New-York daily tribune., 1856-01-17

been provided with but one barrel of bread and DO
water which was al the food which they had to sub
sst on. They had also but three oars which were y-
ing in her at the time together with some halfdozen
brOOms. Two Of the ear soon afterward lost,
| and the brooms were used a. paddles. At ?. m on
Monday saw q schooner to leeward but she was too
far off TO discern them. Al p. saw an empty wa
tercask also to leeward made for with the hope o!
obtaining something to drink, but disappointed.
They then descred the vessel two and half miles TO
leeward, which subsequently TOOK them on board ana
brought them into port. signal was made to her
with red shirt on an oar. After boarding her, they
deemed the boat worthless and let her go. IL should
be remembered that the morning OF Sunday
the 9th the foretopsa was blown from the botropes
and the foretopsal yard broken in three places IL
was the opinion of Mr. Tuffs the chief mate, when
entering the boat that she would not live three min
utes The captain when last seen, and just previous
ly to the vessel going down, was observed on the
quarter-deck, winding up hia watch; He wss oold
and accomplished seaman. He had been IN command
of the st. Denis for twelve year. and had acquired
marked popularity with owners, insurance companies
and all who knew him. From the time Of leaving
the ST. Denis until they picked up by The Naples,
the two mates and nine of the crew were n the boa,
% hours without anything to drink and only barrel
of sea-biscuit soaked with sat water, to eat 1t
il the opinion Of these men that before they
left the ship all the passengers were drowned.
Two cabin passengers, tMr. and Mrs. Weiss who had
been married but two days prior 10 the vessels de-
parture last seen by the second mate, VINO went
into the cabin for the axe TO cut away the msss with
a shawl over their heads, and embracing each other.
The captain second mate three cabin passengers, and
eleven in the second cabin steerage, were drowned
NARRATIVE OF JOSEPH LEVERS.
I 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
passenger and crew Of twenty-one men and four
boys; we passed Sandy Hook about o'clohk on the
afternoon of the day, with fair wind ship going
about eight and half knots an hour; on Saturday
night between 10 and IL O'clock we were called on
deck to close reef the topsails, the wind, which
had been gradually increasing during the afternoon
had become very heavy; we then reeed the courses,
as the wind had begun to blow perfect hurricane
from the south -east, and Immediately after fured
thcm in little while after we had fured the courses
the wind blew the foretopsal out OF the gaskes INTO
whiplashes The ship now laborlng very heavily,
and the water barrels 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 in the water TO secure them
we found that il almost impossible to do So a. the
barrels being adrif kept rolling around Us, endanger
ing our lives and limbs, and the mate told US to 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 wind and RAM TINS was
between and O'Clock Sunday morning. None OF
the passengers were visible TO be seen OH deck; the
captain was aft on the poop, giving orders was or
and zee what they were doing. At this time the ship
Law 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 coud
float. While We were under the break Oh the poop,
deck heard the mizZenmast go over the starbOard
quarter having been cut away by the third mate TOR
the purpose of nghting the ship, which was lying on
her sarboard side, and strainng and cracking IN the
most fearful manner In obedience to the orders OF
the second mate went upon the poop, and saw that
the first and third mates cutting away the port
sbrouds and as the last shroud was severed
the mast and rigging went over the safpoaru siae
with fearful crash that shook the ship to her
center. The ship then nghted immediately, ana
shook the seas from her deck, and appeared
to be comparatively easy The gale then
few in from the northwest, and ship headed back
toward New York. As day began to break we shipped
several very heavy seas, which stove both OF our
whale.boat and washed our steamboat from The
davits We then hove the two broken boats over
board. and the mate said: "NOw, boys, if you are
"poinp TO do ANYTHING do it quick; we have only one
boat left" We then keeed our last boat over.
This boat capable of carrying about eighteen
persona In getting her up on her keel to launch her
we broke a piece out of her mIdship gunwaie ana
stove one of her hilge Panks in two places, which
disabled her greatly. We made rope fast to an
eye-bot in her stem and launched her over the port
aide Fortunately she struck the water on an even
keel and at the orders of the mate, three hands went
into her TO ba her out aud the Others went aft to get
something TO eat. For nearly twenty-four hours
prsyious we had eaten nothing, and as you may
suppose were very hungry. The ship was kept as
we'll before the wind as the two steersmen were able
TO keep her. and for half an hour they succeeded
pretty well. One of the men becoming exhausted the
Captain ordered me to relieve him. went all ana
took my place at the hein the seas breaking over
ma fore and aft and in abont ten minutes ! found
that she would not steer. Our Captain was standing
right in the doorway Of tho wheel-bouse, and
said to him: Sir the ship won't steer" WnnginS
bs hands he answered, "Our time is Short. Then l
asked man to come and relieve me, while went for
drink of water. He did so, but could end no water
Then tn Captain ordered one mani think his name
was Petty-to come out of the boat and get something
to eat, while another man went 10 Ieheve MN. ne
obeyed orders and think never got back to the boat
again. One of the men at the wheel called tor some
one TO relieve him, and was about to go when our
vessel shipped Of the heaviest seas that ever ex-
perenced Ii came clear the sarboard quarter,
and almost buried the vessel, swampng the boat and
filling her with water. The ship, being quite water
logged could not free herself from the mass OF water
that poured over her decks. told the captain that
the boat was amped, and again he wrung his hands
| and said, "Oh boys our time is very shor!' We
tried TO pump her free during the night but our efforts
were utterly useless she filled again faster than we
could free her. Frequently we worked the pumps up
10 our necks in water. At length one of the pump
handles broke disabling the pump. The other pump
| we could not work.
During all of this time the passengers remained per
| fecty quiet in the cabin and the house on deck We
got barrel of bread into the boat and the mate
| got a small keg of water, case OF brandy and
cheese on deck to lower into the boat, but we lost
everything but the bread and that fell into the water
but we succeeded in getting into the boat before it
got very wet. The ship was constantly shipping
Seavy seas and gradually settling lower and lower,
| and il was evident that she would not keep ahoat
much longer; so got into the main channels, taking
little boy of my mess named Tom, by the collar and
| told him to follow me. The boat was now full ten
fatAoms from the ships side, and saw that should
have to swim for my hfe. wanted much to have little
Tom follow me, and tried to pull him over, but poor
little fellow think be struck for death, for he
did not speak word, but just clung to the buwarks
| and could not get him of. jumped overheard and