Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-01-15

mizenmast, which assisted a little in steadying her
but she rolled and tumbed about al fearful rate
We had succeeded in stopping some OF the leaks
and ~ tightening the vessel TO a considerable ex
tent, by throwing over provisions and coal. The
ship was also very much relieved by cutting of
the timber OF her guards, upon which the sea broke
heavily, lifting her decks every time il broke.
We had now Thursday, the 29th) reached the
sixth day since the storm commenced. We were
about to encounter death in new form. II had
been expected we should soon be in fine weather
and that they could sleep comfortably in standee
berths on deck When the storm came, that was
impossible, and they were consequently driven
below. Crowded in narrow quarters, exposed 10
cold and wet, obliged TO be fed an insufficient
diet, IN consequence Of the loss OF the gaeys and
the impossibty of cooking for such a number, il
is no matter of surprise that disease soon made its
/ appearance The diseace more nearly than any
1 thing, assumed the form Of Asiatc choera-conn-
4 mencing with darrGa and terminating in few
i hours. Both the army surgeons having left the
charge of the sick fell upon the surgeon of the ship
10 add TO our distress, nearly all the medicine in the
ship had been either washed overheard or de-
.stroyed. The mortality was necessarily great.
/ For several days il averaged ten deaths day.
Men, woman, and children fell indiscrminately
before It, and whole families persisted in twenty
4 four hours.
During Thursday and Friday our eyes were
not gaddened by single sail.
During the night of Friday or the morning of
j Saturday the 3lst, the cheering sound rang
through the vessel that ship was at hand. A
1 light was discovered on the bow. We immediate
ly commenced firing signal guns. They were
answered by blue lights from the strange vessels
| When the morning dawned we discovered yes
! sci with English colors. She came near enough
10 speak us, but the wind was so heavy as to rem
der II quite impossible. We resorted TO kind of
Geographic communication, by writing on boards
in chalk with large letters We succeeded in
making her understand our situation, which, in
deed, was sufficiently obvious. She promised 10
Ne by US. This intelligence cheered every heart.
The weather during Saturday and Sunday was
/ too rough to attempt 10 lower boat There was
| too, another dilemma. The English ship had but
one reliable boat, the long boat. We had none at
| all. Of the nine splendid boats with which we
| left New York. not one remained Captain Wat
kins, not to be overcome by any difficulty, COM
menced the construction of RATS. They seemed
but frail dependence, and provdeniially they
We're not needed Other means of relief were at
hand. On Monday, the Cd of January, the sea
camed SO much that towards evening the English
ship lowered her yawl boat, and our second mate
Mr.. Grattan, went on board of her.
On Tuesday, the Sd OF January, our hearts were
gladdened by another sail, under American colors.
she came near enough to speak her, and we
learned that she was the Antartic three days out
from New York, bound Tor Liverpool. She had
i've good boats. And after enduring the agony Of
suspense for SO many days il seemed that the hour
| Of our deliverance had al last arrived. With the
aid Of the Antartics boats we could all be con-
veyed on board the Engli sh ship, now ascertained
to be the Three Bells, Captain Creighton, OF Gas-
gov, bound for New York. The Bells had expe-
rlenced much rough weather, and was leaky.s On
Tuesday evening we succeeded in putting SER
geant and file Of soldiers on board to work the
pumps. On Wednesday morning the 4th Janua-
ry, the work Of dsembarking commenced in car
nest. The sick. of whom there was large mum.
Der, and some In dying condition, were wrapped
in blankets, brought on deck, and lowered care
fully into the boats. Casks of water were lowered
down and towed on board the Bells. Bread and
bacon, and other provisions, were sent off, BY
evening much of the work had been accomplished,
II was found necessary, however, in consequence
Of the shorness of provisions on board The Bells,
TO divide our numbers between the two ships.
Lieutenant Winder and Chandler with about i40
soldiers embarked on the Antartic for Liverpool
Captain Watkins also determined to accompany
that portion of our number
Thursday morning, the 9Th, rose upon us
bright and beautiful. The sea was calm, the wind
gentle. It is day which will ever live in my
memory. BY noon the work of discriminating and
re-embarking was complete. Every man, woman
and child had left the ship. Our captain was the
last on board. He saw every officer, every sailor
every fireman, end every negro waiter, Of whom
there were forty fifty, safely in the boats, then
lowered himself down, and the boat pulled away.
He was rowed alongside the Three Bells, where
he was greeted with nine hearty cheers, and then
pulled away for the Antarctic. The San Francis
CO had, by his orders, been scuttled and we could
see her settling gradually deeper into the water
When the Three Bells Left the wreck she was
in latitude 80 and longitude SO CO. about GOO miles
| from New York We encountered a great deal Of
northeastery wind, and our progress was slow
| until Wednesday, the 1lth of January, when we
were favored with stiff breeze from the south.
east, which drove us rapidly on and on Thursday
afternoon we were of soundings. Towards even
ing il grew thick and the captain tearing to ven
ture too far in, stood off and on till morning
Friday dawned bright and fair. We signallcd
for pilot and then steamtug and at 5 p M.
we were at anchor off the Battery.
i cannot close a communication alreadytoo long
without two or three remarks. And in the first
place. 10 Captain Robert Creighton, of the rood
ship Three Bells, feel that every one of us who
were rescued by his instrumentality owe debt OF
gratitude which can never be repnid. For NV
part, shall ever love and honor him as noble
specimen of generous and true-hearted British
sailor He merits, and trust he will receive
rich reward. a5 's
In the next place. Major Wyse and his Junior
officers, Messrs. Winder and Chandler are, in nv
opinion, deserving of great credit for their conduct
and efficiency after they were left by their superior
officers. Major Wyse, on whom the responsibility
of the burthen chiefly fell, is more particularly de-
serving of praise. Day and night he watched
over the soldiers with paternal soicitude, minis
tered TO their wants, and encouraged them when
sinking with despair. Surely such conduct is
equally deserving Of promotion as gallantry in the
field.
Two remarks as to the causes Of the awful dis
aster and have done In the first place, the ship
was sent to sea without having tried her engines.
She had, indeed tried them in the smooth waters
OF the bay, but her first encounter with the stormy
pillows Of the Atlantic proved them no more to
be depended on than broken reed.
In the second place, she was far too deeply
laden. Her paddle wheels had so much dip as to
cause great strain upon her shaft and engines.
True, she might in any case have encountered
the storm had she not been dismasted and dam
aged in her upper works, and had her engines
proved true, she could have reached a port in
safety. B.
Statement Of Major +. o. Wyse.
Major Wyse, of the United States army who
arrived at this port yesterday in the British ship
Three Bells, states that the steamer San Francis
co was struck by a tremendous sea when she was
two days out upon her voyage, and distant about
four hundred miles from New York.
The shock of this stroke caused the condenser
oil the engines to give out, and so completely dis
arranged the machinery TO render the ship COM
pletey helpless, and placed her at once al the