The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-04-24

AS AZ III
the crowd on B deck and heaved over
into the boat and baby OF ten
n onths passed down after them
Down we went until we were sont
ten feet from the water. Here oc-
Cured the only anxious moment OF
our experience.
Immediately below our boat was
the exhaust Of the condensers, a huge
stream Of water pouring all the time
from the ships side above the water
line. 1t was planned we ought to be
smart way from this not to be
swamped by it when we touched
water. We had no officer aboa:d
nor petty officer nor member of the
crew to take charge. Soon after the
stokers shouted:
"'Some one find the pin which re-
leases the boat from the ropes and
pull it up No one knew where It
was.
Down we went and presently
Aoated with our ropes still holding
US directly under Boat No. Il, which
had filed rapidly with men and was
coming down on Us in way that
threatened to submerge our boat.
Stop lowering a. the crew
shouted and the crew Of No. "A, now
only 20 feet above, shouted the same.
But down she came-fften feet, ten
feet, five feet and stoker, and !
reached up and touched her swing
ing above our heads. Just before she
dropped another stoker sprans to the
ropes with his knife. His knife cut
through the pulled ropes and the next
moment the exhaust streams then
carried US clear, while Boat Il
dropped into the water, into the space
we had the moment before occupies.
eve drifted away easily and head
ed directly away from the ship. The
crew seemed to me to be mostly
cooks in white jackets, two to an
oar, with stoker at the tiller. The
stoker who was steering WaE chosen
captain. He set to work at once to
get into touch with the other boats,
calling to them and getting as close
as seemed wise, 80 that VIXEN the
searching boats came In the morning
to look for US there would be more
chance for all to be rescued.
1T was now about 1 a. M, a beau
tiful starlight night, with no moon,
and so not very light. The sea was
as calm as pond.
AS We rowed away from the IT.
tanic, we looked back from time to
time to watch her. In the distance
she looked an enormous length, her
great bulk outlined in black against
the starry sky, every port hole and
saloon blazing with light. It was i'm
possible to think anything could be
wrong with such a leviathan, were
it not for that ominous tilt down.
wards in the bows, where the wate::
was by now up to the lowest row ST
port holes. Presently, ABOUT 2 a. n,
as near as I can remember, we OBJ
served her settling very rapidly. She
slowly tilted straight on end and with
the stern vertically upwards, and as
she did so, the lights in the cabins
and saloons, which had not fickered
for a moment before We left, died
out, came on again for single flash
and finally went out altogether. At
the same time the machinery roar
ed down through the vessel with
rattle and a groaning that could be
heard for miles. But this was not
yet quite the end.
''To our amazement, she remained
in the upright position some minutes
and we watched at least $50 feet OF
the Titanic towering up above the
level Of the sea and looming black
against the sky. Then, with quiet,
slanting dive, she disappeared be-
meath the water and our eyes had
looked for the last time on the gi-
gantic vessel. And there was left to
US the gently heaving sea, the boat
filed to standing room with men and
women in every conceivable condition
of dress and undress.
"And then thereon the ear the
most appalling noise that human be-
ing ever listened to-the cries OF
hundreds OF our fellow beings strus-
Cling in the icy cold water, crying for
help with a cry that we knew could
not be answered.
1--WE tried to sing to keep the Wo-
men from hearing the cries and
rowed hard to get away from the
scene Of the wreck, but think those
sounds will be one thing the rescued
will find it difficult to efacs from
memory.
1--WE kept lookout for lights and
about 3 a. m. saw faint lights show
ing in the sky, which turned out to
be only the northern lights.
presently low down on the no.
rizon we saw a double light. They
proved to be the masthead light and
deck light below OF a resculng
steamer. We swung around and
headed for her. The steersman
shouted: Now boys sing, and for
the first time, the boat broke into
song with Row for the Shore, Boys,
and for the first time tears came to
the eyes OF US all, as we realized that
safety was at hand. The song was
sung, but it was very poor imitation
of the real thing, for quiet evening
voices make poor songs. a cheer was
given next, and that was better"
NONE RESCUED BY THEM.
None Of Titanic Passengers on Pa