The Prazer e Allegria left Lisbon, Portugal, on November 8, 1843 with 84 convicts and relief officers and others bound for Goa, India. She reached the "Cape of Good Hope" with the loss of 29 convicts from scurvy and on Match 16, 1844; the crew sighted several islands which the captain delared were the Maldives. With the current running at three miles an hour towards land, the captain continued on the same course. Major de Quinhones, who was in charge of the convicts, said in a report of the disaster: At about 4 o'clock in the evening the ship was so near land that we could see the people distinctly; and it was then that a little boat manned by blacks, and with an English Jack fixed at the poop, came off from one of the islands. Approaching the ship one of the Moors pointed towards a channel which lies between three or four islands. The Captain hailed the Moors, and told them to come on board; but seeing the convicts they immediately departed through fear, lowering the Jack. Thus we were comitted to the current, which every moment drove us much nearer land, and upon a reef of coral which lies opposite the second island. The night was dark and there was lightning; the breakers dashed incessantly on the sides of the ship, forcing her more onto the reef; at length the rudder broke, and the ship rested; but a large leak was sprung. All of us worked the pumps, but it was impossible to reduce the water. The ship had struck the reef off Muli Island in Mulaku Atoll and on the morning of the 18th, the passengers and crew were transported to Muli Island without loss of life. On the following day the cock-boat, the long boat and a hired boat from the villagers were dispatched in order to procure more provisions but all three boats were sunk by waves. Eleven lives were lost , mostly convicts. The 104 survivors remained on the island of Muli for 5 days before being transported to the "King's Island". It took 7 days sailing by day only and stopping the night at islands to reach Male'. The Captain hired 2 catamarans to transport the survivors to Ceylon (Sri Lanka), among who were 2 ladies and 3 children.
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