Worcester daily spy., 1854-11-11
Loss OF THE YANKrE BLADE.

The following is the official report of the
wreck of the Yankee Blade, for which we are
indebted to Purser Vought:
The steamship Yankee Blade, Henry Ran
dali, Esq, Commander sailed from San Fran
CISCO, Sept. 30th, at 4 o'clock, P. NJ, with
eight hundred passengers, and $l63,000 in
specie. Oct. lst at 8 l-2 o'clock, P. NJ, be-
ing encompassed in dense fog, and suppos-
ing ourselves at least ten miles from shore, we
struck reef ofrocks off Point Aguello, about
fifteen miles above Point Conception, upon
which the ship ran upward ofsixty feet, while
her stern swung in nine fathoms of water,
which in twenty-five minutes sunk below the
promenade deck but SO firmly was the for
ward part imbedded in the rocks that up to
the time we left the ship (about P. NJ. on
the I'd inst.) she had not receded an inch.
AS soon as we discovered our danger the
officers of the deck launched and manned the
boats, and proceeded at once to get the ladies
and other passengers on shore. Great appro-
baton is due Capt. Randall for his prompt
ness in going OH shore to find proper place
to land his passengers, in taking charge of one
of the boats himself. and beaching it success
fully when that of the first officer was strand
ed-for the anxious manner i'll which he urg-
ed the hands on shore to return to the wreck
with the boats when they displayed every de-
sire to desert him-and for sending his son,
Henry Randall. Jr., to supply his place on
the wreck in which capacity he Henry ac-
quilted himself in manner far beyond his
years, inspiring all hearts with hope, and
preserving as much order as could be preserv-
ed, d,under such exciting circumstances.
The purser prepared to save the ships pa
pers and the valuables left in his possessisn
belonging to passengers, which have all been
safely delivered to their owners. But, on 60
ing below about ten minutes after the ship
struck, he found the specie covered with five
feet of water, and so rapidly was she filing,
that the water rose in the stern at the rate of
six inches per minute, consequently no cne
dared descend to the vault, which he locked,
and returned to the deck to save what he
could of the express matter, etc., which he
succeeded in getting forward, and in COM
pany with some stout hearts, watched by it
all night, while desperadoes were rummaging
and pillaging the ship, and it was reported,
although not supposed to be true, that man
had been murdered on the lower forward
deck.
Before dark the promenade deck and hous-
es of the shaft had all washed away and
others were torn down to form RATS in readi-
ness for immediate departure, IN case OF a sud-
den crash.
Night coming on, and the fog, which had
for a short time disappeared, again setting I'M
the boats were stopped running, not being
able to find the shore, and the terrors Of our
situation began to stare lis in the face ; for,
amid the bowling of the wind, the roaring of
the waves as they broke upon the deck, and
the hoarse orders of the third officer and Mr..
Randall, there arose the loud accents of ar
dent and despairing prayer. Confusion, in
the widest sense, prevailed, for there were
those who had prepared to swim ashore, stiff
fleming with the cold-those who had sought
to drown their fear IN too frequent libations OF
the ardent-while some, with calm resigna-
ton, had prepared themselves for the Worst,
had awaited their fate in peace. Thus we
passed the dismal night-Inade still more
solemn by the church-like tolling of the bell,
which seemed to beck us on to our funeral.
The scene on shore was equally painful;
the boat the first officer commanded, with 2l
souls, mostly females, was stranded, and all,
with the exception OF himself, and three 9TH
eIs, who were thrown upon the beach, appar-
emily lifeless, were lost; and here would re-
cord an instance of female energy seldom