Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1912-05-23
LONDONER IN SECOND CABIN
TELLS GRAPHIC STORY OF TITANIC

common prudence Jne sailors saw theN
could do nothing but row from the
sinking ship to save at any rate, some
lives. They no doubt anticipated that
suction from such an enormous vessel
would be more than usually dangerous
10 a crowded boat mostly filled with
women. All this time there was no
trace of any disorder; no panic or
rush to the boats and no scenes OF
women sObbing Historically such as
one generally pictures as happening at
such times. Everyone seemed to real.
i've so slowly that there was imminent
danger When 1t was realized that we
might all be presently in the sea with
nothing but our life belts to support
us until we were picked up by passing
steamers, It was extraordinary how
calm everyone was and how complete.
ly self.controlled.
"One by one the boats were filed
with women and children, lowered and
rOwed away into the night. Presently
the word went around among the
men: The men are to be put In boats
on the starboard side.
~ was on the port side and most of
the men walked across the deck to see
II this was so. remained where |
was and presently heard:
ANY more Nadies?"
Looking over the side of the ship,
saw the boat, No. 10. swinging level
with d deck half full Of ladies'. Again
the call was repeated, Any more la.
dies?'
81 saw none come on and then one
of the crew looked up and said. Any
ladies on your deck, sir?'
No. replied.
Then you had better Jump.
u dropped In and fell In the bottom,
rs they cried, Lower away As the
boat began to descend two ladies' were
pushed hurriedly through the crowd
on II deck and heaved over into the
boat and baby of ten months passed
down after them. Down we went, the
crew calling to those lowering which
end to keep her level. An stern,
both together until we were some
ten feet from the water and here oc.
CURED the only anxious moment we
had during the whole of our expert.
ence from leaving the deck to reach.
ing the Carpathia. Immediately below
cur boat was the exhaust of the con.
densers, huge stream of water pour.
ing all the time from the ships side
just above the water line. II was
plain we ought to be smartly away
from this not to be swamped by II
when we touched water.
1--WE had no officer aboard nor petty
officer or member Of the crew to take
charge. Soon one of the stokers
shouted: Someone find the pin which
releases the boat from the rope and
pull IL up
mo one knew where II was. WEI
lelt as well as we could on the floor
and sides but found nothing and Il was
hard to move among SO many people;
we had 60 or 20 on board. Down we
went and presently fioated with our !
ropes still holding us, the exhaust |
us away from the side of the
vessel and the swell of the sea urging
us back again. The resultant of all
these forces was force which carried
us parallel to the ships side and di.
rectly under boat II, which had filed
rapidly with men and was coming
down on MS in a way that threatened
TO submerge our boat.
Stop lowering a. our crew shout.
ed and the crew OF Il, now only 20
feet above. shouted the same. But the
distance to the top was some 20 feet
and the creaking pulleys must have
ieadened all sound to those above for
down she came 70 feet 10 feet, 8
feet, and stoker and | reached up
and touched her swinging above our
heads. The next drop would have
brought her on our heads, but just be-
Tore she dropped another stoker
sprang TO the ropes with his knife.
One, ! heard him say, two as his
knife cut through the pulley ropes and
The next moment the exhaust stream
had carried us clear while boat II
dropped into the water, into the space
we had the moment before occupied,
our gunwhales almost touching.
we drifted away easily as the oars
were gotten out and headed directly
away from the ship. The crew seem.
cd TO me to be mostly cooks in white
Jackets, two to an oar with stoker
at the tiller. There was certain
amount of shouting from one end OF
the boat to the other and discussion
as to which way we should 20, but
finally II was decided to elect the sto-
ker who was steering, captain, and for
all to obey his orders. He went to
work at once to get into touch with
the other boats, calling to them and
getting as close as seemed wise, so
that when the search boats came in
the morning to look for us, there
would be more chance for all to be
rescued by keeping together. 1t was
now about ! Il. m, beautiful star.
light night with no moon and so not
very light. The sea was as calm as |
a pond, Just gentle heave as the !
boat dipped up and down in the swell; |
an ideal night except for the bitter
cold for anyone who had to be out in
the middle of the Atlantic ocean in an
open boat.
THE captain-stoker told us that he !
had been at sea 26 years and had new !
err 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 a more strik.
ing spectacle II was not possible for
anyone to see. Only the evening be.
fore at dinner, remarked to my neigh.
Dor that when we arrived at New
N.sWsl Oh. L.. a.