New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-01-14
NARRATIVE or LIEUT.. WINDER

NARRATIVE or LIEUT. WINDER
We indebted for the following narrative CT the &C.
crrieDces boerd the Sen Francisco Lieut. Winder
Co G. Lieut. Winder of tbs rescued passengers
who arrived yesterday board the iron ship Three Bells
Capt Creighton The account given by Iieuxs sn6er is
as follows:
We hft New York on the 2Id Of December with NEST
favorable weather Our voyage promised to be ur'
usually pleasant one for had ship whose qualities
we're Of the first order commanded by officers the noH
sble and gentemany
About nine o'clock On the morning Of tho second day
tremendous gale sprspg up which increased 70 hurricane
an about twelve O'Clock at night engines gave out
and soon after foremost carried away. The star
board wheel house was smashed in by Tremendous
and portion of the upper cabin was stove had retired
cary to my state very SICK but the water coming
into it freely concluded TIA. it would be Better to leave.
My room was situated upon the upper deck. l left my
room and out into the upper saloon The first thing
raw was four five walters holding the doors OF the
loon to prevent their being burst open by the Wind went
down into the lover cabin and found group e. persons
sitting upon mattresses the foot of the s to keep
themselves out OF the water which washing
about the cabin. l laid down upon one OF the
mattresses. and held to the bannisters to
keep my self from being dashed about the saloon soon
fell aseep how long | remained 20 cannot tell but
think ii was not long 1t daylight when was
awakened by tremendous crash followed Immediately by
large body of water rushing in food down the com
p6nion way It fell upon me- and swept twice across
the cabin and back again. with stunning violence With
desperate effort succeeded in regainng my feet and saw
some persons climbing up the steps and followed them
On reaching the deck the first sight which met my eyes
were the bodies of two men, who had been killed
by the crushing in Of the upper cabin | crawled
over one of the bodies and managed to find
my way across the deck holding various parts of the
\ ard tho audf in with w or
three officers took glance at the aspect OF affairs
never shall forget the narrowing specaceshe presented
the appearance of total wreck. under the impress
sion that she was full Of water and had settled down 0he
level OF the deck The surface Of the weter for large
space around covered with the debris OF the upper
works and holding on to these, and struggling amid the
wreck of matter were many men, | suppose $50,
attempting TO save themselves in the raging sea, by
catching at the broken tmbers. The wind was
blowing perfect hurricane, and It was with the utmost
difficulty that | held on and prevented myself from
being blown overheard Not sound was heard from the
drowning men, as they strove with all the energy of
despair 10 save themselves There they $50 human
bengs beyond the possibility Of human succor and soon
the last one sank to rise On locking around
saw Lieut. Murray of the Navy, standing at the mizzen
mast and went oft to him held on there for awhile until
the rst mate came aft for the purpose Of cutting it away
but the sea and hurricane too violent to admit of his
So doing then returned to the first position occupied
Here were three other officer one lady and chd-Mor
Wise wife and child together with Lieuts Chandler and
Ven Yoost and Drs Saerlee and Writ. We sat runinat-
ing on the prospect before u.s. and of had the
slightest hope oescape At this time several negro waters
came along with life presevers and solder brought me
one 1.-THE weather was so intensely cold and the pros
pect that our misery would only be prolonged
seemed 60 apparent that we made no use OF them The
sea was making breach at every roll and the ex
posure was go benumbing that cast about US
for shelter We discovered that there many
perons in the lower cabin, principally the ladies
of the officers we went below, and aiter|ard
induced Major Wise to bring his wife and child down also
as the ship was not in such bad condition we had anti
cpaed We found there of the ladies' together with
number of officers and children collected at the after part
of the saloon The forward part of the cabin had been
crushed in by tie force Of the tremendous already al
luded TO at each roll of the ship large bodies of water en-
tered the cabin at the crushedin part of the deck We
covered Ourselves with wet blankets for we were nearly
frozen few OF having any other clothing but our
shirts and drawers Here we remained the greater part
Of the day supposiDg would not be long ere the vessel
would sink Sometime during the evening Captain Wat
kns came into the cabin, and requested that the officers
would all 90 bang, and assist in keeping the ship
ofoat Two officers went out at time and set the men to
baing ut the engine one gang Of men be-
Mo the work all night But observation-disclosures most siren
nous endeavors the water kept gaining the pumps
having become choked The bailng kept up for ssv
era DAYS and nights during which time the violence Of the
sea gradually subsidized We then got the pumps to work
ard succeeded il keeping she ship nearly free from water
The CAPTAIN and officers by extraordinary stopped
some OF the Won't leaks around the guards and at the end
Of the beam Tie decks then temporarily repaired
by rlanking and mailing sail and oil cloths over them We
kent rees of three or four men with mattresses at each
end of the shaft to prevent the water from coming in there
About this me-for have recollection OF dates as
deemed our case hopeless and kept record Of events
We were cheered by the prospect of getting the machinery
in working order. A temporary steering apparatus
was erected and an attempt made to get the ship under
way I'd TO this time she had been rolling about msstess and
rudderless huge log upon the ocean After one or two
revolutions of the wheels the machinery gave out and all
further attempt pronounced hopeless thus were our
hopes blasted AS nothing further could be done than to
keep the pumps in operation, we followed this up Win the
most srupulous 0ssduy for severaldays when two Vessels
hove in sight and again lighted up our gloomy prospects
One Of the ships the NapoeaD came alongside We were
then tightening ship as much as possible By throwing
over provisions and heavy articles The Napoleon pro
missed to stay by Us but after picking up as many pro
visions as n. wa ted, left US during the night
We found that the ship bid fair keep aaoai and began
to take such for personal comfort as the e
ermstances would admit Of in the Say OF obtaining dry
clothing and proper food Hope again beganto dawn upon
orr prosyecs notwithstanding the extreme roaghAs's OF
tie weather Tie next visitor to cheer US wes the bark
Krbv at Boston Capt Watkins went on board and made
contact FOX the conveyance Of al the passengers to the
teert por he then called gr volunteers 10 stay By him.
~ s intended to make semp. to save his ship
Ir TN tonutes lie hrl twenty msn the number he rqured