The american Brick (Brig, Brigantine) William & Ezra stranded on Manparia Goetoe’s beach around the 21st of January 1825.
Casper Van Uytrecht describes at his landing in Bonaire how busy everyone was with the William & Ezra. Instead of welcoming Van Uytrecht at his arrival, the commander De Brot went in person to Manparia Goetoe (Kutu) to supervise the salvaging of the ship, he spent the all night there.
The William & Ezra was a merchant vessel and she was loaded. The inventory of the cargo was established on the 22nd of January by the second superintendant J.C.W Weygel: Meat, Cheese, Tabacco, Cotton and Wood. The goods were stored in a tent, double-checked by the Commander of the island and then shipped to Curacao. De Brot will later write a brief note about other goods recovered from the brick, among them were a piano, 3 mirrors and 92 barrels of powder.
The wreck of the William & Ezra was dismantled by the roaring waves, people took of it what they could until the sea decided otherwise.
The report from Lloyd’s in 1825, February the 10th: The Willam & Ezra, Bos, provenance from Curacao, was totally lost on the south Coast of Bonaire; crew saved.
©2012 Olivier Douvry/GlobeDivers
