The saga of the English East India Company vessel, the 'Tryall,' stands as a compelling narrative spanning four centuries, from its ill-fated maiden voyage in 1622 to its eventual archaeological confirmation. This chronicle not only marks Australia's inaugural recorded shipwreck but also encapsulates a complex web of events: a contentious sinking, subsequent legal battles, persistent geographical enigmas, and a modern-day scandal involving the desecration of an archaeological site. The journey of the 'Tryall' underscores the treacherous nature of early maritime exploration, the fallibility of human judgment, and the enduring quest to unveil historical truths concealed beneath the ocean's surface.

In May of 1622, the 'Tryall' embarked on its maiden voyage from Plymouth, destined for Batavia (modern-day Jakarta, Indonesia), laden with valuable cargo. Captain John Brookes, navigating the newly adopted Brouwer route, aimed to significantly reduce travel time by leveraging the powerful westerly winds of the 'Roaring Forties.' This innovative, yet perilous, course demanded precise navigational skills, particularly in determining longitude, a challenge at the time. Brookes, entrusted with a journal from a previous successful journey, found himself reliant on imprecise charts and the formidable forces of nature. Despite sighting land on May 1st, making the 'Tryall' the first English ship to approach the Australian coast, Brookes's subsequent navigational error proved catastrophic. Believing the land to be an island, he altered course, unwittingly heading directly into the treacherous 'Trial Rocks,' a hidden danger off what is now Western Australia's coast.

The impact, occurring on the calm evening of May 25th, swiftly rendered the ship unsalvageable. Captain Brookes, prioritizing his own survival, managed to escape in a skiff with a few crew members, abandoning the majority of the ship's company. A larger group, including Thomas Bright, the East India Company's representative, managed to launch a pinnace. Tragically, 97 lives were lost in the disaster. Upon reaching Batavia, Brookes submitted a deceptive report, misrepresenting the wreck's location and downplaying his culpability. His account, suggesting the rocks were further west, aimed to absolve him of blame and maintain his standing within the company. This fabrication, however, laid the groundwork for centuries of confusion regarding the true position of the 'Trial Rocks.'

Thomas Bright, who survived the ordeal, provided a starkly different and accurate account of the shipwreck. His detailed letters and meticulously drawn maps, which were initially dismissed and subsequently lost to history, directly challenged Brookes's narrative. Bright's testimony revealed Brookes's negligence in maintaining a proper lookout and his selfish actions during the evacuation. Despite Bright's efforts, Brookes continued to be employed by the East India Company. However, his career took a dramatic turn with the wreck of another ship, the 'Moone,' off the coast of Dover. Accusations of deliberate sinking and theft of valuable cargo, compounded by the loss of the 'Moone,' led to Brookes's imprisonment and a protracted court case. Although never formally convicted, his reputation and fortune were irrevocably tarnished, leaving his earlier claims about the 'Tryall' largely unchallenged in the public eye.

For centuries following the disaster, the precise location of the 'Trial Rocks' remained elusive, leading to ongoing confusion among mariners and cartographers. Despite efforts by both the British and Dutch East India Companies to pinpoint the hazard, including expeditions specifically tasked with this objective, the rocks were not definitively located. Captain Matthew Flinders, in the early 19th century, conducted extensive surveys of the area, ultimately concluding that the 'Trial Rocks' did not exist in the positions indicated by Brookes, further deepening the mystery. It wasn't until the early 20th century, largely due to the meticulous research of Australian historian Ida Lee and her collaboration with cartographic expert Rupert Gould, that Thomas Bright's original, accurate accounts were unearthed. Their findings decisively identified 'Richie's Reef' as the long-sought 'Trial Rocks,' exposing Brookes's intentional deception regarding the wreck's true coordinates.

The physical search for the 'Tryall' wreck began in earnest in the late 1960s. Inspired by Gould's rediscovered reports, divers located an anchor and cannons at the 'Trial Rocks' site in 1969, suggesting a shipwreck. Subsequent archaeological expeditions led by the Western Australia Museum confirmed the presence of a wreck. However, in a shocking turn of events, the site was found to have been extensively vandalized with explosives, causing damage to the reef and scattering artifacts. Alan Robinson, a controversial treasure-hunter, was implicated in the desecration, though he was acquitted of charges. Despite this setback and the loss of critical evidence, further investigations, particularly by renowned maritime archaeologist Dr. Jeremy Green, leveraged the remaining artifacts, such as cannons, anchors, and ballast stones, to tentatively identify the wreck as the 'Tryall.' The most recent expedition in 2021 provided conclusive evidence, confirming that the solitary wreck at 'Trial Rocks' is indeed the 'Tryall,' finally resolving a historical enigma that had persisted for over 400 years. This landmark identification has allowed for the preservation and display of recovered artifacts, with one of the 'Tryall's cannons now on exhibit at the Western Australia Museum.

The comprehensive identification of the 'Tryall' shipwreck, a culmination of historical research, underwater exploration, and dedicated archaeological work, brings closure to a centuries-old maritime mystery. This remarkable achievement not only redefines our understanding of Australia's early European encounters but also serves as a poignant reminder of the inherent dangers of naval travel and the ethical complexities that can arise in the face of disaster.