The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-01-13
lHE THREE BELLS.


m died and was buried at Antwerp with
imposing ceremonies, he having been for
long time marine superintendent Of the
Red Star line of steamships plying between
New York, Philadelphia and Antwerp. For
pall-bearers he had the auarternasters of
the steamships Belgenland and Swiizer.
land, and his coffin was draped with Bel
sian, British and American flags. Brief
notices of his death, coupled with illusions
to his heroism in standing by the United
States steamship San Francisco, when he
had command of the British sailing shin
Three Bells, when both were in a terri lie
storm, and of his rescuing upward ct fsSO
sonls, most of them United States soldiers.
have been quite thoroughly circulated OF
late through he United States.
While these reports have undoubtedly
revived memories Of the heroic deed among
the older people, the details of the event
are almost wholly il not entirely unknown
to the younger members OF the commun.
ity. Therefore detailed narrative OF the
affair from an eyewitness, particularly in
view of the fact that thyt witness is now
and has long been resident OF Detroit, will
prove interesting.
His name is Amos Burgess, and he lives
at No. S29l Macomb street. He is colored
man about 90 years ut age, and is respected
by all who know him He is comfortably
provided with this worlds goods, and,
as he expressed it when called upon by a
reporter of the Free Press, he is "a man
without education, who has won sufficient
to give my children a good education. |
have son who is a graduate of the Miohi-
gan university and is now practicing his
profession at st. Louis, Mo-
When Informed as to the object of the
reporters visit, the old man--who is some-
what shattered and distigured, as the result
OF steamboat explosion several years
since--said: eyes, sir, | was aboard the
San Francisco when the Three Bells stood
by and saved us, but I'm afeard | can't
tell You OF IL in good enough shape TO have
II 20 into u newspaper"
The visitor assured Mr.. Burgess that the
story from his lips would be intensely
interesting in view of Captain
Crighton's recent death, aud the old man
| thcreupon related the tale substantially as
follows:
1T WAS CHRISTMAS TINE,
Twenty.eight or twenty-nine years ago,
that the steamship Sa Francisco. Captain
Watkins commanding, sailed feolt New
York with twenty-five days fuel aboard,
| bound Tor San Francisco by way of Cape
Horn. We intended to make our first
landing at Rio Janeiro. We had about $50
passengers over all, about 800 being United
States soldiers. ! was chief cook on the
boat. On the third day out, when off Cape
Hatteras, a gale struck us, aud it was a
t-arer We lost both masts, our pipes went
by the board, eight of our small boats were
washed over board as were all of our upper
works. Our engines broke down and lying
in the trough OF the sea, we threw every.
thing, except men, overheard to lighter vi
and prevent swapping. tell you, sir, il
was,
A TERRIBLE STORM.
Our decks were cleared of everything and
one huge sea swept 100 persons overheard
at one clip. We were at the pumps, work,
ing for life. | had charge of all the colored
men on the boat, forty in number, and was
given the for'art pumps to work. The
pumps were the old fashioned brakes ard
worked my men in gangs of ten, Just Us
tight as they could lick, and dealing out
thimbles full of liquor to the men at the
end of each turn at the brakes, Captain
Watkins had saved six barrels of whisky
out of our stock and placed guard owe
it, while all the rest had been thrown over
board. On the next day we were hailed b,
the little topsail schooner Napoleon, bount
for Halifax and asked II we were goipg Il
desert our ship. She coudn' ES n,
us III the storm, and, as we aiteitiar,
learned, she reported our situation "a III
arriving at Halifax. Two days laterA !.
brig Maria, of Liverpool, spoke to usb Z,
went on, unable TO render any service. An
next day the bark Kelby, loaded With cot
ton, from New Orleans to Boston, hailed lie
aud rs the sea had gone down sonewhat
, got out her small boats aud took all tn
lady passengers we had aboard. But th
storm AGAIN increasing, she had 10 tax
care OF herself before she could take of an
more passengers. Meanwhile we. wer
hanging on desperately, just ready to dro
with despair, but never getting there.
cant tell you, sir, anything about how
was and nobody can. You've got to G
through it yourself before You can undel
stand.
ANOTHER SAIL.
ave lay all night after the Kelby left III
firing guns and sending up rockets, an
down uDon us We thought II q BIRTHS
frigate; she looked so nice and trim an
clean.like, and Sc was handled so wei
When within hailing distance she told u
she was the British clipper ship, the Tire
! Bells, and asked II we were going to abando
our ship. We replied, and ! remember til
signals well, we cannot hold out muc
longer. Have lost 1870 already The
r came Captain Crightons answer: BE {
good cheer and keep q bright light aloN
I'll lie by you till the sea runs down. Al
ter
THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS
: the Three Bells, which had stood by Il
faithfully without being able to help us, wa
again si0nalled: Our ship is making waite
and our drinking water is getting Icy
Can't stand by you much longer
Colonel Wise and Major Gates were i
command of the soldiers on the Frisco
and Colonel Wise signaled TO Captai
Creighton, will you charter your ship /
the United States government and on
captain sigualled IF ] can board you
snip, have men enough to keep her atioa
and we have plenty of drinking water 70
you. For Gods sake don't leave us now
for we can't stand 1t much longer Befcr
we got through our signals the Three Bell
was Tar away aud we began to think sh
was going away. BY and by she change,
; her course and loon she came down toward
MS. tell yu, sir, she WIS q beauty,
pretty think TO Look at; but we were still il
doubt. You should have seen u
clinpiug on with ole haad an,
! Ifu'N w NiNN 'hi ltln WIN
other If The coming signal warrante,
IT, Then asked Captain Watkins in u,
undertone as passed him: Do you thinl
the Bells will leave us, sif2' And he re
Piled NO, Burgess, don't think she vii
leave us under the circumstances, but VT
cant tell Just tbon the Bells began to sip
nal her reply and soon We spelled out: Keel
up your spirits; III stand by you
TIT WAS a BLCwING GALE
q terrible gale. Captain Creighton handled
his ship m x uiiicentiy, but 1t would hav,
been sheer folly To attempt to lower away
ssall boat. | tell you 1t was al the bes
s,ilor on the seas wanted to do to keep hi,
own craft ahoat, let alone helping anybody
else. After giving his last and inspiring
signal, white we were cheering Justify thu
Bells went scudding away before the gale
and we lost sight OF her. Then night camt
IN aud We we're again despairing. In tn,
morning. however, we sighted two sails
one the Three Bells and the other al
American ship called the An