, 1853-03-26
From the Saa Francisco Herald, March 7.
The Steamship Tennessee Ashore!


The Steamship Tennessee Ashore!
FORTUNATE ESCAPE OF THE PAssENGERs!
The P. NJ. Steamship Tennessee, Capt. .
Mellus, went ashore at 9 O'Clock yesterday
morning in a dense fog, at place called
Tagus Beach, in Bolinas Bay, about 3 miles
North of the Heads. We are indebted to
Mr. Whiting, one of the passengers who
started overland two hours after the catas'
trophe, for Saucelito, and thence by boat TO
the city, for full particulars Of this unlorIu-
nate causalty,
The Tennessee started from Panama on
the 10Th OF February with 600 passengers,
of whom 100 were ladies and children
There was comparatively little sickness du-
ring the voyage. Three deaths occurred
one, Mr.. Stevens, the Express Messenger of
Wells, Fargo & Co., Of yellow fever-an-
other Of cholera, produced by imprudence
at Acapulco, and the thhd from exhaustion.
The passengers were highly pleased with
their trip up, and on Saturday, within $50
miles Of port, passed resolutions highly COM
plimenting the ship, the captain and officers
About midnight Of Saturday, when the
ship was supposed to be not far from the
Heads, dense fog set in, which continued
all night and yesterday morning. AIthree
O'Clock A. NJ, the captain supposing he was
off the entrance of the harbor, commenced
to let off steam and backed and filed 10
maintain bis position until morning. About
O'Clock muddy wafer was seen, which
strengthened the idea thai the ship was off
the barboT. At sunrise the fog still coniin-
ued, and seemed even TO increase. Objects
could not be discerned the length Of the
ship. The captain still continued to back
and fill, and was standing on the starboard
wheel house about O'Clock, when steer
age passenger came running aft crying that
the land was just ahead. On peering thro'
the fog an immense bluff, that seemed 10
tower to the skies, presented itself within
few yards. An effort was made 10 avoid
il, but on turning, another bluff equally lofty
opposed itself. At this moment the ship
struck broadside on 10 the beach, and the
surf dashing against her side made her roll
violently From time TO time the passen-
gers could feel her strike on the rocks.-
The instant she grounded, Mr.. Bowling, the
first officer, with great inIepidity, leaped
overheard with cable and dashing through
the water, made the ship fast to the cliff
This secured her. The confusion on board
was at first very great, and several Of the
passengers seized hold Of the cable which
was made fast 10 the stern, and attempted 10
run down it to the shore. Some few sc.
complished this, but order was soon restored
and the passengers became reassured.
The passengers were all safely landed
The mail on board is very heavy, there be-
ing no less than two hundred bags When
Mr.. Whiting lel1, at IL O'Clock, about a
dozen bags had been brought ashore. II
was expected that all would be saved Al low
tide.
An hour before the Tennessee struck the
souhdings showed eight fathoms, and few
moments before, six hlhoms. Strange to
say, no one on board heard the surf until
they were in il. The escape Of all on board
ia Provdentisl. We are informed that had
the shi struck thirty yards ahead or asiem
of the position she did, not a soul could
have been saved. Just in front Of her is an
enormous cliff several hundred feet high,
against which she would have been dashed
to pieces. About the same distance aslern
is another equally lofty. By The most for
tunate chance she struck in narrow beach,
forming a SORT Of gap between these two en-
inences.
We learn that there is but little hope Of
getting the Tennessee or She is settling
fast into the sand, and the breakers at high
water are daShing against her.
immediately on receiving intelligence Of
these facts, Capt. Knight, the Agent Of the
p, NJ. Steamship Company, chartered the
steamers Goliah and Confidence and des-
patched them yesterday afternoon TO the re-
lief Of the Inflated vessel.
LATER--STATEMEN BY ouR MARINE
REPoRrrR.-The place where the Tennes-
see went ashore was in Indian Cove, about
four miles to the norihward of the Heads,
during dense fog, at half.past nine O'Clock
Sunday morning. Fortunately, she struck
on a mail sandy beach had she been 600
yards eithe. north or south Of it, il Is proba.
bic she would Immediately have gone 10
pieces. There being n smooth sea, Captain
Mellus succeeded first in landing tbs ladies,
then the mails and express matter, and
finally the whole Of the passengers, some
two hundred Of whom walked over 10 Sau-
celtic, and were 10 be brought over in the
steamer Confidence.
LArEsT.-A steam tug reached the wharf
about ten O'Clock list night from the Ten
ncssee, and reports the latter not more than
two or three feet in the sand, and the sea
quiet. II was hoped, If this favorable state
If ihinoq rontin,Ycd that the EoEah ,,,;oht