En route from Champion Bay for Fremantle with a cargo of copper and lead ore and 200 bales of wool. During a heavy gale, the ship leaking, and the crew constantly manning the pumps, the ship hit a reef south of Point Moore. The African was badly damaged but managed to return to Champion Bay, where it ran aground. The cargo was unloaded and the ship declared a loss. Some of the timber was used to make new boats.