The Boadicea, a ship of 909 tons, was built in 1847 at St. Mary's Bay, Nova Scotia by James Malcolm. The vessel was owned and operated by J. & R. Reed, merchants of Saint John, N.B., for 16 years until it was abandoned at sea on December 1, 1863 while on a voyage from Cardiff to Portland, U.S.A.
The painting shows the vessel entering harbour and taking on a pilot. The fore sail and main sail are clewed up to the yard, ready to be furled. The jibs are being taken in. The yards have been braced around so that the fore topsail and main topsails have been taken aback - that is, the wind is hitting the forward side of the sail. This will momentarily stop the forward motion of the vessel while the pilot is being picked up.
Courtesy: Public Archives of Nova Scotia, Halifax, N.S.
