The true Democrat., 1856-02-12
cb;p St. Dennis Foxndered at Sea.

arrived at New York on the 17th Jan, '56, hay
 ;ng on board the first mate Mr Tufts, the thir
 u3te. Mr Gardner, aud nine seamen of sh
 ,ocket ship St. Dennis, from this port, bonn
 io Hayre. who were taken from a long-b boat n
 sea on the 7th instant, in latitude 38 deg. 8
 min. longitude 72 deg, their vessel havin
 f,nndered Mir. Tufts, the chic. mate make
 the following report:
 The ship sailed from this port on the 1st inst
 for tIavre, and on the 5th took gale s. E.
 which hauled to N. w, and blew perfect hur
 rcaue, during hlch the ship sprung leak, anC
 thc .lecks filed with water. We could not ge
 to the pumps to work them. Cut away tht
 main and mlzzen masts to ease the vessel, anC
 tban discovered her fast settling forward, ana
 at r m, 9th inst, left the ship, when she i'm
 medi4tely foundered. The captain second
 mAte three cabin passengers, aud the rest of the
 rcW, remained on board and went down witt
 her. The loss numbered in all thirty-fve souls
 Mr. Turlts also reports that he was twenty. nine hours at sea Ill an open boat, with hel starboard-sde stove in, and it kept five of them continually balllng to keep her free. They had one barrel oi bread (and DO water) to subsst or during that time. On the Eth instant they were picked up by the ship Naples, Capt. Lowell, from Naples to New York, who kindly receiv- ed them all on board. The St. Dennis was commanded by Capt Folansbee and was bound hence for Havre, with cargo of grain, flour, etc.
 NAMES OF THE OFFICERS AND CREW OF THE
 SHIP ST. DENNIS.
 Captain-Alonzo Follansbee; his family re- sided in Brooklyn. First Mate-William G. Tufts, (ssved.) Second mate-James Coogan. Third Henry Gardner, (saved.) Car penter-F. Smith. Steward-C. s. Davis. colored. Stewardcss-Adalne Davis, mother of the steward. Cook-Charles l.. Potter, colored. Second Cook-Richard Henry. Sea men-James Smith, Andrew Rackliff, (saved). James Lewis, Frank Lorett, Portuguese (sav- ed) Lewis Frank, (saved), Ephram Simpkins. John B. Petty, brother of Senator Petty of New York city, William Turner, John Connolly. Henry Walsh, James McMullen (saved), John Luckany, John Bodine, Thomas Cummings. George Wilson, Duncan Logan, John Wilson, John Thompson, James Smith, Walter H. Beach, Daniel Drskell, (saved) Thomas Lee.
 John Thompson was one of tha seamen that did not go out, and Charles McSwain shipped under his name. McSwain is among the saved
 NAMES OF PASSENGERS LOST
 Cabin assengers-Fredrick F. Weiss and wife George Bratenahl, of Germany Steer age-George Baketish, Jacob Heinholdt, Paul Ludwig, Mr. Jamoo, wife, mother and child, Philip Ludwig, John Graef, Gustave Schelen- becker.
 Of the two mates and nine seamen who re- turned to this port yesterday we have the fol- lowing names: First mate, Wm c. Tufts: third mate, Henry Gardner; seamen, Andrew Rad cliff Frank Lorett James McMulen, John Thompson and Daniel Driskell The names of the other four were not obtained.
 There were four apprentices on the ship who were lost; two of them were French and two American boys, whose names could not be ob- tancd.
 NARRATIVE OF JOSEPH LEVERS.
 shipped as able seaman on board the packet ship St. Dennis for Havre; we sailed about II o'clock on Friday, the 4th of January, with twelve or thirteen passengers, and crew of tweuty-one men and four boys; we passed Sandy Hook about 3 o'clock on the afternoon of the same day, with fair wind, ship going about eight and half knots an hour; on Satur- day night, between 10 and II o'clock, we were called on deck to close reef the topsails as the wind, which had been gradually increasing dur ling the afternoon, had become very heavy; We then reeted the courses, as the wind had bugun tob blow perfect hurricane from the South- east .aui immediately after fured item; in little #WA.ie after we nad fured the courses the wind blew the fOretopsal out of the caskets into sWA4lasheS. The ship was now la6Oring very .hcAylIy, and the water barrels were all adrift on the main deck. We were ordered by the first mate to make the water barrels fast, and We went with the mate almost up to our necks lu the water to secure them; we found that it was almost impossible to do so, as the barrels, being adrft, kept rolling around Us, endanger- 8mg our lives and limbs, aud the mate told us, sto give up the job, and come aft, as we were in danger of our lives. We went aft, and got under the break of the poop for shelter from Nlnd and rain; this was between and o'clock Ion Sunday morning. None of the passengers .were visible to be seen on deck; the captain was afi, on the poop giving orders. was ordered =by the second mate to go upon the poop deck aud see what they were doing. At this time tle ship lay like log in the trough of the sea, or else rolled heavily under the big waves (Which broke over her on all sides, sweeping her decks of everything that could float. While we were under the break of the poop-deck heard the mizzen-mast go over the starboard quarter 1t having been cut away by the third lnate for the purpose of fighting the ship, which Nas lying on her starboard side, and straining auu cracking in the most fearful manner. In obedience to the orders of the second mate Meut upon the poop, and saw that the first and third mates were cutting away the port-shrouds aad as soon as the last shroud was severed the mast and rigging went over the starboard side Mith fearful crash tha: shook the ship to her ceIter The ship then lighted immediately, and shook the seas from her deck, and appear ed to be comparatively easy. The gale then flew in from the north-weSt and our ship head ed back toward New York As day began to break we shipped several heavy seas, which stove our whale boats and washed our stern boat from the davits. We then hove the two broken boats overheard, and the mate said: :" Now, boys if you are going to do anything, do tquick, we have only one boat left" We keeIed our last boat over. This boat was capa- be of carrying about eighteen persons. In get ting her upon her keel to launch her, we broke piece out of her midShip gunwale and stove one of her bilge blanks in two places, (Which disabled her greatly. We made rope fast to an eye-bolt in her stem and launched her over the port side Fortunately, she struck the water on an even keel; and, at the orders of the mate, three hands went into her to bail her out, and the others went aft to get something 10 eat. For nearly twenty-four hours previous, We had eaten nothing, and as you may suppose were very hungry. The ship was kept as well before the wind as the two steersmen were able to keep her, and for half an hour they succeed ed pretty well. One of the men becoming ex- hauoted, the Captain ordered me to relieve him. l went aft and took my place at the helm, the seas breaking over us fore and aft, and in about ten minutes found that shelwouuld not steer Our Captain was standing right in the doorway of the eel-house, and said to him: "Sirthe ship will not steer" Wringing his hands, he answered.. "Our time is exceedingly short.., ] Them asked man to come and relieve me while went for drink of water. He did SO but could find no water. Then the Captain oldered ouc man-I think his name was Petty -to come out of the boat and get something . to eat while another man went to relieve him. ilc oueyed orders, and l think never got back ] tl inc boat again. One of the men at the wheel called f,r snIn4 one tO relieve him. and 1 was