Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-11-12
Wasbingtnn gentinel,
FROM CALIFORNIA.

Loss Of the Yankee Observation-Disclosures OF
the Disaster-Purser's Statement-lnci-
dents ON Board and on Shore.
. The California papers contain extended &C
following statement Of the purser of that yes
sci gives the particulars of the catastrophe:
EDITOR TINES AND TRANSCRIPT The indie
pendent steamship Yankee Blade, Henry Ran
dali, commander, sailed from San Francisco,
September 30, at p. m, with 500 passengers,
and $l53,000 in specie Passed the Heads at
P. m. AT 9.o'clock same evening, passed
steamer on the starboard beam. October l,
at 81 p. M, being encompassed in dense fog,
steering s. E. by s., and supposing ourselves
at least ten miles from shore, fifteen miles
above Point Conception, on which the ship run
upwards Of sixty feet while her stern swung
in nine fathoms of water, which in less than
twenty-five minutes, sunk below the promenade
deck, but so firmly was her forward part en-
bedded in the rocks, that up to the time left
the ship, about p. m, on the I'd, she had not
receded an inch. AS soon as we were dis
covered to be in danger, the officers of the
deck launched out, and manned the boats,
and proceeded at once to get the ladies and
passengers ashore. And here it is just to OBJ
serve that great appreciation is due to Captain
Randall for his promptness in going on shore
to find 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 serious man
ner in which he urged the men on shore to re-
turn with the boats to the wreck when they
they displayed every desire to desert him, and
for sending his son Henry Randall, jr. to sup
ply 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 order as could be OBJ
tanned under such exciting circumstances
While the boats were being lowered, the
chief steward, storekeeper, and some men,
went below and broke out large quantity of
provisions, which were sent to the upper for
ward deck. The purser prepared to save the
ships papers and valuables in his possession
belonging to the passengers, which have all
been safely delivered to their owners But on
going below 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 six inches per minute
consequently no one dared descend to the
vault, which he locked and returned to the
deck to save what he could of the express
matter. He succeeded in getting forward, and,
in company with some stout hearts, watched by
and pillaging the ship, and it was reported, al
though not supposed to be true, that man had
been murdered in the lower forward deck.
Before dark the promenade deck and houses
ait Of the shaft had all washed away, and
others were torn down to form RATS in readi-
ness for immediate departure in case Of sud
den break, for we knew not how soon gale
might strike the ship and batter her timbers in
piecemeas to the waves
Night coming on, and the fog, which had for
a short time disappeared, again set in, the
boats were stopped running, not being able TO
find the shore, and the terror 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 decks, and the hoarse
orders Of the third officer and Mr.. Randall,
there arose the loud accents of ardent and de-
spairing prayers; confusion in the widest
sense prevailed, for there were those who had
prepared to swim ashore, stifened with the
cold; those who had sought to drown their
fears in the frequent ibations of the ardent
while some with calm resignation had prepared
themselves for the worst, and awaited their fate
in peace. Thus we passed the dismal night,
made still more solemn by the church like toll
ing Of the bell, which seemed to beck us on to
our funeral.
The boat the first officer commanded, with
thirty-one souls, mostly females, was stranded
and all with the exception Of himself and three
others, who were thrown on the beach appa
rently lifeless, were lost. Here would record
an instance of female energy seldom equalled
even in the annals Of the revolution. A Mrs
Jane Elwell, who had exerted herself by going
into the water alongside Of the boats and car
rying the ladies ashore, saw the almost lifeless
bodies or two ladies, and said to a young man
"You take one and I'll take another" and shf
picked up one of the bodies and placed it on
her shoulder and carried ii up an almost per
pendicular bluff to spot where they hac
found a camp, and built fires, and afterwards
together with many other ladies, stripped OF
all her under clothes and gave them TO the ex
bausted men.
During the night number ofbodies washed
ashore, among others female with chile
clasped in her arms, the wife Of Mr.. Brennan
who, as an extraordinary instance Of devoted
love, went on shore with spade in hand-duf
up his wife and child--kissed them-prayet
over them, and then reburied them.
At daybreak the boats were again set in mo
ton, when Mr.. Hewitt came on board, and al
though much bruised, bis stout heart never for
saken him, RECOMMENDED the discharge Of hi.
duties VIII hstOnlsnlng energy
Ateight, a. m, our hearts we're made glad
by the appearance Of steamer on our larboard
quarter, which proved TO be the Golish, Samuel
Haley, esq, commander, who, as if by kind
dispensation Of Providence, appeared sent tc
our relief; for, had we depended upon our owr
boats, large number would have been lost
as we could not have got ashore that day, ant
that night the wreck went to pieces, so nothing
in the morning was seen but a shell Of the
stern, which had separated and turned bot
tom up.
To Captain Haley, we feel il particular
duty to extend our thanks for his promptness
in sending boats TO our rescue, and receiving
six hundred Of our number on board his
steamer, in which we we're taken to San Diego
whittier she was bound, where FIVE hundred
and thirty-six we're left until a steamer could
be sent TO bear them on their homeward
coast.
Before leaving the wreck, we sent on shore
all the provisions to be found, awning and
poles for tents, beds, bedding, clothing, &c.
for the use Of those that remained, whom il
was found necessary 10 leave, as the Golial
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