Washington telegraph., 1854-02-22
WASHINGTON, ARKANSAS, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY g.


the fuel and other heavy articles overheard.
About two days after this time, the Three
Bells. Capt. Creighton. came in sight; we
first saw his lights during the night, and fir
ed signal guns for assistance. He bore up
for us in the morning. but the sea ran so
| high we could only communicate by means
of writing questions and answers with chalk
in large letters on board. In reply to our
request 70 lay by US. he said he was short Of
provisions, and leaking badly. He yore
ship and passed US; as he did so. himself
and crew gave MS three hearty cheers as an
assurance that he would not desert us; be
assured that we replied to these demonstra-
tions no less heartily. He drew ahead and
laid his vessel to, and remained by us du-
ring the night. On the next day, having
no boats. and he only two. we made two
RATS for conveying the passengers on board
his ship, but found they could not live in
the sea that was then running On the
third night we came near losing him. On
the fourth day another sail appeared to the
windward of us, close by Tie Three Bells
and the latter signalled her. Both bore
down for us. The second ship proved to
be the Antarctic, bound for Liverpool. Both
laid by us that night, as it was too rough 10
do anything more than getting off few of
the men. On the fifth day. being fine, we
| transported all of the officers passengers.
and crew. with the exception Of the ships
| officers. engineers and fircmen, numbering
some 25 or 80 men, We also succeeded in
getting some provisions and water conveyed
on board of the Three Bells. We kept the
men at the pumps during the day and night,
and discovered and stopped her leak The
next morning we got off the remainder Of
those who were Oh the San Francisco, and
made sail for New York, and the Antarctic
sailed for Liverpool
Previous to falling in with the Three
Bells, sort Of eongestivc diarrhea broke
ont among the men on board the San Fran
cisco, owing to exposure to wet and cold,
overwork, and an undue indulgence in the
potted meats. picked cabbages, &c Those
who were seized by this disease. died in a
few hours after the attack. Corporal Smith.
of Company g. came to me and said his
child was sick the doctor visited it, and an
hour after the man himself sent for me, as
he vas dying; | went to him and ascertain
ed that such was the case Soon after |
was informed by his wife that the husband
and child were dead I had her brought
into the cabin and put into state room with
her child and sister. During the night the
mother was found dead. and she was follow
ed soon after by the other child. The sis
ter still survives. Many eases occurred and
many robust persons were seized in one
hour and died the next. About 80 persons
died upon the Three Bells.
This ship brought home l35 men, as fol-
lows: Companies G, IA; A, Is; d. 25;
l., 10; B. IA; I, u; II, L X. IS: and
s musicians The Antarctic carried Of
Lieutenants c. S. Winder and J. e. Chan
dler, together with It's non-eomniissioned
officers. women, musicians and priva,cs.
STATEMENT OF AN OFFICER ON BOARD.
The passengers from the Three Bells were
landed in state of great exhaustion, many
of them had no sound sleep for a fortnight.
The San Francisco was overloaded. and
had bad list She could not be propelled
over eight knots. Her engine proved to be
inadequate. aud finally gave cut in the air
pump at most critical point.
The conduct of Capt. Watkins is every
where cxtolled to the utmost. lie went to
England in the Antartic, with about %
others The Antarctic was well supplied
with water and provisions.
Five or six days after the disaster the
cholera broke out On board the Three Bells.
All were feeding on hard bread and water.
and suffering from cold exhaustion and ex-
posurc. Few or no medicines were at
hand, and the cases of all that were attacked
speedily closed with collapse and death
The physician in charge estimates that be-
tween so and Is died of this disease.
The whole number on board the San
Francisco when she left was $50. About
225 were put en- board the Antarctic. $50
came here in the Three Bells, about 100
are on board the Kilbv, and near 200 were
lost by being washed overheard, or died
from cholera.
cannot accord too much praise to Capt.
| Creighton and his officers for their bravery
and uniform kindness to MS unfortunates.-
They are indeed our saviours, and nothing
can possibly repay them for their self-sacr-
ficing humanity. save the warm glow of sat
isfaciion that necessarily accompanies con-
duct SO eminently humane and philanthro-
pic. SD frfg
When we arrived in port We had just ha.t
a DAVIS allowance of water. and the contn-
uance of yesterdays fog would have placed
us in desperate situation. For several
days previous we were put upon short al
lowancc of water so that you see we escap-
ed one peril, but came near suffering ano-
thcr not much less appalling. gi7
would desire to speak in terms of fit
ting commendation of worthy man who
eminently distinguished himself on board
the San Francisco; mean Sergeant Brown,
who for FIVE nights, during the most terrific