The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-11-16
TOTAL LOSS OF THE YANKEE BLADE.
Eight Hundred Passengers in PeriI-From Thirty
to Forty Lives Lost-Official Report.

STEAMSHIP GoLIAB, at Sea, Oct. 6, 1854.
The independent steamship Yankee Blade.
Henry Randall, Esq, Commander, sailed from
San Francisco, September both, at o'clock
p. NJ, with eight hundred passengers, and
$685. in spece-passed the Heads at )
o'clock, and at o'clock the same evening saw
n steamer on the starbOard beam, supposed to
be the Uncle Sam or John l.. Stevens.
October LIST, at . o'clock p. NJ, being en-
colnpassed i'll a dense fog, steering southeast
by south, and supposng ourselves at least ten
miles from shore, we struck reef of rocks off
Point Aguelo, about fifteen miles above Point
Conception, upon which the ship ran upward
of sixty feet while her stern swung in nine
fathons of water, which in twenty-five minutes
sunk below the promenade deck but so firmly
was the forward part imbedded in the rocks,
that mp to the time we left the ship, (abOut 4
p. NJ on the ID instant) she had not receded
an inch
AS soon as we discovered our danger, the of
fcers of the deck launched and manned the
boats, and proceeded at once to get the ladies
| and other passengers on shore. And here it is
but justice to observe that great appreciation is
due Captain Henry Randall for his promptness
in going on shore to find a proper place to land
his passengers. in taking charge of one of the
boats himself, and Bleaching it successfully,
when that of the first officer was stranded--fOr
the anxious manner in which he urged the
hands on shore to return to the wreck with the
boats, when they displayed every desire to de
sert him-and for sending his son, Henry Ran
dali, jr., to supply his place on the wreck, in
| which capacity he Henry acquitted himself
in manner far beyond his years, inspiring all
| hearts with hope, and preserving as much or
| der as could be preserved under such exciting
circumstances.
While the boats were being lowered, the
chief steward and storekeeper went below with
| gang of men, and broke out large quantities
| of provisions, which were sent on the upper
| forward deck. The purser prepared to save the
| ships papers and the valuables left in his pos
| session belonging TO passengers, which have all
| been safely delivered to their owners. But, on
| going below about ten minutes after the ship
struck, he found the specie covered with five
feet of water and so rapidly was she filling, that
| the water rose in the stern at the rate of six
| inches per minute consequently, no one dared
| descend to the vault, which he locked, and re-
| turned to the deck to save what he could of the
| express matter, &C., which he succeeded in get
| ting forward, and in company with some stout
hearts watched by it all night, while despera-
does were rummaeing and pillaging the ship, and
| it was reported, although not supposed to be
| er forward deck.
| Before dark, the promenade deck and houses
! aft the shaft had all washed away, and others
| were torn down to form RATS in readiness for
| immediate departure, in case of a sudden crash.
| for we knew not how soon a gale might strike
| the Ship and scatter her timbers in piecemeal
| on the waves.
Night coming on, and the fog, which had for
| short time disappeared, again setting In, the
| boats were stopped running, not being able TO
| find the shore, and the terrors of our situation
| began to stare us in the face for amid the
bowling of the wind, the roaring of the waves
as they broke upon the deck and the hoarse or
ders of the third officer and Mr.. Randall, there
arose the loud accents of ardent and despairing
prayer. Confusion, in the widest sense, pre-
vailed, for there were those who had prepared
to swim ashore, stiffening with the cola--tnose
who had sought to drown their fear in too fire.
quent libatiOns of the ardent while some, with
calm resignation had prepared themselves
for the worst, had awaited their fate in peace.
Thus we passed the dismal night--made still
more solemn by the church-like tolling of the
belis which seemed to beck us on to our fune
raj.
The scene on shore was equally painful; the
boat the first officer commanded, with twenty
one souls, mostly females, was stranded, and ALL
with the exception Of himself and three Others,
who we're thrown upon the beach, apparently
lifeless, We're lost; and here would record al
instance of female energy seldom AS..ualled.
even In the annals of the revc,,,ut;on. Mrs.
Jane Eiiweii. whS c nad exerted herself by going
,". me water alongside of the boats, and carry.
ing the ladies' ashore, saw the almost lifeless