This painting has the alternative title 'Deck scene in an Indiaman'. The attribution to Captain Robert Williams is not certain however the donor stated that it was painted by 'a captain of an East Indiaman called Williams about the time of Trafalgar'. If so it can only be Robert Williams captain of the 'Thames', during the voyage to Bombay and China between February 1802 and April 1803. The 'Thames' (1,200 tons) was owned by Abel Chapman and was built to replace, or 'on the bottom of', the 'Winterton' which had been constructed by Messrs. Perry and Sons in 1795. The vessel remained in the service of the East India Company until 1813, during which time it completed eight voyages to the east.