The Shasta courier., 1854-10-14
Total Wreck Of the Yankee Blade:
GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.

ue independent slcauieT dHhec [of"ue WIS
wrecked on Sunday, the 1st inst, about 24 p.
NJ, by running upon rocks near Point Concep-
tion, in fog. Soon after she struck it became
apparent that she must be wrecked, when the
boats, four in number, were at once lowered to
take the passengers ashore. One OF them was
Immediately swamped, and fifteen Of the twenty
persons in ber were lost. Soon after another
met with the same fate, and some Of her passen-
gers perished. Only two boats were now left
to rescue some eight or ten hundred souls and
night fast closing. and the wind rising!
We copy from the Herald OF the 10th:
When it became known that the boats were
on the eve of leaving the ship for the last time
that night, many o. the passengers became fran
tic, and in their eagerness to get on board the
boats, long after they were full, jumped from
the deck into the sea- struggled to get hold Of
the wale-gurgied and went down. 1t is
supposed that large number of unfortunates
lost their lives in this way. Solee, in despera-
ton, jumped overheard and tried tc swim
ashore, but duck could not live in such sea.
and they soon sunk to rise more. Our infor-
mants estimate the number of lives lost as at
least one hundred end fifty, some say two hum
dred-far more than reported by the Purser.
After the boats had stopped running, and
ight with all It's horrors had set in, the scene
upon the wreck was horrible beyond expression
All the after part of the ship and the lower
steerage were under water. Upon the forward
deck, and in the upper steerage, were crowded
nearly three hundred souls. wet by the surf that
broke over them and chilled to the marrow by
the cold. All that dismal night they huddled
together, expecting every moment that the hulk,
which was guiverng and creakipg at every
dash of the WAVES, wcpld go to pieces and
launch them ia eternity.
No sooner had the boat struck, than large
band of men, armed to the teeth, consisting of
notorious shoulder strikers and ruffians from this
city, and portion of the fremen and crew OF
the ship rushed below and commenced pill
laying the baggage. They burst into the state
roo,as, ripped open carbet bags and trunks,
pundered them of all the money and yaluables
they found, and cast the rest aside or overheard.
They displayed knives aud revolvers. and
threatened the lives of all who attempted to in
terft re with them, or who even made effort
to get at their own baggage. Alter The rise Of
the water drove them out OF the cabin. they be-
took themselves to the upper steerage, OF which
they took complete possession, and commenced
course of wild riot. They got hold of the IL
quors-many of them drank themselves furi-
ously drunk-ransacke all the luggage-ob-
tanned large amount of gcld--attacked beat
came indeed band oil niuriate fiends. TLey
stationed guard at the gangway to prevent HE
better portion OF the passengers from coming
down. Some OF the passengers attempted To
force their way in when they were dreadfully
cut with knives and bottles, and even their per-
robbed of their watches and valuaEIes.
This scene c,n inued nearly all night To-
wards midnight three shots were fired, the
lights were instantly extinguished, cries Of
murder" were heard and shortly after at
least thirty more shots were fired. There is
every reason to believe that several OF the pas
sengers were thus murdered
Some intelligent passengers freely express
the belief that the loss of this noble ship was
contrived in San Francisco by the 3" shoulder
strikers" some of whom shipped as hands, and
many OF whom went as passengers. Among
them were Jim Turner and the crowd of bis as
socrates, of whom the citizens were rejoicing
they had gotten rid. The cruelties commit
ted by these men at such time almost exceed
belief.
During the night of which we have been
speaking, the wind and sea rose, and by o.
clock IN the morning both guards broke for
ward OF the wheelhouse and the teremast sunk
through the keel. BY o'clock the boats from
the shore again came alongside, and continued
to land the passengers. Between and 9-o'-
clock, the Goliah hove in sight, discernible not
tudu quarter Oh u mile through the
fog AS soon as she was seen, a shout of 10Y
burst from the untortunates who crowded the
decks OF the Blade. and hundreds of shots were
fired TO express their delight and attract the at
tentlon OF the Goliah. The latter approached
as near the wreck as possible, rounded to,
launched her four boats and commenced taking
the passengers off the Blade by means of rope
suspended from the jib-boom. By o'clock in
the afternoon she had them all on board, abou,
IN haI an oh. .,,,1 it'd g. ~
On getting on board the Goliah, the passengers
were destitute of everytLing--tbe ladies were
wet aud chilled, Sut through the eager kindness
OF the ladies and gentlemen, passengers on the
Goliah, they were supplied with dry clothes and
made as comfortable as possible. They were
landed safely at San Diego, where they were
well taken care of and when the Go iah left,
were we'll quartered and comfortable. On Sa-
turday morning. when the Golial returned TO
the wreck, nothing was TO be seen but the
wheel-house and portion OF the stern turned
mp. The Golah took off those passengers and
the crew who had been put shore by the
boats, and brought them up to this city.
The Times and Transcript s VS. there were
Sl2 passengers, men, women and children OH
the Yankee Blade. besides crew of l22 making
in all 934 persons on board. Notwithstanding
contradictory reports, some of which estimate
the loss of life at from l01 to 200 we are salts.
he'd that not more than so perished. A great
deal OF censure is visited on Capt. Randall, on
account OF his leaving the steamer Immediately
alter she struck, while on the other hand his
conduct on shore, and the importance of fixing
upon the best place to land, find approbation-
Whether the destruction of the Yankee Blade is
the result of accident, and not to be imputed
to gross negligence on the part of those in COM
m:and remains to be Determined
W4RLIKE,=Tbe Herald of the 10th saws:
The California Guard, under the command of
Capt. I. d. Johns, assembled at their armory at
II o'clock last night, and after having prepared