The HMS Wager was a British ship that met disaster in 1740 when part of Commodore George Anson's squadron was wrecked off the coast of southern Chile. The vessel struck rocks during a storm in the Golfo de Penas, stranding the crew in hostile conditions with limited resources. Facing severe weather and dwindling supplies, the crew experienced internal conflict resulting in a mutinous split. Some attempted an arduous open-boat voyage to safety, while others aimed to establish a settlement, underscoring the perils of 18th-century naval expeditions.