The Last Voyage Of The Guardian (African Society) – Lieutenant Riou, Commander

In 1789, HMS *Guardian*, carrying vital stores for the new colony in New South Wales, struck a massive iceberg, tearing away its rudder and keel. Facing a seemingly doomed vessel, Lieutenant Edward Riou watched half his crew abandon ship. Against all probabilities, this account, drawn from Riou’s own logs and letters, chronicles his exemplary courage and seamanship as he and the remaining crew battled the crippled ship back to the Cape of Good Hope, securing a unique place in naval history.