven ashore by the Dutch, who had set fire to her before they landed.
Inscription: "Loss of the Dankbaarheyt" followed by a description of her wreck - "One of the Rich Dutch East India Prizes laden with Silk & Muslin taken by a Squadron under the Command of Commodore Johnstone in Saldhana Bay, and put under the Command of Lieut. John Reid, who with the Crew, consisting in all of seventy four Souls underwent for some days for want of Provisions such dreadful Calamities, scarcely to be parallelled in the Annals of History. And on the 30th of January 1782 bearing off 45 Leagues S.W. of Scilly, L. Reid found the Ship in such bad condition, as to be under the necessity of quitting her, which he did, with a Swedish Officer, five Seamen, & three small Infants the oldest of which was no more than six years of age. This miraculous escape was owing to the unexampled intrepidity & humanity of Lieut. Reid, who tho' he had been several times requested to remain by the Raft he had made for his People, got them to the Jolly Boat. Soon after which he had the unhappiness to see the Ship, then not a quarter of a mile off, go to the bottom, and every Soul on board perished. L. Reid and his Company after being in the Boat twenty four hours, during which they were several times filled with Water they were taken up by a Swedish Vessel, and carried into Lisbon."