The new era., 1912-04-25

cept for the bitter cold for any one
who had to be out in the middle OF
the Atlantic ocean in an open boat,
and If ever there was a time when
such night was needed, surely 1t
was now. with hundreds Of people,
mostly women and children. afloat
hundreds Of miles from land.
"The captain-stoker told us that he
had been at sea twenty.six years and
had never yet seen such a calm night
on the Atlantic. AS we rowed away
from the Titanic we looked back from
time to time to watch her. and more
striking spectacle 1t was not possible
for any one to see.
"In the distance she looked an enor-
nous length. her great bulk outlined
In black against the starry sky. every
port.hole and saloon blazing with
light. It was impossible to think any
thing could be wrong with such
leviathan we're It not for that ominous
tilt downward in tho bows. where the
water was by now up to the lowest
row Of portfolios. Presently about
a. m, as near as ! can remember. we
observed her settling very rapidly.
with the bows and the bridge com.
pletely under water. and concluded
1t was now only . question of minutes
before she went; and SO It proved.
She slowly tilted straight on end.
as she did the lights in the cabins and
saloons. which had not fiickered for
a moment since We left. died out.
came on again for . single flash and
finally went out altogether. At the
same time the machinery roared
down through the vessel with rattle
and a grooming that could be heard
for miles. the weirdest sound surely
that could be heard in the middle Of
tho ocean. a thousand miles away
from land But this was not yet quite
the end.
ITO our amazement she remained
in that upright position for a time.
which I estimated as hve minutes:
others in the boat say less. but It
certainly was some minutes. while We
watched at least $50 feet Of the Titan.
ic towering above the level Of the
sea and looming back against the
sky.
"Thcn with quiet slantlng dive
she disappeared beneath the waters.
and our eyes had looked for the last
time on the gigantic vessel we had
set out on from Southampton last
Wednesday. And there was left to us
the gentle heaving sea. the boat filled
to standing room with men and wom-
en- In every conceivable condition OF
dress and undress. above the perfect
sky OF brilliant stars with not a cloud.
all tempered with bitter cold that
made us all long to be ono OF the crew
who toilcd away with the oars and
kept themselves warm thereby-a
curious. dendcning bitter cold unlike
anything We had felt before.
CRIES ARE UNANSWERED.
And then. with all these there
fell on the ear the most appalling
noise that human being ever listened
to-the cries Of hundreds Of our fcl.
low beings struggling In the icy cold
water. cry Ing Tor help with crr
thrt we knew ccmld not be answered
We longed to return and pick UP some
Of those swimming. hut this would
have meant swamp;ng our boat and
further loss Of the lives OF all OF us
We tried TO sing to keep the WON
en- from herring the cries and rnwei
hard to get away from the scene o:
the wreck. hut I think the memory q!
those sounds will he one OF III.
things the rescued will ind u din
cult to eface from memory. We ar.
trying hard not 4, think OF IT,
I've kept a lookout for lights and
several times Il was shouted that
steamers' lights were seen. but they
turned out to he either n light from
another boat or star low down or
the horizon. About 2 a. m. We saw
faint lights showing on the sky and
all reiciced to see what VIC expecie'
was the coming dawn. but after
watching for half an hour and seelnV
no change In the intensity of the
light. realized II was the northern
lights
presently low down on the horizon
We saw light. which slowly resolved
itself into n double light. and We
watched eagerly to see n the tive
lights would separate and 20 prove
to be only two OF our boats or whe,h
er they would remain together. lr
which case We shou'd expect them +"
he tho masthead light and deck
light below Of rcscuing steamer
CHEER SIGHT OF REscuER.
ITO our JOY they moved as one and
and round we swung the boat am
headed for her. The stecrsmor
shouted: Now. boys. sing and fo-
the first time the boat broke into
song with Row for the Shore. noys
and for the first time tears came tc
the eyes Of us all as we realized thn,
safety was at hand The song was
sung. but II was very ponr ,uit1