New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-11
WRECK OF THE YANKEE BLADE.
p1,RTHER PARTICULARS.
Interesting Letter from one Of the PASSENGER

letter was written by Mr.. Hart 10 hrs wife, now
in Brooklyn, and 10 OF tina. familiar nature which
an afectionate husband might be expected to
write to bis wife after such an escape from salp-
wreck. and cannot be given entire, but the fol-
lowing is the substance of that part which relates
70 the sad scenes Of the wreck:
On Sunday at IL O'Clock, we had made about i7o
miles Of our long journey toward the friends ieit 90
anxious once more TO meet. At O'Clock wen' 70
the Office to settle for the passage OF mao I'd en-
gnged On servant md there met Capt Randall, VINO
invited me to 20 to the saloon aud drink with MN.
He remarked that we we're making fine headSsy-
that we were running thirteen revolutions minute
and at that speed while VIC we're taking rshp "eat
uron the rocks without one moments warning TO the
crowd Of human beings upon her deck, WIZ ri-d'l
ont Of the cabins 70 the open deck IN tne Widest
alarm and with r, ason too for there we were fixed
fairly mpaled upon sharp rocks, IN the midst OF the
flaming b,sakeys; no one knew where; and the fog
90 thick that we could the high rocky shore
mile distant In fact, so dense was the fog, thai We
could see nothing beyond the deck but mist and
water. I was q time for alarm and scene OF terri
bic confusion
IL found the ship was fest sinking, and ran back
10 my state room for lifepeserver. IL was already
appropriatod. ] then hurried to the forward caoin,
where there should have been an ample supply, but
al were already gone; not one was to be had, and
perheps not one in ten of the passengers were pro-
yided.
As soon as the ship struck, Capt. Randall left,
az be said to find land. He found it, and found 1t
convenient 70 stay on IT, The fr-t and second mates
also left with other boas, and then we we're left with
no officer on board but the third mate, old Scotch
,,tof Tho fa of III.
passepeers who were driven from the cabins aft, by
the water and had to all hubble forward, TO the nu
Der of full eleven hundred men, and children,
as thick as they could stand. A great many, wild
with alarm thinking they were abandoned by the Of
fcers TO me.ciless fate went overheard, in the vain
hope of being able to swim ashore. OF course, all
who ATTEMPTED il were lost. The number that were
aboard was unknown, and of course, the the nlmber
that have peished, or their names, can never be as
certained.
1.-THE old Scotchman assured us that the ship could
not sink any lower she lay firm on the rocks, only
moving slightly with the waves and grinding q ray
her bottom at every notion but in 10 immediate IAN
ger Of going to pieces Satisfied with this, and in
company with two friends we sat down by the wheel
house patiently TO await life or death as fate might
decree II was no use to try 10 take of the re-
meinng boats, rs We did not know the way ashore.
While sitting here witnessed most heart-rendnS
scene party loaded one Of the boats upon the da-
Wits, with men and women, but in attempting to lower
away one Of the blocks f,uled, and the other end
went down, pitching everybody into the water with
an accompaniment Of terrific shrieks, both from the
ship and boat. twas said that all saved, though
one women Yves badly hurt. The boat was righted
and filed again, and in going ashore, was swam2ed,
and four persons drowned.
Passengers now began TO give up all hope, and
were seeking out friends, and bidding each other
goodbye and sending mutual tokens of remembrance
TO those they loved if eii err should survive. These
were sonoW full houIs, never TO be forgotten. That
word, good bye, is hard one TO say upon such In
occasion 1t is dreadful to think that every surge
feel may carry us where we never can see those we
love again. Some of the boats now began to return
and reported the shore not far Off but very difficult to
Lend and that it nothing but bare rocks inland,
high and steep. The women were TO be first taken
off, but it was a slow process and the boat lay
very uneasy, and threatened to 90 to pieces under
orr feet, and if not, expected every moment when
the snoke.sack would be shaken down upon our
heads crushir many to death in its fall. Some Of
The passengers went TO work making rate, to which
they might cling like the drowning to his straw.
lone ofmy friends jumped overheard, and swan
10 one OF Inc DOats, ana NncH saw MN plcheU up,
felt sad 10 think had not followed his example
as | was a good swimmer, and began TO despair Of
life, if / stuck TO the wreck as there was such
crowd of people to be saved by the boats. l then
determined that would take that course the next
boat that came off, as / could not see any other
chance for me to get away from the place occupied
1t was now getting dark, and the night damp,
and very chilly, and there the most of that crowd
must reman Xoosed all NIGHT If the wreck shonlI
hold together. Some of the weakest might have
found shelter in the forward cabin but the strongest
had possession, and ii was said, would not let 9TH
els enter
Just about dark a boat came, and my friend and
thought would try and get on board and jumped
down to the lower deck for that purpose, but hun
dIeds were ahead Of us, and cIept back sgaiu to
our old place. l was now suffering very much with
cold, for, when expected to save my life by SWIM
ming, had pulled off my long coat boots &c, hav-
ing nothing but shirt and pants. | knew | must
perish if l remained on the wreck, as cannot with-
stand such exposure and l said to my friend: VIII
you go with me, if will try for my life the next
boat He said; Yes, l will stick by you |
thought if could get hold of the gunwae of boat,
could swim lahore. When the two lat boats ime,
we clipped down sgain to the lower deck, and SAID
come, and pitched into the and swan for a'boat.
II was so dark that could hardly see, but sailor
put out an oar and finally drew board the boat
l thought bad missed my friend, bu, afterwari
found that he had been able to jump the boat it
cans near the guards; and fortunate it was for me-
as he was dry, and OF great service in keeping
ne warm. j do think / should have persisted that
terrible night if il had not been for him.
When we got ashore We clambered up the steep