New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-04-26

M schce wlyeron VI Allan Mr Dammi1s Nr Wioa. NJ
Nr Pierce. A. J. Eli. srd say, W, " Blend 5 $ Bind s
Mr M,Snl mT wion Mt H;h ard .51 M snydsr Col Ross
GeT E..s 6 Gy Ms Joy VT W t G. Ban W. Rsed
M Jones Mr Ay' Der 1 H. T, Te d y5 Si Ms MS
" ho N B nr Cfe G nHd hrsd oes m
We are indebted the ob-ng Purser Of the STIR of the
West and to Adams Il Co and Berfori & Co.'S Expresses
for the prompt delivery Of our California files
srutcment of Capt sampson.
To the Fditoy # The san Frase''oo Herald:
am under painful necessity of reporting the loss Of
the steamer IndePt ndence lately under my command
her passage from san Juan del sud to this port and about
ore hundred and twenty-five lives consisting Of the plsseu
gers and fifteen of the She was lost on the Island of
Marearta of the coast Of Lower California Alter leaving
Acapulco we reuced strong breezes from w to "
Passed Cape s.. Lucas the morning of 18th Feb At
70 o'clock ~ Of tie 18Th were in lat % OF ~ lon ITO
42W: stored y W by WV. per compass, intending to
90 to the westward of Margarita Island On the morning
Of the 10Th at O'Clock A. NJ made the maw land to the
eastward Of the Island having been st nshore by the
current Altered the course to : w. A2 4 W. made the
Island Of Margara the south point bearing W by s per
compass then altered the course to w : W intended
10 give the point berth of three niles but owing to
haze over the land deceived in tie distance. At
sI5 lust rs day beginning to break, she struck
sunken reef extending off from the south point of the
Island about a mile from the shore. The very
smooth the time not breaking the reef at ALL Backed
the engine and she off examined the hold and found
that she filing rapidly; knew that should have to
beach her TO keep her from sinking got sail over the bow
under herr to try to stop the leak and set gang of
at work each hatchway baing and along the west
side of the Island close in to find good place to put her
ashore Told the Engineer to let me know five minutes
before the water would be up high enough to put out the
fires When we had run about four miles the Engineer
came up and reported the water nearly to the fires and
that they would be exnguished in few minutes Put the
helm hard port and her ashore in small the
: W side of the island head Lowered boat, and
sent the mate and two men in her 10 line ashore to
the beach which about hundred yards distant bur
the boat preached to and swamped in the surf Low
cred another boat and three in her with another
line which they succeeded in getting ashore now
famed that the ship fire Told the Engineer take
his men and put out the fire if possible Ordered the other
two boats to be lowered and to forward, and the
women and children to 10 the forward glngwav
loaded both boats with and children, and them
ashore. The ship had swung round broadsde on.
The mate and two of with the boat that took the
line ashore and she was Immediately loaded with women
and children and went ashore with them The fire origin
ated the furnaces II necessary after the steamer
struck on the reef wood and boards for fuel order
To keep up until she struck the beach when the
water high stop the draft from the lower hues
which forced open the furnace doors and flames rushed
and caught The wood work in the reroom and also around
hesmoke stack thence spreading very rapidly Every
was made 10 get the fire under but of avail The flames
vorenow coming up from the hatchways fire room, engine
ROOM venaors and around the smoke stack every thing
was CONSERVATION and dismay the people seemed com
pletcy bewldered and jumping overheard by doz
ems The scene was perfectly horrible and ndescriblbe
men, women and children screechng crying and drowning
ordered the spars, matches tables and every thing that
would float to be thrown overheard which done. and
they were Immediately covered with people. About an
hour after the ship struck the beach, she in perfect
sheet of fame and there board of her except
one Of the coal passers named Beaumont and myself The
smoke stack had fallen and the promenade deck forward
had tumbled in the flames coming out of the side
lights and it impossible to stay board any longer
boat of from the shore with two of the dechands
in her. Beaumont who the fore rigging jumped
into her, and jumped overheard swan TO her, and com
mencing picked mp those who aioat After picking up
three boat loads Thomas Heen, the steward succeeded
in launching another boat and saving Of the people
When all that were alive had been picked up and
some Of the baggage, / landed and had the spars
which had driited ashore hauled up into rayine
and with one old sail that had washed ashore made
tent large enough to shelter the women and children
The ship was still in flames that it impossible for
anv one 70 board her | gave the Mate and Engineer
orders 10 the dead taken up above high water and
buried and to board the wreck possible and
save all the provisions and that they could then
cook boat and four men and started to pull found the
north end Of the island Magdalena Bay in search
assistance expecting 10 find some ships there. We pule
until 10 o'clock that night when not being able To see
apy vessels and knowing in what direction TO pull
landed on the north shore OF the entrance to Magdalena
Bsv hauled Up the boat and waited until daylight when
started again 10 pull the bay after pulling an
hour and a half l discovered vessel close into the
main lani pulled for and reached her II O'Clock A.
NJ found her to be the schooner A. Emery Captain Cor
don II Captain and most of the ashore look
ing for water; set a signal, and they came on board
Capt Gordon said that be had been in the Bay FIVE days
and that there other vessels in the Bay After
stating Il circumstances Of the wreck him. he nsented
10 get under way although he had but sixty gallons of
water on board at the tme and take the survivors San
Jose or Cape ~ Lucas where they could get necessaes
Of life III other could be rendered them and he
INN eda-ely got under way and commenced beating
At daylight of tie 18TH it being calm and the schooner
being ong distance from the wreck took twenty gallons
Of water and sack of bread in the boat and started for
the camp expecting TO find the people suffering for water
ss there was none on the Island tit 10 drink Arrived
abreast Of the wreck at p NJ having been gone from
there 81 hours. The surf breaking very heavily
making dangerous TO land The mate down on the
beach and said that the passengers had gone the
Island and that had better pull round the south end of the
Island 70 the other side, which did, and found the boats
and crews from the whaleships Omega James Maury
Meteor and bark Clement busy at work taking the passen
gers on board the ships which lay about twelve miles dis
,r, f,,r, ha poin of embarkation in the lower Raw