The Portland daily press., 1870-10-31

The LOSS OF THE STEAMER CoNTINEN-
tai, at the mouth of the Gulf of California,
Sept. goth, has already been reported by tele-
graph, but the following interesting details of
the disaster are given by an officer of the
steamer Colorado, which took off the saved
passengers and crew from Cape St. Lucas, on
the 9th of October:
The Continental teft Mazatlan on her re
turn trip to San Francisco, September 9th
On the same night, while crossing the Gull OF
California she encountered severe gale. For
some time it blew perfect hurricane, the
wind coming IRON every quarter of the COM
pass. The ship labored heavily in the heavy
chopped sea, and several leaks were sprung.
For time the steam pumps kept even, but
the coal boxes parted, letting the coal loose,
which. getting into the pumps, effectualIy
closed them. The passengers and crew com
mence1 bailing aud throwing the cargo of
salt, which was 10 bulk, and hides, etc., into
the sea. They worked incessant for twelve
hours, but were unable to keep the water
from rising in the hold. Until the fires were
extinguished. strong hops were entertained
of saving the vessel. The scene now was
said to have been one of the widest excite
ment. Men threw their gold into the ocean,
and, in despair, cried to heaven for aid. Very
'CW IduiCo WCIC dLuOuS tuc pdSSeUgcFS. Lille
preservers were used, in which they jumped
into the small toats. Orders we're given to
take the boats during the night OF the 10Th,
and they remained in close proximity to the
steamer till 9 A. NJ, of the Both, when they
left her TO her fate. 1t is supposed she went
down on the night OF the 3Oth. On the morn
ing of the 1st, no signs of the vessel we're dis
ernaOle. Don RubcOn, one of the wealthiest
citizens of MAJ ,tlan, aud bis dauehter were
among the passengers. Tue daughter was
safely put in one of the boats, aud she prayed
her father to join her; but he persistently re-
fused to leave the vessel. Those ouboard ap-
pear to have clung to the ship with mad des-
pnratiOn amOui ting to frenzy. The steward
ess was among those who remained on The
ship. A Mexican lady with two children
could mol be induced to join the boats; Mex
ican boy took the two children aud jumped
overheard. and reached the boat with both
bis charges safe. The provisions were put in
to the boats. One sardine each and little
apple jelly was all that any of them had dur
ing the time they remained in the boats The
Ossipee picked up three men who were found
floating on raft in the vicinity of the wreck
Seven persons perished on the steamer, and
one man was crushed between the small boat
and the side OF the steamer. the six boats
only three of them landed at St. Lucas, the
three others were driven up the coast. two of
them 43 miles north OF the cape; from whore
they had to make their way over the burning
sands without drop of water o'Cape St. Lli-
cas-, at which place one Mr. Richards slaush-
tered some Cattle and furnished other kinds of
provisio, with liberal hand. At every
place the sufferers we're kindly cared for. DR..
S. Woodbridge OF San Francisco, attended and
nursed those who we've in feeble health
Blame is attached to Captain Dali tor desert
ing the ship during the night. The carpen-
ter makes the assertion that the timbers of
the ship were rotten and unsafe, and she was
at any moment liable to go to pieces.