The Hayston, a three-mast English vessel commanded by Captain Sartorius, set out from Isle-de-France (nowadays Mauritius) for Calcutta on July 1, 1819. For several days of bad weather which prevented them from taking any observations and on July 20 at 8 pm, some reefs were noticed in the gloomy darkness. There was little time to tack and this ship struck the reef on Maamakunudhoo Atoll on the north west of the Maldives. Within a quarter of an hour, there was seven feet of water in the hold and the ship's crew were at the mercy of the elements.

Next morning the sailors discovered they had run on to an enormous reef, as far as the eye could see, that turned out to be covered with water on the high tide. A small islet was seen by telescope 25 km away which they called the "Isle of Hope". On the 22nd, three sailors tried to reach this isle by raft but were never seen again.

On the 24th, every sailor was employed in building a raft large enough to carry them all but when it was nearly completed the Lascar sailors, from the west coast of India, cut the rope and sailed away. One man who tried to reach them, was threatened with an axe.

The long boat was taken out from the ship but was damaged on the reef and went adrift with a women and her two daughters and three men, who were never heard of again. Then the barge was launched and it was not long before she capsized and split on the reef.

A Maldivian sailing boat was seen and appeared to be heading in their direction, so an officer, Schultz, and some crew gave chase in a dinghy. After several hours rowing, they found they were separated by the boat by a big reef and it passed by without noticing the castaways

Two more sailors, Serang and his brother, were separated from the remaining survivors when a raft on which they were paddling between the reef and the shipwreck, was caught in the current and drifted away to the south east. In another accident, a rope was stretched between the reef and the ship and a young boy died trying to return to the ship.

Finally, on the 26th some sailors embarked on the small dingy and sailed for the Isle of Hope. They were discovered by fishermen from the island of Makunudhoo survivors arrived in Male on August 4 and were treated with much hospitality.

On August 10, Serang and his brother arrived in Male. after drifting away on their raft, they spent three nights and four days out at sea and passed eleven islands before they landed on an uninhabited island. They were both very weak and survived on coconuts before being rescued by a passing fishing boat. They were conducted to the island where the fishermen lived and were treated with much kindness.

On August 14, the six Lascars who stole the large raft, arrived at Male'. They resorted to lies to explain the infamy of their behavior, claiming the raft had been broken, had gone drifting and the current had carried them away. Despite their treachery, they were treated equally by the Sultan.

The wreck of the Hayston is noted for the humanity of the Maldivians and generosity of the Sultan. In all cases, the castaways were well provided for an the sultan would not allow them to pay for anything in his country. Officer Schultz wrote:

Let the Christians blush thinking that, through they profess a religion that enjoin the most tender charity, you turned out, in our minds, to be, as it were, superiors to them in the practice of virtue and humanity.

UNQUOTE: