Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/54

 38 THE WRECK OF THE GUARDIAN. 1789 The Guardiaii strikes an iceberg. While the settlement was struggling against internal troubles which taxed all its own resources and all the ingenuity and good guidance of its Governor, the Guardian, a 44-gun frigate,* which was on its way to Sydney with a large stock of provisions and clothing, met with a disastrous accident some 500 leagues from the Cape of Good Hope. On the 23rd December, 1789,t in thick and stormy weather, she struck an *^ island of ice,^^ and after being deserted by most of her officers and crew, was taken to Table Bay in a sinking state. She was only saved from foundering by the strenuous Lieut Riou. and heroic exertions of her commander. Lieutenant Riou, and a handful of men. Their voyage of eight weeks in a water-logged vessel is one of the most remarkable on record. It exhibits the bravery and devotion of '^ the gallant and good Captain Riou '^ J in a conspicuous light. But the vessel, though brought safely into port, had been injured so pierced for forty -four guns, but when sent out under Biou's command to "Botany Bay " was armed en flute. t The yessel struck late in the afternoon of 23rd December civil time, or the 24th ship's time. This may account for some authorities stating that it occurred on the 23rd, some on the 24th. Biou himself says the 23rd. X Kiou, who was promoted after his return to England, was killed at the battle of Copenhagen, on the 2nd April, 1801. He was in command of the frigate Amazon, and was entrusted by Nelson with the charge of a division of the fleet, consisting of his own vessel and the Blanche, Alcmene, Dart^ Zephyr, and Otter, some of them frigates, thers sloops. Owing to tho intricate nature of the navigation, the Agamemnon, Beilona, and Bussel^ ships of the line, were unable to take the stations that had been assigned to them. This derangement of the Admiral's plan, in the words of Nelson's despatch, *' unhappily threw the gallant and good Captain Biou .... under u totj heavy fire; the consequence has l^n the death of Captain Biou and many brave officers and men in the frigates and sloops."
 * The Guardian, according to the Naval Chronicle^ vol. v, p. 482, had becD